How is air quality across the U.S. these days?

EarthTalk®

From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: How is air quality across the U.S. these days? — Paul Jackson, Washington, DC

Air quality is defined as the degree to which the air of a set place is pollutant-free. In the United States, air quality is measured through the Air Quality Index (AQI) created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The AQI uses six categorizations of air quality, from Green (0-50) to Maroon (301<); the higher the index, the greater the pollution and health concern. To the EPA, air values below 100 are adequate, while above 100 means unhealthy air, especially affecting minority and low-income groups who, according to the American Lung Association, are disproportionately affected by air pollutants. 

In 1970, President Nixon passed the Clean Air Act, creating federal and state regulations on emissions from both industrial and mobile sources. This regulation drastically improved American air quality. Since the 1970s, the emissions from key pollutants like carbon monoxide, lead and sulfur dioxide have decreased by 78 percent. EPA data shows that even through prioritizing public health and regulating contamination, “the U.S. economy remained strong, growing 272 percent over the same time.”

U.S. air has improved in recent decades, but it must still address concerns. In 2023, some 140 million Americans lived in areas below AQI standards. Moreover, with recent wildfires and extreme heat waves, this number will increase by 50 percent in coming decades. Despite federal regulations, air pollution grew between the years 2010 and 2016, and because the EPA recognizes wildfires as “exceptional events” that are not counted against quality, the AQI may not be a completely accurate measure of air quality.

“If we’re going to start thinking about solutions, we have to start combating the origin of the air pollutants, which are wildfires and extreme heat,” Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications at First Street, a research company focused on climate risk financial modeling, told The Guardian.

To help improve air quality in individual spheres, citizens should strive for sustainable and climate-conscious practices in their everyday lives. This can mean investing in electric lawn mowers, using water-based cleaners to avoid harsh chemicals, carpooling to work, using less gas and turning off idling car engines. We can also improve air in our communities by starting recycling programs, setting community-wide emission goals and creating local low-emission zones. National organizing is also a great way to advocate for sustainable environmental practices. This can be done through taking the American Lung Stand Up for Clean Air Pledge, raising awareness on social media, researching local air policy, and urging state representatives to pass conservation-focused bills.

CONTACTS: American Lung Association Clean Air Pact, https://www.lung.org/clean-air/stand-up-for-clean-air/pledge; Air Now Clean Air Education, https://www.airnow.gov/education/what-you-can-do/.

EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https://earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.