Listen to the podcast.

Global Warming and Smog

HAVING A BAD HAIR DAY?  WHAT ABOUT A BAD AIR DAY? URBAN DWELLERS ARE EXPERIENCING UNSAFE POLLUTION LEVELS MORE FREQUENTLY - LEARN WHY ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

KIM KNOWLTON OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL LED A STUDY OF EIGHT MAJOR U.S. CITIES AND DETERMINED THAT THE AIR QUALITY IN THOSE AREAS MAY GET WORSE AS CLIMATE CHANGE HEATS UP.

BECAUSE SMOG IS FORMED WHEN POLLUTANTS MIX WITH HEAT AND SUNLIGHT, A RISE IN TEMPERATURE WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT EXCEED THE GROUND LEVEL OZONE STANDARDS SET BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.

THE INTENSIFIED SMOG COULD TRIGGER CHEST PAINS AND REDUCE LUNG FUNCTION.  BUT KNOWLTON SAYS THE LINK BETWEEN SMOG AND GLOBAL WARMING HAS AT LEAST ONE UP-SIDE.

KNOWLTON: THAT’S THE GOOD NEWS, THAT BY MORE EFFECTIVELY TACKLING GLOBAL WARMING POLLUTION WE GET A HEALTH BENEFIT TODAY AND TOMORROW.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more from the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Learn more from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.