Are You SunWise?

A bad sunburn can ruin a good trip needlessly. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SunWise Program provides resources that increase awareness of the health hazards associated with overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun, as well as recommended action steps for safe Sun exposure.

EPA Mobile provides UV forecast smartphone apps for Android and Blackberry, and a generic Mobile Web "app" that should work on any mobile device equipped with a Web browser and data plan. If your mobile device features a built-in GPS receiver, then the Mobile Web app will request permission to use your current location; tap "OK" and your location will be determined automatically. Otherwise it will be necessary to complete a simple form requesting either a Zip Code or city and state. Sample output is shown below.

Tech Tips: Visit the US EPA SunWise UV Index Web page for similar input/output as well as UV Index Forecast maps.