You may think the air quality index on the local weather forecast is meant only for people with heart and lung problems. Here’s why everyone should pay attention.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
You may have noticed on your local weather report something called the air quality index. It provides vital information for people with heart or lung problems. But even if you’re healthy, it’s important to pay attention to the index.
The index is a measure of five major pollutants: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ground-level ozone, particulate matter
These last two pose the greatest health threat: ozone is a gas that naturally occurs in the stratosphere. Up there ozone is good. It protects us from the sun’s rays. But down here it’s not. When it combines with things like car exhaust, chemical solvents or industrial emissions, the result is that grey haze we call smog.
Particulate matter, refers to small particles that mix with moisture in the air. When they’re inhaled, they can cause respiratory or heart problems for certain people. Things like car exhaust, factory emissions. Even forest fires are all sources.
So what do those index readings mean? Well, anything under 100 indicates that the air quality is acceptable for just about everyone. These are the green and yellow levels.
A score from 101 to 150, the orange level, is considered unhealthy for people who are especially sensitive to pollution.
When the index reaches 151 to 200, that’s a red alert. Anyone spending time outside could experience effect like coughing, trouble breathing, or tightness in the chest.
In rare cases the index can go even higher to purple or maroon, which is an emergency. If you’re planning a game on a bad air day, try to get out there in the morning or evening when pollution levels tend to be lower.
And if you can breathe easier, you may stand a better chance of winning that match.