MNN - Mother Nature Network

Just how clean is the air you are breathing?  You may think that there is not much you can do to prevent or control air pollution, but there are a number of things you can do to minimize your contribution to air pollution and to ensure that you are breathing the freshest air possible.

Here’s how to minimize your exposure to air pollution, both indoors and out:

Outdoors

• Pay attention to air-quality advisories, especially if you live in or near a big city. If the levels are high, don’t spend a lot of time outdoors.
• When traveling by car, try to limit the amount of time you spend sitting in heavy traffic. Seek out less traveled routes or walk.
• Hold your breath or turn your head when you see exhaust spurting out of the car in front of you or when you are filling your car with gas.

Indoors

• Do not smoke and avoid your exposure to others who do.
• Ventilate your home well by opening windows and doors regularly, especially when dusting, vacuuming and painting.
• When entering your home, leave your shoes at the door and ask your guests to do the same to avoid tracking harmful chemicals indoors.
• Do not dry clean your clothes. If you can't avoid dry cleaning, make sure you air-out your clothes before bringing them indoors.
• Use natural cleaning agents like baking soda and vinegar instead of synthetic chemical compounds.
• Wet mop your floors frequently to reduce your exposure to dust.
• Do not use synthetic chemical pesticides or fertilizers in your home, on your lawn or in your garden.

By taking control of your indoor and outdoor environments, you can significantly reduce the number of pollutants that you and your family are exposed to with every breath you take.