School buses and cars in traffic with exhaust visibly escaping their vehicles
Hazard

Air Quality

Air quality reflects the abundance of pollution present in air. Pollution is a mix of hazardous substances from both human-made and natural sources. Primary sources of human-made air pollution include vehicle emissions, fuel oils and natural gas to heat homes, by-products of manufacturing and power generation—particularly coal-fueled power plants—and fumes from chemical production.

Relevant Options

Develop voluntary measures and incentives, such as a certification program for clean air buildings, to encourage safe indoor air in public buildings, schools and businesses. Create agreements with AirBnB and other home share platforms to educate guests on hazards and emergency exit strategies. Create a safety plan in accordance with FEMA's Incident Command System (ICS) requirements. ICS provides an organizational structure capable of responding Develop an air quality mapping program at the neighborhood level. Encourage healthcare providers to work with sensitive subgroups to reduce controllable exposures (smoking, radon) and have a plan in place before wildfire smoke arrives. Hold events where residents can interact with local experts and develop an emergency preparedness kit to take home. Use air quality information to empower residents to understand how forest fires in the U.S. affect local issues such as asthma and other health issues. Transition to fossil-fuel-free streets to fight air pollution. Develop and promote an educational campaign to build a shared understanding of the value of urban forests and encourage planting appropriate species, watering and care. Adopt planning and land-use policies that support clean air, clean drinking water and pollution-free waterways. Develop a notification system for natural hazards that is responsive to community needs. Encourage nonprofits to hold land conservation easements. Encourage them to use those easements in ways that help manage climate change impacts. Establish policies and management plans to develop urban forests and incentivize the use of best practices for long-term maintenance and preservation of urban trees. Make portable air cleaners more accessible to improve indoor air quality in homes during wildfire smoke events. Measure, monitor, and publicly report GHG emissions of large cruise ships while in port. Offer free public transit rides on poor air quality days. Develop and promote educational materials on the health impacts of air pollution, wildfire smoke, extreme heat, longer allergy seasons and vector-borne diseases. Focus on how to limit exposure to sensitive Implement mobility plan and create networks to use transportation system and reduce number of cars on roads Educate homeowners, landlords and renters about options to create safe indoor air (e.g., MERV 13 air filters, portable air cleaners), especially during wildfire smoke events. Develop tree planting recommendations for public areas.

Related Case Studies & Action Plans

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  • Photo attributed to Lazy Lightning. Incorporated here under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. No endorsement by licensor implied.

    • Climate Change Adaptation Planning at the State Level in Minnesota

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    Relevant Tools

    AirNow: Air Quality Index (AQI) Monitoring and Forecasts
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  • https://vibrantcitieslab.com/toolkit/

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    Relevant Trainings

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  • CDC - https://www.train.org/cdctrain/course/1117398/details

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