Air isn’t something that we often think of, but the state of the air can directly influence how children’s lungs develop and several developed cities and countries have already crossed the barrier into dangerous levels of air pollution caused by nitrogen dioxide. Countries that have surpassed the healthy level of air pollution include France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Britain.

London, one of these polluted cities, surpassed the annual level of air pollution in the city in only 5 days from the start of 2017. However, air pollution is a global issue; in 2014 only 8% of the world’s population lived in an area where air pollution was within the WHO guidelines for quality air. According to the American Lung Association at (http://www.stateoftheair.org/), El Paso county has an ‘F’ in air quality something that directly affects the rate of asthma and hospitalization according to the researchers at King’s College of London. Outdoor air pollution has also been classified as a carcinogen by the World Organization for Health. Air pollution currently holds 5th place in a list of most common cause of death.

The fight against air pollution carries on in Brussels, Belgium. Two weeks ago, protesters went to the streets placing masks on statues. However, addressing the sheer expanse of pollution is difficult. Many of the obvious producers of air pollution are the diesel cars and trucks and industries, such as the steel industry. The sheer amount of particulate that is released is staggering. China, where steel represents one of the most polluting industrial centers, has seen a rise in steel production, something that endangers the Chinese policies on air pollution reduction. China has, however, cut down on coal production to protect the environment.

Despite how bad air pollution and general pollution may seem, there are ways to help for the average citizen.

• Use public transportation when able.
  • Using public transportation lowers the number of cars on the road emitting pollutants per person.
• Plant a garden (or even just a tree).
  • Plants use carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and release oxygen this will help clean up the environment.
• Use gas instead of charcoal.
  • The particulate released by burning charcoal is not good to breathe and can remain in the atmosphere for a long time.
• Talk to local representatives.
  • If clean air is something that matters to you, consider talking with some of your local government representatives to push clean air initiatives.
• Keep your engine tuned.
  • Not only are engine checks important for the health of your car, but keeping a tuned engine will prevent the release of any dangerous gasses.
• Reduce wood burning.
  • Burning wood releases harmful particles into the air that should be avoided if not necessary.

Remember to keep in mind the 3 R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Collectively, we can reduce the amount of pollution in our air.