Spare the Air today

Rides on Unitrans and Yolobus are free today, Sept. 3, because it has been declared a Spare the Air day.

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District declares Spare the Air as a way to help deal with unhealthy air quality — the result of high temperatures.

Today's forecast for ground-level ozone pollution, as measured by the Air Quality Index, is 161 — or "unhealthy" for everyone. The AQI on Sept. 2 maxed out at 150 — which is “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

The AQI forecast for Sept. 4 is 137.

Today's Spare the Air day is the second in two weeks, following the Aug. 25 Spare the Air day.

In declaring Spare the Air days, the district asks people to reduce their driving: less driving means less pollution from motor vehicles. Therefore, the district encourages people to postpone errands and form carpools for sports and recreation activities.

Public transit is another option — and free rides are the incentive. Besides Unitrans and Yolobus people also can ride for free on the North Natomas Transportation Management Agency shuttle, Auburn Transit, Lincoln Transit, Placer County Transit, Roseville Transit and El Dorado Transit.

More information.

Wall calendars on the way

Campus bookstores are expecting to receive the 2010-11 UC Davis wall calendars late this afternoon (Sept. 3) or early next week.

For the folded format, you can simply visit any bookstore on the Davis and Sacramento campuses, and buy however many you need, on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. The flat format (rolled for easier transport) will be available at only two locations: the main store on the Davis campus and the health system branch in Sacramento.

Free delivery is available in the folded format only, with orders being taken by e-mail, fax or via the bookstore’s online supply catalog (if you do not already have a user account, you will be prompted to register your department).

The cost is 80 cents apiece, or, for departments, 72 cents (taking into account the customary 10 percent discount for departments).

To order folded copies for delivery, send an e-mail with the following information to Kelly Holt, kgholt@ucdavis.edu:

• Department

• Contact name

• Phone number

• Delivery location (building and room)

• Quantity

• UC Davis Financial Information System (DaFIS) account or billing identification

You can fax a departmental purchase order, with the same information, to (530) 754-7819.

Questions? Contact Holt by e-mail: kgholt@ucdavis.edu.