Causecast

by AARON HORWITZ, Contributing Writer

May is Clean Air Month in the U.S., and so it’s time for our yearly check-up on the status of what we breathe. While the results are certainly less than promising, it is within all of our abilities to make a difference. The first step is awareness, so let’s check the facts…

According to the recent American Lung Association’s State of the Air Report, a staggering 60% of Americans—that’s over 186 million of us—live in an area where air pollution endangers lives. As if that weren’t bad enough, some of the leading causes of air pollution—dirty power plants, dirty diesel engines, and ocean-going vessels—are contributing to global warming as well. Despite the fact that more and more Americans are embracing the green movement every year, air pollution in many major cities has actually worsened since last year’s study.

The American Lung Association’s comprehensive report measures air pollution by breaking it down into 3 major categories: ozone (smog), annual particle pollution, and short term (24 hour) particle pollution levels.

Ozone is the most widespread form of air pollution, affecting an estimated 175.4 million Americans (58%). Ozone irritates the lungs when inhaled, resulting in something similar to a bad sunburn inside your lungs. The health effects, which can be immediate, include coughing, wheezing and asthma attacks. Several large cities like Las Vegas and Dallas have seen an increase in ozone pollution over the last year.

California, a state known for striving to be environmentally-conscious, actually has the top three worst cities in terms of ozone pollution. Despite an improvement in its ozone pollution levels, Los Angeles is still the nation’s top offender. The city, notorious for its horrible traffic, dense smog and lack of effective public transportation, also ranks #3 in worst year-round particle pollution and #4 in short-term particle pollution.

Particle pollution measures the toxic mix of microscopic soot, diesel exhaust, chemicals, metals and aerosols found in the air. Particle pollution is the most dangerous and deadly of all the widespread air pollutants in America, increasing the risk of “early death, heart attacks, strokes and emergency room visits for asthma and cardiovascular disease.”

Pittsburgh ranks worst in short-term particle pollution, while Bakersfield, CA, holds the distinction for worst short-term particle pollution. While nine of the top 25 most polluted cities have actually improved in this area since last year, a dozen have gotten worse.

Want to see how your city measures up? Check out a list of the cleanest and most polluted cities.

No one living in a polluted city is immune to the effects of air pollution. Dr. Norman Edelman, chief medical officer of the ALA explains: “The science is rock-solid. We now know that air pollution can impair the lung function of even the healthiest people. Air pollution worsens asthma and is a direct cause of heart attacks, which makes people living with lung and heart disease especially vulnerable.”

However, there is much hope for the future. President Obama, with the drafting of his American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, is already attempting to lead the way toward a cleaner, greener future for all of us.

But we as individuals have the most ability to clean up the air we breathe, and the solutions are endless. For starters, a few simple fixes are driving less (or carpooling more), conserving electricity, shying away from aerosal cans, and buying environmentally-friendly products (here’s a great O.N.E.).

For a host of other tips and ways to join the cause, you can check out the ALA Action Network or Causecast organization Global Green USA.

So come on people, isn’t it time to wake up and smell the [not-so] fresh air today?

Image by steven.buss, flickr