The summer months bring with them concerns about air quality and ozone levels. With the availability of smartphones and local weather forecasts, individuals can now easily monitor air quality to ensure their personal safety and make informed decisions.
Dr. Tracey Holloway is a professor of energy analysis and policy at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, specializing in studying air quality and the impact of various chemicals in the air on visibility and human health. She leads a team at NASA that utilizes satellite data to provide relevant information for decision-making on air quality and public health.
The federal government measures air quality using the air quality index (AQI), with green indicating good conditions, yellow for moderate, orange for unhealthy for sensitive groups, red for unhealthy, purple or maroon indicating even more hazardous conditions. Factors that contribute to poor air quality in southeast Texas include ozone, wildfire smoke, factory pollution, and Saharan dust. Dr. Holloway explains that different chemicals in the air can affect the body in various ways, with respiratory diseases like asthma being a common consequence due to the inhalation of harmful substances.
In severe cases, air pollution has been linked to shorter life expectancies, exacerbation of heart disease, adverse birth outcomes, and other negative health effects. Dr. Holloway emphasizes that cleaner air equates to healthier living overall. To stay healthy during poor air quality days, it is recommended to stay indoors and utilize air filtration systems indoors to reduce exposure to harmful particles.
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