The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is sponsoring its ninth "Spare-the-Air" campaign. Some 700 businesses in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced and Tuolumne counties will take part in the volunteer program. District Spokesman, Anthony Presto says participating businesses will ask their employees to do such things as minimize the use of cars on days when the air is especially unhealthy.

"When you're planning to do errands try to get all of those errands into one vehicle trip. It's great when you can go to a shopping center that has a bank, a grocery store, a pharmacy."

The "Spare-the-Air" campaign has the endorsement of the American Lung Association.

A spokesman for the Association says children living in the Valley are more susceptible to asthma and other respiratory ailments than their counterparts in other regions of the country. During the summer as many as 45 days, are designated as "spare the air" days.