HOW DOES DIRTY AIR AFFECT ME?

HOW CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Most children along the Wasatch Front will never develop their full lung capacity due to childhood exposure to chronic air pollution.

Air pollution exposure can lead to a higher incidence of SIDS, low birth weight syndrome, premature birth, and infant mortality.

Between 1000-2000 premature deaths along the Wasatch Front are attributable to air pollution.

Air pollution’s effects are like tobacco’s: a systemic inflammatory response in the arterial system that affects all organs.

Carpool or use public transit, rather than build more freeways.

Conserve energy by properly

weatherizing your home to reduce

heating.

Don’t burn wood or trash, even on green

burn days.

Tell others & spread clean air

quality information.

Hold industrial plants

accountable for the amount of pollution they

cause.

Keep your vehicle maintained and

in check with emissions laws.

TOGETHER, WE CAN CLEAN UP OUR AIR

Inversion is very dangerous for people with asthma or chronic lung disease. It exacerbates respitory infections, triggers asthma attacks, and temporarily reduces lung capacity.

Data gathered in Utah from 1995-2009 show that the average number of people hospitalized with severe asthma doubles as smog rates shoot up in the winter.

CLEAN AIR SOURCES:http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=23668036http://www.airquality.utah.gov/clean_air/archive/inversion.htmhttp://fox13now.com/2013/02/04/red-air-quality-in-northern-utah/http://www.exploreutah.com/GettingAround/Utahs_Weather_The_Inversion.shtmlhttp://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55825755-78/pollution-utah-birth-studies.html.csphttp://www.deseretnews.com/article/865560535/Clearing-the-air-That-air-youre-breathing-may-be-slowly-killing-you.html?pg=allhttp://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/no-solutions-in-sight-for-smog-sickness/article_da91c9f5-9123-5f52-a83c-79af428a398b.html

Doctors encourage women seeking to get pregnant to conceive after the inversion season.

The Wasatch Mountains and the Great Salt Lake make pollution in Utah an even bigger risk. The mountains can trap pollution over the

lake - which then pushes it back into the city. This polluted air is denser than the warmer layer of air above it, and cannot escape.

This is called INVERSION. Inversion in the Winter m onths is especially dangerous.

It takes over one month for the body to recover from just one “red air” day.

Heating our homes and buildings

(wood is very toxic)

IndustrialPolluters

Emissions from of our cars and

trucks on Utah roads

THE U.S. GOVERNMENT GIVES AIR QUALITY THESE RATINGS:

GOOD MODERATEUNHEALTHY

for sensitive populations

UNHEALTHYVERY

UNHEALTHYHAZARDOUS

In the beginning of February - 2013, Utah had 22 red air days for the 2012-2013 winter.

At the same time in 2012, there was only 5 for the 2011-2012 winter.

Air pollution shortens the life span of a Wasatch Front resident about TWO YEARS.

Being exposed to a “red air” day is virtually equivalent to smoking a half pack of cigarettes. This is especially dangerous and unacceptable for pregnant mothers, newborns and children.

WHERE IS DIRTY AIR COMING FROM?