A new map that ranks the states of the United States according to their air quality has recently been released, and the results are bad. HouseFresh created a map of the air quality using data obtained from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The criteria that went into the creation of this map include various types of particles, ozone, and other pollutants, along with the air quality index (AQI).
The good news is that the air quality in the northeastern region of the United States is the finest it can be anywhere in the country. The results of HouseFresh’s investigation are shown here, along with an analysis of the current state of events.
The US is Breathing Poorly, Especially These States
One of the most important things that contribute to our overall health is the air that we breathe. Humans, for example, take roughly 22,000 breaths each day, during which they take in oxygen that is necessary for life as well as dangerous contaminants that come from sources that are both natural and artificial.
HouseFresh was able to successfully gather the most recent data on yearly AQI from the county level all the way up to the state level by using data that was provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We created a crosswalk between the data at the county level and the allocations of county seats for the city-data. The consequences are really sad.
Take a look at the picture that is provided below:
When we look at the map that shows which states have the greatest and worst air quality, we can see that there are many different sources and patterns of dangerous air pollutants. For example, in the western states of Arizona, Utah, and California, poor air quality is mostly the result of growing urbanization and specific climatic variables that make existing air pollution problems worse.
In such an arid area like Arizona, massive dust storms have the potential to create particulate matter. While this is going on, frequent wildfires in California are releasing enormous volumes of smoke and toxins into the air, which then become stuck there.
Other states that have a history of industrialization and heavy industry, such as Pennsylvania, Illinois, and New Jersey, are also included among the states that rank among the worst in terms of air quality. Although there has been a major reduction in total air pollution since the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, the legacy of factories, power plants, and other industrial facilities in these states continues to have an influence on the health of the inhabitants in those areas.