Air Quality Warnings

For the past three days, the DNR has issued air quality warnings for Dane County. This is an area I'm not an expert in, I know just enough to be dangerous. My first question was, why wasn't it a clean air action day in the City of Madison? And then I thought, doesn't this just happen in the summer time? You know me, always full of questions.

Turns out, there are two kinds of air quality warnings, ozone (the ones that typically happen in the summer) and these which are due to particles in the air.

I first heard about the bad air quality through a listserve a couple days ago when we were at orange alert, yesterday we went to red alert, and we're back at orange alert again today. Here's the interactive DNR map of Wisconsin and here's the red alert notice:

Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution (Red)
Issued: 10:16 am on Thursday, December 20th 2007

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is issuing an Air Quality Advisory for Particle Pollution (Red) effective 10:16 am on Thursday, December 20th 2007 through 11:59 am on Friday, December 21th 2007 for Dane, Jefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha counties.

The advisory is being issued because of persistent elevated levels of fine particles in the air. These fine particles come primarily from combustion sources, such as power plants, factories and other industrial sources, vehicle exhaust, and wood fires.

The Air Quality Index is currently in the red level, which is considered unhealthy for everyone, especially people with heart or lung disease including asthma, older adults and children. When a red advisory is issued for particle pollution, everyone should cut back or reschedule strenuous activities and people in sensitive groups should avoid any strenuous activity.

People with lung diseases such as asthma and bronchitis, and heart disease should pay attention to cardiac symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath or respiratory symptoms like coughing, wheezing and discomfort when taking a breath, and consult with their physician if they have concerns or are experiencing symptoms. Fine particle pollution deposits itself deep into the lungs and cannot easily be exhaled. People who are at risk are particularly vulnerable after several days of high particle pollution exposure.

Suggestions about what we can do from the website include:

• Reduce driving when possible and don't leave vehicle engines idling.
• Postpone activities that use small gasoline and diesel engines.
• Minimize outdoor wood fires.
• Conserve electricity.
• For more ideas on how you can reduce your emissions today and every day visit: Do a little, save a lot!

I have to say, ever since I've had pneumonia a year ago, I've been a little more aware as I have had more problems with wheezing and coughing and yesterday, my wheezing cough came back. I didn't make the connection until this morning. It's kinda sad that we don't even have good air to breathe. And likely, living 2 blocks away from the MG&E coal fired plant and in between the major traffic corridors of E. Washington (60,000 cars per day) and Johnson/Gorham (another 30,000/25,000 cars per day) isn't helping.