Other resources for teachers. The action sheet outlines simple actions individuals can take to reduce the occurrance of ground-level ozone. It is this health-based threshold that concern Quad Cities officials and the state agencies. In reaction to this news, the Quad Cities Air Quality Task Force was formed to monitor the ozone situation and to begin education efforts within the community in order improve Quad Cities' air quality. Offering a workshop to teachers with a selection of existing lesson plans from around the Nation is one of these education efforts to raise awareness of ozone and its health effects as well as offer individual ways each of us can make a difference.
Ozone is a highly reactive, complex form of oxygen.
In the upper atmosphere, ozone protects the earth from ultraviolet radiation. At ground level where we breath, too much ozone is a pollutant. Elevated amounts of ozone are linked to increased respiratory illness and reduction of lung function. Persons may experience symptons such as chest pains and coughing when exposed to relatively low levels of ozone during moderate periods of exercise. Children, elderly and persons with existing respiratory problems are especially sensitive to the effects of ozone.