EPA Gameday Checklist: 10 Tips for Healthy Fans and a Healthy Planet
1. Know before you go: check your AQI and heat risk before you head out
Why: The U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI) tells you the air quality conditions and steps you can take to protect your health. Heat risk adds another layer of safety on hot summer days when matches are played.
- Understand U.S. AQI and today’s conditions
- Download the AirNow app
- Sign up for air quality alerts
- Check the Fire and Smoke Map for wildfire smoke information
- Take action during smoke and heat events
2. Play it safe: if you have asthma or heart/lung conditions, adjust your game plan on poor AQI days
Why: Ozone and particle pollution can strain the lungs and heart. Affected groups should take extra care, especially when outdoors near smoke events or in the summer heat.
- Use air quality activity guides to help adjust your plans
- Air quality and health tips
- Health effects of particle pollution
- Take action during smoke and heat events
3. Hydrate smart: bring a refillable water bottle and hit the hydration stations
Why: Staying hydrated keeps you in the game, and refillable water bottles cut single-use plastic waste.
4. Take the easy route: walk, bike, take public transit, or carpool
Why: Public transit lets you skip parking hunts and gridlock, keeps arrival times predictable, and can save you money. If you’re close, walking or biking can be just as quick—and if you must drive, carpool to simplify the trip.
5. Win the tailgate: turn off the engine while waiting or tailgating
Why: Turning off your engine keeps air cleaner around the stadium and saves you money on gas.
- Practical ways to cut vehicle pollution
6. Suit up against the sun: wear hats, shades, clothing, and sunscreen
Why: Wide-brimmed hats, UV-blocking sunglasses, and long sleeves and pants reduce your sun exposure. Check the UV Index daily to see how strong the sun’s rays will be in your location, and wear SPF 15+ sunscreen on skin that you cannot cover.
- UV radiation and sun safety
- UV Index information and forecast
7. Keep food in the game, not the trash: compost scraps and compostable serviceware where available
Why: The average American wastes about 150 pounds of food per year. Composting turns food scraps into a resource returning nutrients to the soil instead of wasting them in landfills.
8. Look for the right bins: recycling (bottles/cans/paper), compost (food/compostable serviceware), Trash (everything else)
Why: Good sorting keeps materials in play and out of the landfill. Contamination from one wrong item can spoil an entire batch. Taking an extra second to sort correctly makes a big difference.
9. Protect the waterways: never dump anything into storm drains
Why: Storm drains flow directly to rivers, lakes, and coastal waters—keep pollutants out.
10. Get the whole team involved: share this playbook with your crew
Why: Small, consistent actions from millions of fans deliver big wins. Every person you bring on board multiplies the impact.