Air Quality and the Environment
Walking or biking to school protects the environment and your health. When children decide to lace-up their sneakers to walk, or strap on their bike helmets to pedal to school instead of riding in a car, they reduce the amount of air pollutants emitted by automobiles.
These air pollutants can be especially harmful to children. Children have respiratory systems that are not fully developed, they spend more time at higher activity levels, which can cause them to breath more deeply and take in more air pollution. They are also more likely to have asthma or other acute respiratory problems that can be aggravated by air pollution than other age groups. By walking or riding a bike to school, children lower the amount of vehicle miles traveled (VMT), which helps reduce toxic air pollutants.
Vehicles emit a variety of air pollutants. For example, ground level ozone is created by a chemical reaction between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compound gases in the presence of heat and sunlight. Visit www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/ozone/what.html to find more about ozone and www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/nox/hlth.html to learn about nitrogen oxides.
Particulate matter are particles of dust, soot, smoke, dirt, and liquid droplets that are also released into the air by cars, trucks and other vehicles. Go to www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/pm/index.html to learn more about particulate matter.
Hazardous or toxic air pollutants like the ones mentioned above are known or suspected to cause serious health effects such as cancer, birth defects, or respiratory, neurological, immune, or reproductive effects. To find out more, visit www.epa.gov/air/toxicair/newtoxics.html.
Ozone can cause these health effects:
- irritated lung airways
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
- wheezing and coughing
- reduced lung function
- asthma attacks
- damaged lung tissue
- chronic respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis
Particulate matter can cause these health effects:
- persistent coughs and phlegm
- respiratory and cardiovascular problems
- chronic bronchitis
- decreased lung function
- premature death
Carbon monoxide can cause these health effects:
- reduces cardiovascular and central nervous system functions
- cardiovascular health effects: chest pain,
- central nervous system health effects: vision problems, reduced ability to work or learn, reduced manual dexterity, and difficulty performing complex tasks. At high levels, can cause death.
Toxic air pollutants can cause these health effects:
- damaged immune system
- reproductive problems (reduced fertility)
- respiratory problems
- developmental disorders
- nervous system disorders
- cancer
A few considerations for walkers and bicyclists
Consult the Air Quality Index (AQI)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages everyone to drive less and to walk, bike, or ride public transportation on bad air quality days. However, those who suffer from respiratory illness like asthma should not walk or ride on these days. When walking or riding on these days, play it safe. If possible, walk or ride in the coolest parts of the day. Consult the air quality index to find out how clean or polluted the air is on a particular day. See www.epa.gov/airnow/ for real-time animated maps and forecasts of the air quality in your area. Parents should check the AQI forecast each day to help protect children from poor air quality.
Pick the route with least traffic
Children may be exposed higher levels of air toxins near roadways with heavy traffic. If possible, try to find routes with less traffic volume, or walk or ride when traffic volumes are lower.
