Celebrating Air Quality Awareness Week

Things you can do to improve the air we breathe

Air pollution can affect everyone’s health, especially children, pregnant women, people over 65, and those with heart and lung conditions. Most people experience minor symptoms, like a scratchy throat or headache from poor air quality. But some can also develop severe health responses like shortness of breath, reduced lung function, aggravated asthma, or other respiratory diseases. There are many factors that affect our air quality. But there are also things that we can do to keep Washington’s air clean and ourselves healthy.

Buy local

The things we buy sometimes travel thousands of miles to get to us. And all that travel means trucks, trains, and ships are using fuel and polluting the air. Buying products that are grown or made nearby can be a more environmentally friendly way to shop. The less a product has to travel to get to you, the less air pollution is created in transit. Plus, buying local is a great way to support Washington farmers, artisans and businesses!

Limit outdoor burning

Smoke from burning anything outdoors pollutes the air and causes health problems for you and your neighbors. That includes recreational fires or burning to clear land or get rid of yard waste. So, it’s important to limit our outdoor burning and follow local rules.

Some kinds of outdoor burning may not be allowed in your area. For other kinds of burning, you need a permit. Sometimes there are burn bans, which mean you can’t do any outdoor burning in certain areas. Burn bans protect communities from unhealthy air quality and wildfires. If you plan to do any burning, check with your local fire district or the Department of Ecology to make sure it is safe and allowed.

Even small recreational fires — for cooking, recreation, or ceremonies — can cause air pollution and affect your health. To reduce pollution, consider using alternatives like natural gas or propane.

Conserve energy

When you use less power, power plants don’t need to make as much energy. While we’ve got some clean alternative energy sources in Washington, making less energy can still mean those power plants are releasing fewer toxic fumes that pollute the air. The good news is there are many things you can do to save energy at home and prevent pollution. Check out the EPA’s recommendations and consider making changes that will work for your family.

Improve indoor air quality

People spend an average of 90 percent of their time indoors, and staying inside has become even more common during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sometimes indoor air can be even more polluted than outdoor air. This is because outdoor air pollution can seep into your home, and there are also sources of indoor air pollution. So, it is also important to improve your home’s indoor air quality to protect your family. You can start by:

• Opening windows to bring in cleaner air when air quality outside is good.
• Filtering air by using a portable HEPA air cleaner or upgrading the filter in your home HVAC system.
• Damp dusting and vacuuming often to remove allergens like dust mites and pet dander. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter so the dust is actually captured.
• Using safer cleaning products, like EPA certified Safer Choice products or plain soap and water. Thorough cleaning with soap and water will remove not only dirt and chemicals, but most pathogens.
• Not spraying chemicals in the air — they do not help to clean the air. The chemicals stick to walls and furniture and get inhaled. They are not good for your health.
• Using your kitchen exhaust fan when cooking.

Learn more about keeping your home’s air healthy with resources from the CDC and American Lung Association.

Reducing pollution and improving air quality helps keep you, your family, and your neighbors healthy. Thank you for taking steps to keep the air in Washington clean. We hope you will continue to take care of the air even after Air Quality Awareness Week. To learn more about air quality, visit the Department of Health Air Quality webpage.