Clear the Air (New York)
More than 1.2 million adults and 368,000 children in New York State have asthma, and on a typical day in the U.S., 40,000 people miss work or school, and 5,000 people go to the emergency room as a result of asthma. Air pollution can be a trigger for asthmatics and other individuals with heart and lung diseases, and kids can be particularly susceptible to health effects from poor air quality because they breathe in more air per pound of body weight than adults do.
Viewer Tip: Kids tend to spend more time outside, and perform more vigorous activities, such as running and outdoor sports, which can expose them to health risks from poor air quality. Pay attention to air quality reports, and when conditions are poor, consider rescheduling sports games and other outdoor activities for another day. If you do go outside, aim for early morning or evening hours, when air pollution levels are likely to be lower.
Season: Summer
(Sources: American Lung Association. “State of the Air 2007: New York.” http://lungaction.org/reports/stateoftheair2007.html; Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. “Asthma Facts and Figures.” http://www.aafa.org/print.cfm?id=8&sub=42)
