City News

The email for May 5, Day 5 of Air Quality Awareness Week was not delivered yesterday. We apologize for the delay. The regularly scheduled City News will be published Sunday, May 7, 2023.

Introducing Cleveland Heights' local air quality monitoring network

Cleveland Heights Launches

Local Air Quality Monitoring Network

Cleveland Heights obviously can’t fix poor air quality on its own. Air quality is a problem for everyone and will take everyone to solve.

As this year’s Air Quality Awareness Week theme says, working together does work, and Cleveland Heights is working hard to find ways to lower our contributions to poor air quality and make this a lung-friendly city.

One of the other things we can do is help residents better manage the threat that poor air quality poses. But you can’t manage what you can’t measure.

How to Monitor Air Quality and Protect Your Health

Monitoring air quality is pretty straightforward. Many weather apps for mobile devices already include information about air quality, and it’s a good idea to look at air quality every time you check the weather—especially if you are vulnerable to poor air quality.

If you aren’t vulnerable to poor air quality, that’s great! But it doesn’t let you off the hook. Anyone planning on doing something strenuous outdoors should check the local air quality before starting. When the air quality is poor, breathing may be more difficult and may sap your energy. it also may take a few days for your body to recover from heavy exertion during a poor air quality day.

AirNow provides good regional air quality measurements

Beyond weather apps, the next place to go to check air quality is the EPA’s AirNow.gov site, which will provide you with a summary of the air quality near you. It will show you a dial with a number and color corresponding to the Air Quality Index (AQI).

We provided you with an AQI guide in yesterday’s email, and we’re including it again today.

The most important thing to know about the AQI is that air quality that is ORANGE or higher is a health threat.

You can check air quality on AirNow online or through its app.

AirNow.gov doesn’t have many sensors

near Cleveland Heights

Click the image to see this map live on AirNow.gov

The AirNow.gov measurement is a good general indicator of air quality in our region. But you can see on the map above how few air monitors AirNow.gov has near Cleveland Heights.

If we really want to manage the risks of poor air quality in Cleveland Heights, we need to measure it closer to home.

And that’s where today’s theme of “participatory science” comes in.

Cleveland Heights is Creating its Own Air Quality Measurement System

Over the past few months, Cleveland Heights has purchased and installed five air quality sensors in different parts of the city.

These “PurpleAir” sensors (which are named for the company that manufactures them, not because of the color of the air) are located at:

• Cleveland Heights City Hall
• The Cleveland Heights Community Center
• Beaumont School
• Cleveland Heights Fire Station #2 (12560 Cedar Road)
• Cleveland Heights Police Precinct #3 (Noble and Greyton Roads)

Click the image to see this map live on map.purpleair.com

You can check our local air quality by going to Map.Purple.Air.com, where you will see a map of the readings of the City’s air quality sensors and any other PurpleAir sensors nearby.

Click on the link below to check it out and bookmark it on your browser so you can visit it regularly.

The City intends to add sensors to its air quality monitoring network and use it to alert residents when poor air quality may affect their health.

This is one of the many ways we intend to make Cleveland Heights a lung-healthy city.

REMINDER: What to do when Air Quality is Poor

When the Ozone Quality Index level is Orange or worse, The American Lung Association (ALA) recommends adjusting your plans for the day.

“Avoid prolonged vigorous activity outdoors. The health effects of pollution are worsened over extended periods of exposure and by the deep, rapid breathing that accompanies exercise.”

When an Air Quality Advisory is in the forecast, you can reduce the risk to your health and the health of other Cleveland Heights residents by:

• Staying inside in an air-conditioned space
• Waiting until dusk to mow your lawn
• Fueling up vehicles at dusk (to avoid evaporation)
•  Postponing exercise until the evening and exercising away from busy roads
• Not letting your vehicle idle
•  Following Cuyahoga County’s guidelines on avoiding open fires, including wood fires and wood-burning stoves
• Carpooling
•  Grouping your errands into one car trip
•  Checking on family members and neighbors who may be especially vulnerable to poor air quality

Also, Pay Attention to Pollen, Even if You aren’t Allergic

It’s also worth keeping in mind that pollen can be a problem, even if you aren’t allergic because it is a form of particulate matter.

Particulate matter is particles that float in the air and can be inhaled when we breathe. There is always particulate matter in the air we breathe, but too much particulate matter and specific kinds of particulates can be bad for our health.

In addition to specific gases in the air, the AQI measures the amount of two types of particulate matter in the air we breathe. PM₁₀ is coarse particulate matter—particles that are large enough to see. PM_2.5 is fine particulate matter, which is too small to see.

Image:Breezometer.com

Both types of particulate matter cause health problems. Coarse PM₁₀ particulates can irritate your lungs, cause congestion, and make breathing harder. Fine PM_2.5 particulates can get deeper into your lungs and reach your bloodstream and internal organs.

So, it’s worth paying attention to pollen alerts, even if you aren’t going to start sneezing.

Read the entire Air Quality Awareness Week Series

• Day 1, May 1, 2023

• Day 2, May 2, 2023

• Day 3, May 3, 2023

• Day 4, May 4, 2023

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