# Presentation: 656916

## Slide 1

**Notes:**
I’d like to talk about how weather relates to air pollution, and how air pollution affects health. 
Air pollution can have a number of health effects, some of which can be quite serious.
The good news is that there now are several things you can do to protect your health when the air is polluted. The best way to protect your health is to find out when pollutant levels are high in your area, using the Air Quality Index, or AQI, and take simple precautions to minimize your exposure. 
I’m going to start by making some statements about weather and air pollution and ask whether you think they are fact or fiction. First I will ask everyone who thought the statement was true to yell out “fact.” Then I’ll ask everyone who thought it wasn’t true to yell “fiction.” 
[Note: Depending on the “personality” of the group you are talking to, you can also get their votes by asking them to raise their hands rather than using a voice vote if this feels more comfortable.]

## Slide 2

**Notes:**
First fact or fiction statement: “When weathercasters give the weather forecast live on the evening news, they point to a blank screen, not a map, to show you what the weather is going to be.” 
If you think this statement is true, on the count of three, yell out “fact.” If you think this is false, yell out “fiction.”
[Elicit the “fact” and “fiction” responses from the audience.]
The statement is true. We weathercasters are always pointing to a blank screen when we give you the weather forecast. The maps you see are put into the image electronically. You get to see them, but we don’t.

## Slide 3

**Notes:**
Here’s another statement. Fact or fiction?
[Elicit the “fact” and “fiction” responses from the audience.]

## Slide 4

**Notes:**
True. Weather can affect air pollution in a number of ways. 
For example, the wind can move air pollution around, blowing it away from its source, and into areas hundreds of miles away - into other states and even other regions entirely, where it can have a significant impact on air pollution levels. 
One example of this is air pollution from power plants in Ohio, which often is transported to the New England and Mid-Atlantic states. This makes it a challenge for some New England and Mid-Atlantic cities to comply with air pollution regulations, because they can’t control pollution from sources in other states.
Weather can also affect air pollution in other ways. Sunlight and warm temperatures can contribute to the formation of certain types of air pollution. 
Also, during thunderstorms, the fast-moving air disperses pollutants, and the rain cleanses the air.
High pressure and stagnant conditions can also affect air pollution. In a high pressure system, the air is stagnant, which keeps pollutants where they are.  

## Slide 5

**Notes:**
Air pollution comes from a number of different sources. 
Vehicles, power plants, and chemical plants are some of the biggest pollution sources. 

## Slide 6

**Notes:**
Here’s another statement - fact or fiction?
[Elicit the “fact” and “fiction” responses from the audience.]

## Slide 7

**Notes:**
Fiction. 
There are several natural sources of air pollution, including forest fires and volcanoes. 

- Particle Pollution

- Ozone Pollution

**Notes:**
I’m going to talk about two types of pollutants today: ozone pollution and particle pollution.
The Air Quality Index, or AQI, provides daily, color-coded maps and health information about these pollutants.
The AQI can be found on EPA’s AIRNow website, which looks like this. 
The AQI can also often be found in newspapers in the weather section, and also on TV and radio news reports.   

**Notes:**
Ozone pollution is formed when pollutants called nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, react in the presence of heat and sunlight. 
Vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are some of the major sources of NOx and VOCs .

**Notes:**
Here’s another fact or fiction statement for you. 
[Elicit the “fact” and “fiction” responses from the audience.]

**Notes:**
Fact. 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. 
Wind can transport ozone hundreds of miles from where it formed, so it can be found in both urban and rural environments. 

**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. 

**Notes:**
Ground-level ozone also is not good for the environment. It damages plants and trees and reduces crop and forest yields. 
So, ozone pollution often is not good for people and not good for our environment. 

## Slide 16

**Notes:**
Another key air pollutant that can affect people’s health is called particle pollution.
Particle pollution is caused by many human activities and by some natural sources. 
It’s 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 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.
This phenomenon is called a temperature inversion.	

## Slide 17

**Notes:**
In a temperature inversion, cold air is trapped under warmer air above it.
This is a reverse of normal conditions, in which temperature decreases as you go higher in the atmosphere.
During an inversion, air pollution is also trapped under the warmer air.
The photo on the left shows an inversion over the city of Boston.
The photo on the right shows an inversion in a rural area.
When particle pollution levels are high outside, as in these pictures, they are often high indoors as well.

