For Your Health

How you address air pollution in your home can have a big effect on the environment and on you and your family's health. The choices you make at home affect the amount of pollution outside your home as well as inside. Millions of Americans live in areas where air pollution poses serious health threats. The air you breathe is important. Besides helping to prevent pollution here are some things you can do to directly protect you and your family's health.

• Check daily air pollution forecasts and the Air Quality Index (AQI), which tells how clean or polluted your air is, and the associated health concerns. Plan your outdoor activities accordingly. For air quality forecasts visit http://www.epa.gov/airnow/ For information on ozone, the AQI, and how it affects you visit http://www.epa.gov/airnow/consumer.html
• Minimize sun exposure- seek shade. Wear sun block and UV protection sunglasses. For more information visit Individual Actions to Protect the Ozone Layer at http://www.epa.gov/ozone/resource/indiv.html For more information on what you can do to protect yourself visit http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/actionsteps.html