Air Quality Concerns Rise With the Temperature This Year

The American Lung Association of New England just released a statement last week that the indoor air quality guidelines from the EPA that were released earlier this year aren’t stringent enough to counteract ozone poisoning this summer. According to the report, only 54 days of high ozone levels were recorded last year, when in actuality, if abiding by the proposed new air quality standards, this number would have nearly doubled to 98 days. When it comes to our health, this is nothing to take lightly!

When the EPA developed its safe air quality standards this year, the ozone level designated as safe was higher than it technically should be, according to the American Lung Association of New England. New Englanders are particularly susceptible to ozone poisoning, with the overall highest rates of asthma in the entire United States. This fuels the research and statements behind asthma and allergies like we mentioned in one of our previous posts.

So what exactly is ozone poisoning? It’s created when things like like car exhaust and pollutants from power plants and other industrial, fossil fuel burning establishments react with sunlight, creating harmful chemicals that we breathe day in and day out. Areas with a high concentration of cars or industrial buildings are logically the biggest contenders, and during the hot days of summer, the ozone levels rise significantly, putting people at an even higher risk for permanent lung damage and even premature death.

Ways to find asthma relief and allergy relief include limiting automobile travel through public transportation, walking or bicycling, and being sure to make every best effort to conserve energy in your every day life by turning off lights, running less electric appliances, or taking other "green" initiatives. Using Energy Star appliances or implementing indoor air purifying systems are two really great steps to take toward protecting yourself this summer.