Air Quality

Air Quality
Healthy air is a vital component of healthy communities. Everyone deserves to breathe safe, healthy air. Unhealthy air that contains pollutants like particulate matter (or particle pollution), ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide can lead to the following health issues for children:
- Asthma attacks
- Decreased lung function/slowed lung function growth
- Development of asthma
- Increased hospital admissions and ED visits for asthma
- Increased severity of asthma attacks
- Lung disease
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Grant for Community Air Monitoring
In 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded us $500,000 for a 3-year project that aims to create a community-based network of neighborhood-level air quality monitoring stations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, focusing on neighborhoods with high asthma burdens. We are excited to launch the Love My Air program in Milwaukee in fall 2023! Through this program, we will install air quality sensors at select schools in the Milwaukee Public Schools district. We will engage schools in air quality monitoring activities through involvement in air quality campaigns (like anti-idling), student engagement and leadership, school STEAM curriculum/community science monitoring using sensors, and education and awareness programs for students, families and the community. The community will also receive education about how to access the neighborhood-level air quality data from those sensors, what the data means, and the action steps tied to that data so that residents have both the tools and knowledge necessary to respond to asthma-related air quality risk factors.
Partners
The Love My Air program relies on partnerships with state and local entities to accomplish its goals.
Join the Love My Air Coalition
If you are interested in learning more and getting involved, please join the Love My Air coalition!
Air Quality Resources
Air Quality and Outdoor Activity Guidance for Schools
Learn when and how to modify outdoor physical activity based on the Air Quality Index (AQI).
Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution
Use this chart to help reduce your exposure to harmful particle pollution.
Air Quality in the Media
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Our Staff
Sarah Kroening, MSpEd
Program Manager
Environmental Health
(414) 266-9730
skroening@childrenswi.org
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Breathe S.M.A.R.T. is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency through EPA-OAR-OAQPS-22-01: Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring for Communities.