Clean Air For Kids - You Can Make A Difference!

Did you know that you take 29,000 breaths every day? That's 50-60 pounds of air every single day! But be careful, not all the air we breathe "does a body good." Sometimes the air gets dirty and can make you cough or even get sick. If you have asthma, you know exactly what we are talking about, right? Days when the air is really dirty are known as Smog Alert Days - how does this happen you ask? GREAT question, keep reading!

Step #1: Get Educated!

How Does The Air Get Dirty?

There are many things that pollute the air and make it harmful to our health. Cars and trucks are a big part of the problem. Construction equipment, emissions from power plants, gas-powered lawn equipment like mowers and blowers, and even fumes from paint can dirty the air!

How Do You Know When The Air Gets Dirty?

Every day, a team of scientists right here in Georgia measure how much pollution is in the air. If they measure too much, they send out an alert so people know that the air is unhealthy to breathe and to be careful outside. This is called a Smog Alert Day.

Its easy to find out if its a Smog Alert Day by checking the AQI, or Air Quality Index. It's a color-coded system that is published in the newspaper, on the weather report and on The Clean Air Campaign webpage. You can also sign up to receive the alert personally - click here to sign up to have the Smog Alerts sent to your email. *Make sure you check with mom & dad first!*

 

Step #2: Teach Your Parents a Lesson!

Chances are your parents don't know a lot about clean air and what they can do to clean it up. So you have to teach them! Talk to them about Smog Alert Days, what causes pollution and how they can help! Encourage them to carpool, walk, bike or take transit to work. Ask if they can work from home one or two days a week.

Most importantly, make sure you tell them that you want to breathe clean air and it's easy to make a difference. In case they need extra help, share this with them! 

Ground-Level Ozone & Particle Pollution
Air Quality Air Quality Index Health Advisory
Good 0 - 50 Air quality is good. Enjoy activities.
Moderate 51 - 100 At this level the air is probably safe for most people. However, people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 101 - 150 Active adults, people with heart or lung disease (including asthma), older adults and children should cut back or reschedule strenuous activities.
Unhealthy 151 - 200 Everyone, especially people with heart or lung disease (including asthma), should avoid strenuous activities.
Very Unhealthy 201 - 300 Everyone, especially people with heart or lung disease (including asthma) should avoid physical activities.

Step #3: Take Action Yourself by Becoming a Better Air Kid!

Pay attention to what the air quality is and share with others when a Smog Alert is issued. Think about how you get to school or a friend's house. When you ride the bus, walk or ride your bike you are making a HUGE impact on cleaning up the air.

Make sure you turn off your game stations, the lights and the TV when you are finished. Saving electricity means the power plants produce less pollution.

You can also ask to go inside fast food restaurants instead of the drive-thru. Anytime the car is running and you are not moving, you are creating pollution. Ask your parents to go inside instead!

Finally, the most important thing you can do as a Better Air Kid is to educate others. You are an expert now - you know what the problem is, why it's important and how you can help!