Air Resources

For more information about National Park Service air resources, please visit http://www.nature.nps.gov/air/.

Students & Teachers

Park visitors enjoying an interpretive ranger program at at Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

On March 2, 1904 Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. As an adult he became the beloved children's author Dr. Seuss. In his book The Lorax, Dr. Seuss shows how important it is to protect the environment by revealing the bad things that can happen to air, water, and animals when you don't. When pollution from the "Once-ler's" factory started hurting air quality, the Lorax said:

"I am the Lorax," he coughed and he whiffed.
He sneezed and he snuffled. He snarggled. He sniffed.
"Once-ler!" he cried with a cruffulous croak.
"Once-ler! You're making such smogulous smoke!
My poor Swomee-Swans... why, they can't sing a note!
No one can sing who has smog in his throat...."

The message from the Lorax is that everyone can help take care of our planet. As the Lorax said:

UNLESS someone like you
cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better.
It's not.

What YOU can do to protect the air

Save energy at home, school, and work—this will help reduce air pollution. Whenever you burn a fossil fuel to make energy, you pollute the air. Use less gasoline, natural gas, and electricity:
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room
- Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth
- Turn off computers and monitors when they are not in use
Drive Less—Fewer trips in your car will help cut air pollution.
- Carpool, ride your bike, or take the bus when you can
Waste Not—It takes energy to make and sell the products we use. Here are ways to save energy, reduce waste, and save money.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
- Use cloth shopping bags or re-use plastic and paper shopping bags
- Use both sides of paper
Tell other people that air quality is important to you—the more people who know the bigger difference we can make.