Wildfire smoke is composed of tiny particles and chemicals. As they travel through the air from the site of the fire to you, they often pick up other pollutants and energies from the sun that make them even less healthy than their original forms.
The most massive contiguous structure known to all of human history may very well be the American highway system. If its 41,000 miles were made into a parking lot it would be a cube more than 20 miles on a side and could hold 50 million vehicles. Understandably it’s a great way to get around.
Wildfire is a serious concern for most of us, not just the danger of the fire itself but also the smoke that can travel for hundreds or thousands of miles. The smoke from burning wood can be more toxic than those from car exhaust. Those of us that don’t have good ways of keeping the smoke out of our homes or who need to spend a few hours outside each day need to know how bad the smoke is or is going to be in order to be properly prepared.
Particle pollution is a broad term that describes a complex mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air. Also called particulate matter (PM), this class of pollutants includes inorganic compounds, organic chemicals, metals, dust and soil particles, mold spores, pollen, and other biological materials—basically, anything that’s small and light enough to float.
It’s been clear for a while that when pollutants build up indoors, such as when cooking, they can easily make air quality hundreds of times worse than outdoors. We all learned a lot during the Covid-19 pandemic and are better equipped to avoid not just airborne pathogens but also the chemicals and other pollutants that pervade our air.
If you have been concerned about wildfires and the smoke they create lately, you are not alone. California and the western United States are experiencing an increasing number of smoky days each year and this year’s wildfires have even caused smoky pollution on the east coast — a disturbing trend that makes good air quality seem more and more like a luxury.
The lockdowns and restrictions that resulted from the Covid-19 public health emergency pandemic have come to an end. Though experts are still very wary of the disease, their advice is now more focused on avoiding the symptoms of “long covid” than stopping the spread of the virus.
As a general rule, you usually don’t want to see your household appliances on the evening news. So, if you live in one of the almost 50 million U.S. homes equipped with a gas stove, you may be feeling a little uneasy these days. The conversation about gas stoves and kitchen air pollution isn’t new, but many people are hearing it for the first time, thanks to recent news coverage.
Any seasoned chef knows that the most delicious meals can also be some of the stickiest. Fried foods, sizzling bacon, fresh fish—and the list goes on. Cooking odors come from particles and gases released into the air while you cook, and they can be a sign of poor indoor air quality. So, no matter how great your dinner smells while you’re cooking, you’ll probably want to take steps to keep the odor from sticking around.