Air quality is a lot like breathing — we rarely think about it unless there’s a problem.
Air Quality (AQ) Awareness week is a part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) celebration of our nation’s progress in improving air quality over the last 50 years. Over the course of the week, Multnomah County will release educational webinars, videos, and graphics for the public to share with their social networks in our Shared Air, Shared Action campaign. These posts spotlight community stories of activism and care in the work to protect each other and keep our air clean.
The Problem
A 2020 Portland State University report showed that air pollution was a top concern for people in Portland, but only 1 out of 3 people worry about the health effects. We are all burdened with the consequences of dirty air.
The People
Meet Zubair and Ateeq, who are roommates and best friends. Zubair and Ateeq help each other to keep a safe and healthy home, limiting their exposure to toxics in the air. Zubair has a chemical sensitivity that makes it hard to breathe when the air quality is poor. It is often the most difficult for him in the colder months, when air quality can be pretty bad due to wood smoke and poor weather. This is a story of how air pollution affects one person, and it’s a very common one in Multnomah County. 1 in 10 people in our area have asthma, meaning that on your block, you or your neighbor have asthma.
Place Based Solution
Action on air pollution needs to be place-based and center frontline communities, who are most impacted by air pollution. It can be difficult to feel like our individual actions will have an impact, but we must work together to solve the problem where we are. Change starts at home. Share the video and slides with your friends and family to get the conversation started.
Other Tools:
- Make it a habit to check the Air Quality Index near you as you make decisions about the day.
- Gather the materials you need to clean the indoor air, such as a filter or air purifier.
- Spread the word about wood smoke and sign up for wood burning alerts
- Share these info graphics with friends, family, colleagues and neighbors on your social media:
