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