Why we care about clean air

Clean air and proper source control are both vital components to keep our lungs healthy. Poor indoor and outdoor air quality poses a threat to our respiratory systems because of the pollutants in the air we breathe. These pollutants affect everyone, but some are more susceptible to the negative health effects associated with poor air quality than others. The elderly, children, and anyone with allergies, asthma, COPD, or other lung disease are more vulnerable to these pollutants.

The American Lung Association is uniquely positioned to address the issue of air quality as it relates to health problems. We are committed to improving the quality of the air we breathe, and have been for over 40 years. As the foremost defender of the Clean Air Act and the publishers of the annual State of the Air Report, we are the strategic leaders on the impact of air quality on health

The American Lung Association recommends the first line of defense against air pollution be to prevent pollutants from being added to the air in the first place. We believe that people have the right to breathe air that is not harmful to their health.

The American Lung Association is dedicated to the prevention, control and cure of lung disease, the third leading cause of death in the United States. The ALA’s mission is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. The ALA works to prevent, control, and cure lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, influenza and pneumonia.

• 1 in 7 – Americans die from lung disease; the 3rd leading cause of death
• 3,000 – Underage children start smoking each day
• 1 in 12 – Children suffers from asthma
• 122,000 – Americans die each year from COPD
• 1 in 2 – Americans live in areas that have unsafe levels of ozone or particle pollution
• #1 – Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer of both women and men

Clean Air is of the utmost importance to those suffering from lung diseases.