If you’re a regular Weather Channel watcher, you’ve probably seen reports about the air quality. Lots of different things contribute to air pollution — industrial pollution, driving, dry cleaning, and even using paint. These (and other) activities release gases and particles into the air and contribute to air pollution.
DID YOU KNOW: The average adult breathes more than three thousand gallons of air every day! Children breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults do. Children and the elderly tend to be more sensitive to air pollution.
Just like the weather, the air quality can change from day to day, or even from one hour to the next. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency records the concentrations of major pollutants — like ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter — at more than a thousand locations across the country. The measurements are then converted to Air Quality Index values. Each of the five major air pollutants is checked on a daily basis.
The AQI gives you an idea of the coming day’s air quality. If the pollutant level is high, the AQI will tell you what the major cause is and what health concerns you should be aware of. Exposure to polluted air can cause health issues within hours in sensitive people — children, the elderly, and people with respiratory disease.
If you have been exposed to high levels of certain air pollutants, you may experience these symptoms:
- Burning eyes
- Throat irritation
- Breathing difficulties
Long-term exposure can cause immune system, neurological, respiratory, and reproductive system damage, and even cancer.
If you live in a major industrial area, near a large city, or in another place where the air quality is not so great, you may want to check the AQI before you plan any outdoor activities. You can tell the general air quality at a glance by color: orange means that conditions are “unhealthy for sensitive groups” and red means that conditions may be generally “unhealthy” for everyone.