AIRNOW

A New Way to A New Way to Look at the Look at the AtmosphereAtmosphere

Template Presentation for Regional Toolkit

What is AIRNOW?

• Cooperative effort between U.S. EPA, NPS, state Cooperative effort between U.S. EPA, NPS, state and local air agencies to collect, quality assure, and local air agencies to collect, quality assure, and transfer real-time and forecast air quality and transfer real-time and forecast air quality information to the public information to the public

• Utilizes the Utilizes the Air Quality Index (AQI)Air Quality Index (AQI); a national ; a national reporting program that links air quality levels to reporting program that links air quality levels to cautionary health messagescautionary health messages

• Fast and easy access for the media to deliver Fast and easy access for the media to deliver understandableunderstandable air quality information that will air quality information that will help the public make good health- based help the public make good health- based decisions about their daily activitiesdecisions about their daily activities

Why Air Quality?

Based on air quality Based on air quality data from 2002, data from 2002, “approximately 146 “approximately 146 million people livemillion people livein counties where in counties where monitored air was monitored air was unhealthy…”unhealthy…” -- EPA 2002 Status -- EPA 2002 Status

and Trends Reportand Trends Report

146.4

0.2

0.7

59.1

12.1

0

136.4

68.8

0

0

0 50 100 150

Any

Pb

CO

PM2.5

PM10

SO2

03 (8hr)

03 (1hr)

NO2

Millions of People

Number of People Living in Counties With Air Quality Concentrations above the Level of the NAAQS* in 2002

* National Ambient Air Quality Standards

What’s Available Now?

-Real-time ozoneReal-time ozone animationsanimations

-Next-day AQINext-day AQI forecastsforecasts

www.epa.gov/airnowwww.epa.gov/airnow

How is it being used?On Air

-Local/regionalLocal/regional coveragecoverage

-NationalNational coveragecoverage

… and in Print

h

So What’s Next?

Expanded Air Quality Index Expanded Air Quality Index forecastingforecasting

Your forecast to breathe by

Expanded AQI Forecasting

Who: Millions of peopleMillions of people What: Year-round monitoring & forecasting Year-round monitoring & forecasting

air qualityair qualityWhere: Available for cities across the U.S.Available for cities across the U.S.When: Launched Nationally October 1Launched Nationally October 1How: The same familiar 5-color system The same familiar 5-color system

““Today is forecast to be a Today is forecast to be a code redcode red day. This means that air quality is day. This means that air quality is unhealthy for everyone and everyone unhealthy for everyone and everyone should avoid strenuous activities.”should avoid strenuous activities.”

Why: Particle Pollution

• Microscopic particles in the airMicroscopic particles in the air• Also called particulate matter, Also called particulate matter,

PM, fine particles or hazePM, fine particles or haze• Creates atmospheric haze Creates atmospheric haze • Comes from vehicle exhaust, Comes from vehicle exhaust,

fires, industrial and agricultural fires, industrial and agricultural processesprocesses

• Can be breathed deep into the Can be breathed deep into the lungs and causes significant lungs and causes significant health threats…health threats…

The doctor says particle pollution…

• Aggravates lung disease including asthmaAggravates lung disease including asthma• Aggravates heart disease including congestive Aggravates heart disease including congestive

heart failureheart failure• Resulting in:Resulting in:

– More premature deaths More premature deaths – More admissions to hospitalsMore admissions to hospitals– More trips to emergency roomsMore trips to emergency rooms– More visits to doctors’ officesMore visits to doctors’ offices– More school and work absencesMore school and work absences– More symptom daysMore symptom days

So Who’s at Risk?

• People with heart or lung disease People with heart or lung disease (including asthma)(including asthma)– Conditions make them vulnerableConditions make them vulnerable

• Older adultsOlder adults – Greater prevalence of heart and lung Greater prevalence of heart and lung

diseasedisease

• ChildrenChildren– More likely to be activeMore likely to be active– Breathe more air per pound Breathe more air per pound – Bodies still developingBodies still developing

What can you show?

What do you say?

AQI color code Who is affected? What is the significance? What action should people take?

Green – Air quality is good Enjoy activities

Yellow People who are unusually sensitive to air pollution

Air quality is a concern for people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution

People unusually sensitive to air pollution: Plan strenuous activities when air quality is better

Orange People with heart or lung disease (including asthma), older adults, and children

Air quality is unhealthy for people in sensitive groups

Sensitive groups: Cut back or reschedule strenuous activities

Red Everyone, especially people with heart or lung disease (including asthma), older adults, and children

Air quality is unhealthy for everyone

Everyone: Cut back or reschedule strenuous activitiesSensitive groups: Avoid strenuous activities

Purple Everyone, especially people with heart or lung disease (including asthma), older adults, and children

Air quality is very unhealthy for everyone  

Everyone: Significantly cut back on physical activitiesSensitive groups: Avoid all physical activities

One more time…

• Particles are a significant health problemParticles are a significant health problem• Affect different groups of peopleAffect different groups of people• A year-round problemA year-round problem• Both indoors and outdoorsBoth indoors and outdoors• Day and nightDay and night• You You cancan make a difference! make a difference!

Get the Tools You Need

• www.epa.gov/airnowwww.epa.gov/airnow• At-a-glance messagesAt-a-glance messages• Health messages and tipsHealth messages and tips• Web updates to materials you can use Web updates to materials you can use

to talk about air qualityto talk about air quality• National and regional real-time maps National and regional real-time maps

and graphicsand graphics