Super Eco

Photo credit: anomalous4, flickr

In with the bad air, out with the good... That's not how that phrase is supposed to go, but it's the unfortunate state of being for most of us according to The American Lung Association’s 2009 State of the Air report, which found that 60% of Americans, or 186.1 million of us, live in cities with unhealthy levels of pollution. Cough.

The report ranks pollution levels in U.S. cities and counties using levels reported in 2005-2007. The air quality measurements are collected in cities and counties across the country and are then submitted to the EPA.

Worst cities? 6 out of the worst 10 are in California (Los Angeles, Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield, Sacramento, El Centro), plus Houston, Charlotte, Dallas-Ft. Worth and Charlotte. The rest of the Worst 25 are here.

Cleanest cities are, predictably, mainly in more remote areas: Billings MT, Carson City NV, Coeur d'Alene ID, Fargo ND, Honolulu, Laredo TX, Lincoln NE, Port St. Lucie FL, and Sioux Falls SD.

The rankings were mainly based on ozone levels, but particulates were also measured. If your city didn't make the Best List for ozone, perhaps it's here on the Best Cities for particulates, a list that includes Austin, Colorado Springs, Oklahoma City, Portland, Santa Barbara, and Tucson.

Most polluted for particulates? Some of the same culprits, I'm afraid. I can't look.

So what can you do? The American Lung Association suggests the following:

• listen to reports in your area about pollution levels and stay indoors on high-risk days.
• don't exercise near highways or busy roads
• don't exercise outside on high-pollution days
• reduce the use of fireplaces and wood-burning stoves
• don't smoke indoors

Children are especially at risk, so take extra precautions about the air they breathe.

And if you're angry about the quality of air in your area (or anywhere, really; why should we put up this this?), send a message to the EPA and tell it to set stricter standards about air quality, so that one day we'll all be breathing easier.