A Typical "Two-Shirts a Day" Scene in Pittsburgh |
For those of us who grew up in dark and smoggy Pittsburgh,
we can speak from first-hand experience about the positive changes in air
quality over the past 40 years. Back in the day, our father wore a white shirt
to his engineering office every morning and carried a second white shirt for
the afternoon. The air was such a dense haze of polluted smoke that even a
freshly laundered white shirt looked gray and grimy by lunch time.
Fortunately, that’s an old story. Air quality has improved dramatically due to
standards put forth in the Clean Air Act of the 1970’s. Each May, the American Lung Association supports Clean Air Month by sharing
information about the importance of air quality and the negative impact pollution
has on our health and well being.
Clearing the Air on Current
Pollution Levels
For all of the great strides that have already been made in
air quality improvement, the 2014 State of the Air report card presents a mixed bag of air testing results from around the US. The
good news is that many cities have really cleaned up their act in regards to reducing
air pollution. The bad news is that some areas have actually gotten worse. Currently,
over 150 million Americans live in areas with such dangerously polluted air
that residents are at risk for heart disease, lung cancer, asthma attacks and
chronic bronchitis. Infants, children, teenagers, outdoor workers, people over
the age of 65 and those with diabetes, respiratory or cardiovascular disease
are especially vulnerable to pollution-related illnesses. Click here to see how your city measures up.
Clean Air Month Starts
at Home
Remember, the average American spends 90% of their time
indoors, so even small changes can benefit your family’s health. Take action
with these suggestions for improving your indoor air quality:
· Have your home tested for radon, the leading cause of lung cancer.
· Be sure that any appliance that burns gas is vented to the outdoors.
· Run an exhaust fan in the kitchen and bathroom.
· Never leave your car idling in an attached garage.
· Control moisture and humidity levels within your home to prevent the development of mold.
· Avoid buying building products, carpets and furniture that off-gas inside your home.
· Ditch the toxic cleaning supplies and go “green” when it’s time to clean.
· Go natural and forget about those chemical air fresheners and artificially scented candles.
· Leave the removal of lead paint and asbestos to the professionals.
· If you are concerned that there is an air quality problem within your home, have a professional analysis conducted and don’t gamble with your health.