Scientists from around the globe continue to report connections between poor air quality and poor child health and education rates, life expectancy rates, and other dangerous health risks. For years health officials have warned the public of the dire effects of exposure to unhealthy air quality. However, alarming reports of wildfires, corporate pollution scandals and damaged ozone has consistently placed air quality reports on major news headlines and maintained an environment of increasingly harmful air quality.

IBO wanted to get a first-hand look on air quality levels across our state by accessing data from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). We found that Idaho has experienced increasing levels of unhealthy air quality since at least 2013. Air quality is very complex, so we focused on AQI levels, an index that focuses on health effects you may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. In 2017, 19% of the year exposed Idahoans to AQI levels over 100, with some containing “Hazardous” levels of pollution.

This is not just a concern for sensitive groups of Idaho’s population, but for us who enjoy living active lifestyles and spending quality time outdoors as well. According to the EPA, active people of all ages who exercise or work outdoors are at increased risk. Limiting prolonged and heavy exertion is the only way to avoid being exposed to unhealthy air. This becomes especially problematic in places like Idaho, where quality of life goes hand in hand with access to the outdoors.

Please note in the graph created by IBO to the right, yellow represents unhealthy for sensitive groups (not moderate), orange represents unhealthy, red very unhealthy and purple hazardous.

For more information on our methodology and full findings, click here.

For more information on the impacts of air quality on health, click here to visit the World Health Organization.

IDAHO STATE-WIDE AIR QUALITY

IDAHO BUSINESS FOR THE OUTDOORS