This past weekend, Seattle’s air quality reached hazardous levels for the first time this year. Smoke from wildfires blazing in Canada and Eastern Washington drifted into the Puget Sound region, posing major health risks to local residents.
One of the main reasons wildfire smoke is so dangerous is that it contains high levels of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), small particles that are about one-twentieth the width of a human hair. These particles are small enough to get into not only our lungs, but also our blood vessels, harming other organs in our body. In fact, PM2.5 particles are associated with increased risk of pulmonary disease, heart disease, pregnancy complications and even cancer.
Despite dangerously high levels of PM2.5 levels, I was surprised to find many people going about their daily routine outside, unfazed by the particle-filled air: groups of older adults picnicked, families gardened in their yards and children played soccer outside. As climate change worsens and wildfires become more common, more people in the United States will be exposed to the harsh health consequences of wildfire smoke. As a result, the U.S. needs to revamp its approach to hazardous air quality. A public health campaign aimed at education and timely, consistent messaging is imperative.
Americans must receive more information on the health impacts of PM2.5 and how to reduce one’s risks. The public health sector must be invigorated to make this happen. Public health officials should disseminate multilingual information throughout regions with poor air quality. In the midst of poor air quality days, public health figures should provide risk reduction strategies, including: limiting time outdoors, wearing a tightly fitting mask such as an N95 when outside, engaging in only low-intensity activities when outside, and using a HEPA filter indoors.
Outreach to vulnerable populations, including people of color, the elderly, children, people with chronic health conditions and pregnant women, needs to be prioritized. Such individuals are at increased risk of suffering the ill effects of polluted air due to socioeconomic, infrastructural and educational disparities. To make matters worse, many of the most impacted members of society, often communities of color, are least responsible for the poor air quality — a concept known as pollution inequity.
Greater support from public officials could help offset some of the disproportionate effects of air pollution. Public officials should open up more community spaces for indoor activities, so that children can continue to stay active in clean environments. Outdoor laborers should be given paid time off on days with hazardous air quality, and nonessential workers should be allowed to work from home on days with severe pollution. HEPA filters should be subsidized so that low-income individuals can afford them. Resources and instructions on how to create low-cost air filters, known as Corsi-Rosenthal boxes, should be disseminated.
We also need to improve our public messaging on how to act during poor air-quality days. This starts with our elected officials, news anchors, meteorologists, and other trusted sources such as doctors and teachers. In my experience, news anchors and meteorologists often comment on the smoke but offer little guidance on how to adapt. Real-time updates with clear guidelines on what to do during poor air quality days are needed.
Individuals with chronic health conditions should develop “air-quality action plans” with their doctors. Detailed plans on how to act and what medications to take if symptoms flare are crucial for these high-risk individuals.
To be clear, poor air quality from wildfires is only one of countless consequences of the climate crisis. Mitigative efforts that cut greenhouse gas emissions are what we need the most. Without reforming the way we consume and produce energy, we will not be able to slow the planet from continued burning. Currently we are spewing far too much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere and headed toward climate catastrophe. At our current pace, millions of people will be devastated by extreme weather events, malnutrition and displacement. Top-down policy and bottom-up cultural reform are integral for the future. But adaptive strategies to cope with our warming environment are needed, too. We need a greater sense of urgency when addressing climate change and its attendant consequences such as wildfire smoke and poor air quality. Now is the time to implement change. Our health depends on it.
The post Our health depends on a new approach to wildfire smoke messaging first appeared on Latest American News.
The post Our health depends on a new approach to wildfire smoke messaging appeared first on Latest American News.