The 2015 State of the Air report from the American Lung Association recently confirmed that four in 10 Americans are living in areas with harmful levels of ozone pollution. But the big oil companies have just launched a multimillion-dollar ad campaign telling us our country doesn’t need and can’t afford stronger limits on ozone.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Here’s why:
1. Ground-level ozone — or smog — is really damaging to our health and the natural environment
Ozone is the most pervasive air pollutant in the United States today. It is formed in the atmosphere when chemical compounds emitted by vehicles, industrial processes, power plants, and other sources interact in the presence of sunlight and heat.
Ozone is also among the most harmful air pollutants. Elevated ozone levels cause lung irritation, aggravate asthma, and worsen chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — leading to increased emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and premature deaths. Ozone endangers the health of our children, elderly, people with chronic diseases, and healthy people working or exercis... Read more