NPR has a report today on the American Lung Association’s (ALA) 21st annual State of the Air report. For decades, our air has become cleaner with lower emissions of air pollution, but the number of people breathing unhealthy air is increasing, and much of this can be attributed to climate change.
Almost half of all Americans now live in an area that has unhealthy air for ozone or particle pollution.
The ALA is warning us that climate change is undercutting decades of progress and lower emissions of air pollution. But hotter weather from climate change causes more ozone formation, and wildfires make incredible amounts of particle air pollution. So even though we have reducced emissions, we are getting more unhealthy air.
In addition, in the last few years EPA has been prosecuting fewer violoations of air and water pollution regulations, which might also be contributing to the problem.
This report shows that we need to work harder and do even more to clean up our air, so we can be healthy. Cleaning up the air will also help fight climate change, so it’s a win-win situation. We can do it!
