# Presentation: 934360

## Slide 1

**Notes:**
I’d like to talk about air pollution and your health, and how  weather can affect air pollution. Breathing polluted air is unhealthy, but you can’t always tell the air is polluted by how it looks, like you can in these pictures.
Air pollution can have a number of health effects, some of which can be quite serious.

## Slide 2

**Notes:**
The Air Quality Index, or AQI, can help you find out when pollution levels are high and could contribute to health problems. The AQI also provides related health messages.
The AQI uses color-coding to represent air quality ranging from good (green) to purple (very unhealthy).
You can find the AQI on the Internet at EPA’s AIRNow website at: www.airnow.gov. Also, many local newspapers and TV and radio stations include the AQI as part of the weather report.

## Slide 3

**Notes:**
Air pollution comes from a number of different sources. 
Vehicles, power plants, and chemical plants are some of the biggest pollution sources. Some things in nature, like forest fires or volcanoes, also can cause air pollution.

**Notes:**
I’m going to talk about two types of air pollutants today: ozone pollution and particle pollution.
Ozone pollution is formed when pollutants called nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, react in the presence of heat and sunlight. This is one way that weather affects air pollution.
Vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are some of the major sources of NOx and VOCs.
Weather can also affect air pollution in other ways. For example, the wind can move air pollution around, blowing it away from its source, into areas hundreds of miles away, where it can have a significant impact on air pollution levels.

**Notes:**
Ozone in the air we breathe here at ground level is bad. 
But very high up in the atmosphere, there’s a natural layer of ozone that protects us from getting too much of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. 

**Notes:**
Because heat and sunlight are needed to form ground-level ozone, ozone levels are a concern in warmer months. 
This is another way in which weather influences air pollution.
In fact, the length of the ozone season varies depending on the weather. Southern and southwestern states may have an ozone season that lasts nearly the entire year.  For more northern states, the ozone season generally is limited to summertime.

**Notes:**
Ozone can trigger a variety of health problems, including aggravated asthma and increased susceptibility to respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis.
Symptoms to watch for when ozone is at unhealthy levels in the air include: coughing, pain when taking a deep breath, and breathing difficulties, especially when you are active or exercising outdoors. 
But health damage from ozone can also occur without any noticeable signs. Repeated exposures to ozone can change the structure of the lungs, leading to premature aging of the lungs.

**Notes:**
Some people are more sensitive to ozone than others. 
Scientists estimate that about one in three people in the United States is at higher risk for experiencing ozone-related health effects. 

## Slide 9

**Notes:**
Another key air pollutant that can affect people’s health is called particle pollution.
Particle pollution is formed directly from sources such as vehicles, factories, power plants, and smoke from forest fires. 
Particle pollution can be higher near busy roads and factories.
Particle pollution is also formed indirectly, for example, by weather-related conditions or events. Particle pollution can occur at any time of year, but it can be especially bad during winter, when the weather is calm, allowing particle pollution to build up often due to high pressure systems and stagnant conditions. In a high pressure system, the air is stagnant, which keeps pollutants where they are.
Also during thunderstorms, the fast-moving air disperses particle pollution, and the rain cleanses the air.	

**Notes:**
Particle pollution consists of tiny, microscopic particles of dust, dirt, smoke, and liquid droplets containing any number of chemicals.
This photo shows particle pollution from Montana forest fires in the year 2000 in the Bitterroot Valley. This was actually a day of light smoke during the fires.  
The smaller particles are the greatest health concern because they can penetrate deep into your lungs and may even get into your bloodstream. 

**Notes:**
You can see that particle pollution causes quite a range of health effects, from coughing and chronic bronchitis to aggravated asthma and heart disease, and even premature death in people with heart or lung disease. 
Many studies link particle pollution levels with increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits.

**Notes:**
As with ground-level ozone, some people are considered to be at greater risk from particles than others.
People with heart or lung disease are at risk because particle pollution can aggravate these diseases. 
Many studies show that when particle levels are high, older adults are more likely to be hospitalized, and some may die of aggravated heart or lung disease. 
Children are at risk because their lungs are still developing, they breathe more air per pound of body weight, and they are usually very active. 

## Slide 13

**Notes:**
Visit the AIRNow website to check the air quality and get air quality forecasts for your area, just like checking the weather. Or check your newspaper or listen to your local TV or radio weather report, which may include the AQI. [Add local station information here, if applicable.]
Exercise is important to staying healthy, so it’s important not to use air pollution as an excuse to avoid exercise! But when the air is polluted, it’s a good idea to take it easier when you’re active outside. That might mean, for example, walking instead of jogging, or exercising for half your normal time. 
You can reduce your exposure to polluted air by changing when or where you exercise. For example, when ozone is at unhealthy levels in the air, plan outdoor activities for times when ozone levels are lower, usually in the morning or evening. 
When particle pollution is at high levels in the air, plan outdoor activities for times when particle levels are lower. This can vary from place to place, so check the Air Quality Index. To reduce your exposure to particle pollution, try to exercise away from busy roadways.
Pay attention to your body. If the air is polluted and you notice symptoms like coughing, pain when you take a deep breath, chest tightness, or wheezing, stop what you’re doing and find another, less intense activity. This is especially important if you are a member of a sensitive group—for example, if you have asthma or lung disease.
If you have lung disease and notice these symptoms when the air is polluted, check with your doctor about what to do.
If you have heart disease, check with your doctor before engaging in vigorous outdoor activities when particle pollution levels are high. If you have heart disease and notice symptoms, follow your doctor’s advice.	

**Notes:**
In addition to protecting yourself from pollution, you can also take steps to help prevent pollution. 
These steps include:
	<	When possible, reduce how much you drive by walking, 	biking, carpooling, or taking public transportation.
	<	Turn off lights and other appliances when you don’t need 	them.
	<	Cut back on heating and cooling when you can.
	<	Insulate your home and run full loads in your appliances 	(washing machine, dishwasher, etc.) so you’re only using 	the energy you really need.
	<	And, when purchasing a product that uses energy, whether 	a vehicle or an appliance, look for one that uses energy 	efficiently. For instance, look for the EnergySTAR label.

## Slide 15

**Notes:**
Thank you. I hope you found this information useful.
Here is a handout with more information about the AQI, and about air quality and your health.
[Pass out handout]