Make That a Red Day
Have you looked outside? Where are the mountains, my children asked. Have you heard the dust particles against your windows? Now ask whether you and your children want to breathe this particulate matter into your lungs. “Particulate matter (PM) has been linked to a range of serious respiratory and cardiovascular health problems,” says the EPA. These health problems include “premature mortality.”
In Utah today:
Air quality conditions have deteriorated significantly as persistent, strong south/southwest winds have elevated the blowing dust concentrations.
The Utah Division of Environmental Quality has “upgraded” the previous Yellow Air Quality Action to a Red Air Quality Alert. (Why would this be an upgrade rather than a downgrade?)
Please note that blowing dust does make the air unhealthy for sensitive groups. DEQ recommends “that people take action to avoid dust and dusty situations by remaining indoors.”
Read more:
- Particulate Matter, Environmental Protection Agency
- Particulate Matter Research, EPA
- Particle Pollution (PM10) and (PM2.5), Air Now
- Particle Pollution and Your Health (printable pamphlet), EPA
- Basic information on why Particulate Matter can cause such damage in your lungs and bloodstream, EPA