The Air We Breathe
The Art
Climate Change and Air Quality
Climate change is already impacting the quality of the air we breathe. People suffering from respiratory conditions such as COPD, asthma or allergies are particularly affected.
“…1. Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollution
Nearly 102 million people in the United States live in areas with poor air quality. In many regions of the United States, climate-driven changes in weather conditions, including temperature and precipitation, are expected to increase ground-level ozone and particulate matter (such as windblown dust from droughts or smoke from wildfires). These changes worsen existing air pollution. Exposure to these pollutants can lead to or worsen health problems, such as respiratory and heart diseases.
Climate change can also affect indoor air quality. Increases in outside air pollutants, such as ozone and particulate matter, could lead to higher indoor exposures. …
Mold, dust mites, bacteria, and other indoor pollutants may increase as climate change-related precipitation and storms increase. For example, flood damage can create a damp indoor environment, leading to mold growth. Indoor air pollutants have been linked to heart disease, respiratory diseases such as asthma, and cancer.
2. Wildfire Smoke
Exposure to wildfire smoke increases the risk of respiratory diseases.
Climate change has already led to more frequent wildfires and a longer wildfire season. Wildfire smoke pollutes the air, impairing visibility and disrupting outdoor activities. It can also spread hundreds of miles downwind to other regions.
Exposure to wildfire smoke can worsen respiratory illnesses, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and bronchitis. Wildfire smoke exposures have also been linked to premature births.
3. Airborne Allergens
A changing climate is expected to cause earlier and longer springs and summers, warmer temperatures, precipitation changes, and higher carbon dioxide concentrations. All of these changes can increase people’s exposure to pollen and other airborne allergens, which in turn can lead to more allergy-related illnesses, such as asthma and hay fever…. “
*https://www.epa.gov/climateimpacts/climate-change-impacts-air-quality#impacts [links and footnotes deleted]
