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.

View our Partners

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

What are the common outdoor air pollutants?

Carbon monoxide
Nitrogen dioxide
Ozone (also called smog)
Particulate matter (or particle pollution)
Sulfur dioxide
Toxic air pollutants

Visit What Makes Outdoor Air Unhealthy | American Lung Association for more info about each of these pollutants.

Who is most at risk from air pollution?

Children and teens whose lungs are still developing
Older adults
People who live and work near busy highways or factories; due to systemic racism and environmental injustice, this tends to be people of color and/or people with lower incomes
People with cardiovascular disease or diabetes
People with lung diseases like asthma

What can I do to keep myself healthy?

Check the daily air pollution forecast | Check now
If you drive to school, turn off your engine while dropping off or picking up students – idling vehicles give off higher levels of harmful air pollution
Walk, bike or carpool to school
When pollution levels are high, take steps to protect your health:
- Avoid exercising/playing outdoors
- Avoid opening windows
- Keep your quick-relief asthma medication on hand if you are active outdoors