**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 ozone pollution, 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. 

**Notes:**
Particles also affect the environment. They are a big part of haze, which reduces visibility. 
You may have noticed haze when visiting national parks. We often don’t get the views we expect at our treasured natural areas due to haze. 
The left side of this slide shows the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a hazy day; the right slide shows the same area on a clear day.
Particles also make rain and other forms of precipitation more acidic, which harms the environment in a number of ways.
So, as with ozone pollution, high levels of particle pollution often are not good for people and not good for our environment.

**Notes:**
Here’s another fact or fiction statement for you.
[Elicit the “fact” and “fiction” responses from the audience.]

**Notes:**
Fiction. Polluted air often does look dirty. But sometimes air that looks clean may be polluted. 
On EPA’s AIRNow Web site, you can check whether the air is polluted and can get air quality forecasts for your area. 

## www.airnow.gov

**www.airnow.gov**

**Notes:**
Here is an example of the type of maps and health messages you can get from the Air Quality Index on the AirNow Web site. 
Let’s take a look at one of these maps and see what it tells us about ozone levels.
This map shows the air quality in the Midwest at at 8:00 a.m. on June 25, 2003. 
The color scale to the right of the map is the Air Quality Index, or AQI, which is an index for reporting daily air quality. 
It tells us how clean or polluted the air is and whether there are any health concerns.
What is this map telling us about the air quality in the Midwest on this day at 8:00 a.m.? [Wait for response.]
The map is mostly green, so it’s telling us that the air quality is mostly “good” all over this area of the Midwest.
Let’s go forward in time on that same day and see whether the air quality changed. 

## www.airnow.gov

**www.airnow.gov**

**Notes:**
On this map, it’s now 10:20 a.m. on the same day in the Midwest. What’s happening to the air quality in this area? [Point to yellow area] [Wait for a response]
It’s getting worse. The color is yellow, so the AQI is telling us that the air quality is “moderate,” which means just a little polluted—a level that only unusually sensitive people need to be concerned about. 
Let’s look at the air quality a few hours later.

## www.airnow.gov

**www.airnow.gov**

**Notes:**
Now it’s 4:40 p.m. on the same day. What is the air quality in these parts of the Midwest? [Point to an orange area, then a red area.] [Wait for responses] 
For orange, it’s “unhealthy for sensitive groups” which, for ozone, are people with lung disease, and active adults and children. For red, it’s “unhealthy” - everyone should limit prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. 
Now let’s look at the map the next morning. 

## www.airnow.gov

**www.airnow.gov**

**Notes:**
The map is green again, showing us that the air quality is much better. 
Let’s review what we saw about ozone levels on the Midwest maps: The air quality was good in the morning, it got worse in the afternoon and evening, and then it got better during the night. 
This is very typical for ozone pollution. Ozone is worse in warmer temperatures and often worse in the afternoon and early evening. 
This is because ozone needs warmth and sunlight to form.
Also, increased traffic during the late afternoons and evenings can contribute to more ozone formation. 

## Slide 28

**Notes:**
If you have access to the Internet, you can visit the AIRNow website whenever you want 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 station, which may include the AQI in their weather report.  
The AIRNow site also gives you specific health messages about how to protect your health when the air is polluted at the different AQI levels.
[Add local station information here, if applicable]	

## Slide 29

**Notes:**
If you find out that the air is polluted, here are some things you can do to protect your health.
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. 
That’s because when we’re taking it easier, we don’t breathe in as much polluted air. 

## Slide 30

**Notes:**
Here’s another thing you can do.
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, you can plan outdoor activities when ozone levels are lower, usually in the morning or evening. 
When particle pollution is in the air, you can plan outdoor activities when particle levels are lower. This can vary from place to place, so check AIRNow.
To reduce your exposure to particle pollution, try to exercise away from busy roadways.

## Slide 31

**Notes:**
Here’s a fourth thing: Pay attention to your body. 
If the air is polluted and you notice any symptoms like unusual coughing, pain when you take a deep breath, chest tightness, or wheezing, stop your activity and instead choose a less strenuous 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 33

**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]