Monday, May 2, 2011

How clean is your air?

How clean is the air you're breathing?  That's the quesiton you should ask often as it could impact your health!  This week, May 2 - 6, is Air Quality Awareness Week across the nation.  How clean the air we breathe is extremely important for our day to day lives.  The main trouble makers with air quality are low-atmospheric ozone and particulates (blowing dust particles and other substances).  On days when air quailty is very low (usually occurs when high pressure settles into an area with very light to calm winds), the NWS will actually issue an Air Quality Alert for the affected area and action days may be declared. On action days, the government urges people to cut down on their number of emissions (or how much they pollute the air) by using public transportation (they may even let you ride for free - but you have to check) and other various ways.

One way to check on the quality of the air in your area is to check www.airnow.gov .  This website will show you the current quality of the air you're breathing and also provide you with a forecast for the next day.  To learn more on air quality, I suggest you check out http://www.airquality.noaa.gov/ . 

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