Air Quality in Alaska

The air quality in Garden, Anchorage, Alaska was rated at 161, which is considered unhealthy. This rating means that everyone in the area may begin to experience health effects, and members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. The rating is mainly based on the fine particulate matter measured. According to the American Lung Association's Annual State of the Air Report, people in the area are breathing in dangerous levels of soot. The fine particle pollution is mainly found in smoke and haze. The reason for these pollutants in this area is the burning of wood for heat in the cold of Alaska. The people in the area burn wood in the fire places and wood-burning stoves. Using wood to burn for energy is much cheaper for the citizens, hence its use. Additionally, the pollutants come from wildfires throughout the region. These pollutants from the smoke are causing asthma, heart attacks, strokes, and premature death. Due to how fine the particles are, they pass easily through the lung tissue into the blood stream. Many suggestions have been made to fix the air quality problem, but the earliest the suggestions will start being implemented is in 2020.