Watch how our kids are uniquely vulnerable to air pollution:
SHARE HOW POLLUTION
AFFECTS KIDS WITH ASTHMA:
SHARE HOW WILDFIRE SMOKE
AFFECTS KIDS’ LUNGS:
Why are kids so vulnerable to pollution?
Children breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults, meaning they inhale more of whatever we put in their air. Because their lungs and other organs are still developing, exposure to pollution is especially detrimental to their long-term health. As global temperatures increase, so does our kids’ exposure to wildfire smoke, dust, ground-ozone and pollen – all of which are toxic.
Kids aren’t just little adults. Their lungs are still growing, they breathe more rapidly and spend more time outdoors. This makes them most vulnerable to ground-ozone, which can cause asthma and other respiratory issues.
Research shows young kids who have greater exposure to air pollution tend to have reduced cognitive performance and greater risk of behavioral problems.
Wildfire smoke is a growing air pollution problem. Over the past four decades, areas burned by wildfires have roughly quadrupled across the U.S. Smoke from these fires contains hundreds of chemicals, many of which are toxic. Just in the last decade the number of people experiencing at least one “extreme smoke day” has gone up 27-fold.
