| Overall, Americans are breathing easier than they did | | | | 1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif. |
| in 2005, but over 150 million of us are still exposed to | | | | 2. Bakersfield, Calif. |
| unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to the | | | | 3. Pittsburgh-New Castle, Pa. |
| American Lung Association's State of the Air 2006 | | | | 4. Visalia-Porterville, Calif. |
| report. | | | | 5. Fresno-Madera, Calif. |
| "Our report shows real improvement in the air quality | | | | 6. Detroit-Warren-Flint, Mich. |
| in much of the nation. We're seeing the benefits of | | | | 7. Hanford-Corcoran, Calif. |
| cleaning up dirty power plants with healthier air and a | | | | 8. Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, Ohio |
| better quality of life. But that doesn't mean it's clean | | | | 9. Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, Ala. Atlanta-Sandy |
| enough, and we've still got a lot of work to do," said | | | | Springs-Gainesville, Ga.-Ala. Chicago-Naperville-Michigan |
| John L. Kirkwood, president and chief executive | | | | City, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. |
| officer of the American Lung Association. | | | | 10. Weirton-Steubenville, W.Va.-Ohio |
| As Kirkwood said, the Lung Association credits air | | | | 11. York-Hanover-Gettysburg, Pa. St. Louis-St. |
| quality improvements to the federal efforts that | | | | Charles-Farmington, Mo.-Ill. |
| have been made to control pollution from power | | | | Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, Ohio-Ky.-Ind. New |
| plants. However, they are urging the Environmental | | | | York-Newark-Bridgeport, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. Lancaster, |
| Protection Agency (EPA) to help reduce pollution | | | | Pa. Merced, Calif. Canton-Massillon, Ohio Charleston, |
| from marine and locomotive sources. | | | | W.Va. |
| Who's at Risk From Air Pollution? | | | | 12. Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, |
| Air pollution can harm the health of just about | | | | D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. |
| anyone. It is so serious that about 4 percent of | | | | 13. Reading, Pa. Hagerstown-Martinsburg, Md.-W.Va. |
| deaths in the United States can be attributed to air | | | | Indianapolis-Anderson-Columbus, Ind. |
| pollution, according to the Environmental Science | | | | 14. Louisville-Elizabethtown-Scottsburg, Ky.-Ind. |
| Engineering Program at the Harvard School of Public | | | | Want to Breathe Easy? You May Want to Live Here |
| Health. Further, it's estimated that those living in the | | | | These 25 areas have the least amount of year-round |
| most polluted cities have their life spans shortened by | | | | particle pollution in the country. |
| one to two years, according to research by the | | | | 1. Cheyenne, Wyo. |
| American Cancer Society and Harvard University. | | | | 2. Santa Fe-Espanola, N.M. |
| What types of health effects can be expected? | | | | 3. Honolulu |
| Everything from eye, throat and lung irritation to lung | | | | 4. Great Falls, Mont. |
| cancer and chronic respiratory diseases. Other health | | | | 5. Tucson, Ariz. |
| effects of air pollution include: | | | | 6. Anchorage, Alaska |
| - Cough | | | | 7. Farmington, N.M. |
| - Chest tightness | | | | 8. Bismark, N.D. |
| - Difficulty breathing | | | | 9. Albuquerque, N.M. |
| - Headaches | | | | 10. Rapid City, S.D. |
| - Nausea | | | | 11. Pueblo, Colo. |
| - Asthma attacks | | | | 12. Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo. Fargo-Wahpeton, |
| - Increased upper respiratory infections such as | | | | N.D.-Minn. Duluth, Minn.-Wis. Salinas, Calif. |
| bronchitis and pneumonia | | | | Midland-Odessa, Texas |
| - Heart disease | | | | 13. Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Fla. Colorado |
| - Respiratory problems | | | | Springs, Colo. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla. |
| - Exacerbated allergies | | | | Albany-Corvallis-Lebanon, Ore. Reno-Sparks, Nev. |
| - Adverse neurological, reproductive and | | | | 14. Redding, Calif. Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce, Fla. Santa |
| developmental effects | | | | Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, Calif. |
| - Genetic abnormalities in newborns | | | | 15. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, Calif. |
| The American Lung Association also pointed out that | | | | Protect Yourself and Your Family From Air Pollution |
| certain groups are especially at risk from polluted air. | | | | While the only way to avoid air pollution entirely is to |
| These include: | | | | move to a pristine location, the following tips will help |
| - People with asthma | | | | to reduce the amount of pollution you're exposed to, |
| - Adults over 65 | | | | no matter where you live. |
| - Children under 18 | | | | 1. |
| - People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | | | | Keep Dirt and Dust Out of Your Home. A few |
| (COPD, or chronic bronchitis and emphysema) | | | | high-quality mats, like the Waterhog Grand Premier |
| - People with heart disease | | | | Mats, placed strategically around your home (such as |
| - People with diabetes | | | | in doorways and other highly trafficked areas), will go |
| The 25 Metropolitan Areas With the Dirtiest Air | | | | a long way toward reducing the amount of dirt and |
| The State of the Air report ranks cities and counties | | | | dust in your home in the first place. Once inside, that |
| according to how much particle pollution (soot) and | | | | dirt gets circulated into the air and you breathe it in. |
| ozone (smog) they contain. Said the Lung | | | | 2. |
| Association, these two pollutants still represent | | | | Avoid high levels of smog and pollution. These are |
| "persistent threats against large parts of the United | | | | typically highest during the midday and afternoon. If |
| States." | | | | you're in a high-risk group, don't go outside when |
| Along with the rankings, each county also receives a | | | | ozone levels are high. |
| report card based on their high ozone days and | | | | 3. Exercise when the air is cleaner. When we exercise |
| 24-hour particle pollution. Chicago's Cook County, IL, | | | | (or work strenuously), we draw air more deeply into |
| for example, earned an "F." You can find out your | | | | our lungs, and therefore risk more damage from air |
| county's grade using the American Lung Association's | | | | pollution. To protect yourself and get the numerous |
| interactive map. | | | | health benefits of exercise, avoid exercising near |
| Here are the 25 metropolitan areas that ranked the | | | | congested streets and during rush-hour traffic, and |
| worst (areas with the same number were tied) in | | | | try to work out early in the morning or evening |
| year-round particle pollution. | | | | instead. |