The Harmful Effects of Poor Air Quality |
Ozone
High levels of exposure to ozone cause shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness or pain
Particle Pollution
Dangerous for older adults, people with lung and heart disease long or short term exposure may cause hospital or emergency room visits
Particles can aggravate heart diseases such as congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease and has been associated with cardiac arrhythmias and heart attacks
Particles can aggravate lung diseases such as bronchitis and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections |
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SUMMER MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH |
EXPOSURE RISK TO
SMOG AND UV RAYS ARE HIGHER DURING THE SUMMER
Ahhhh..... the dog days of summer, school is out those much needed “vacation” days can be expended, and a little vitamin D, via the sun could definitely give your skin a healthy glow. But wait with the sun a little rain must fall and the rain could be in the form of smog and uv exposure.
Smog, a word that is a combination of “smoke” and “fog”, is a mixture of air pollutants, some that can be seen or smelled, and others that cannot. 1 It is the result of bad ozone “ground-level ozone” which is created by chemical reactions,
in the presence of sunlight, between emissions from industrial and electric facilities, car exhaust and chemical solvents.2
Ground level ozone is especially harmful during the summer months and varies from day to day because the strong sunlight and hot weather result in harmful ozone concentrations in the air you breathe. Many large cities have high levels of this ozone but winds are known to carry these emissions hundreds of miles away to rural areas. Which means what happens in Vegas, may not necessarily stay there.
You can get daily smog alerts from
www.airnow.gov. This website will inform you of the air quality and provide you with the safest times for outdoor activities.
UVB, or ultraviolet radiation is a light emitted from the sun. Over exposure to UV light causes sunburns, eye damage such as cataracts, skin aging, and skin cancer. The ozone layer of the the Earth protects us from most of the UVB coming from the sun. However, due to more of these UVB rays are reaching the Earth’s surface. Other factors that influence the amount of UVB that reaches the Earth’s surface is seasonal and weather variations. UVB levels are high and low dependent on different times of the day in response to these varying levels the was developed.
Developed by the National Weather Service (NWS) and EPA, the UV Index predicts the next day’s ultraviolet radiation levels on a 1-11+ scale, helping people determine appropriate sun-protective behaviors. |
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www.cleanaircampaign.com
The Harmful Effects of Exposure to the Sun
Skin Cancer (melanoma and nonmelanoma)
Premature aging of the skin and other skin problems
Cataracts and other eye damage
Immune System suppression
www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvand health.html
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Protect Yourself
Stay Mindful of poor air quality and high UV index alerts, plan as well as limit your outdoor activities in response to those numbers
Wear sunscreen with SPF of at least 15 or higher apply every two hours
to any skin exposed to the sun
Wear sunglasses that block 99-100% of UV rays
If you have asthma or a cardiac condition, treat it and be aware of any symptoms.
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Sources:
Clean Air Campaign.com
EPA, Sunwise
EPA, Air and Radiation
EPA, UV Index |
