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If you're like most people, you rarely think about the air you breathe. When you think about your health, it means going to the gym, drinking plenty of liquids, and having a healthy shake for breakfast and lunch. You take the air for granted because, well, most of the time it's there when you need it. But air quality is incredibly important to your health. It has been estimated that the average American breathes 3,400 gallons of air each day.1 Try drinking 3,400 gallons of that healthy shake, and you might want to familiarize yourself with the route to the hospital.
Simply put, when air is polluted it compromises our health and the health of all other life on the planet. Air pollution can cause anything from burning eyes and irritated throats to birth defects, long-term lung damage, and respiratory disease.2 An estimated 50,000 to 120,000 premature deaths are associated with exposure to air pollutants each year.3 But air pollution does not only affect humans; it also affects our food chain and all other plant and animal life. As pollutants contribute to the decrease in our stratospheric ozone layer, more UVB radiation reaches the earth's surface and destroys sensitive crops and marine life. Air pollution also contributes to soil and water contamination, which in turn damages crops and plants. As we enter into the 21st century, it is important to think about the choices that we make as producers and consumers of energy and goods, and how our actions are impacting our health and the well being of other life forms on our planet.
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