These sensors can help you understand the air you’re breathing and to take action, and they can add to the public network of sensors that others can access. If you want to know what the air quality is like in your own home, or right outside of it, you can purchase a sensor from a company like IQAir or PurpleAir. These devices aren’t as accurate as the government’s high-quality sensors, but in certain cities, they are so densely packed that they can show small differences in air quality between one end of the city and the other. PurpleAir, a company that manufactures consumer-grade air quality sensors for indoor and outdoor sensing, makes data from most PurpleAir monitors available publicly on a map that also shows some historic data. Plume Labs, an app from the weather-prediction company AccuWeather, also provides real-time and forecasted AQI numbers using on-the-ground sensors and satellite imagery. (IQAir sells monitors, air purifiers, and face masks, but its air quality app is free.) It also gives seven days of weather and air pollution forecasts, and can alert you when the air quality near you is either improving or getting worse.
The EPA keeps a list of cities that maintain such “ action day” programs.ĪirVisual, an app from the Swiss company IQAir, uses data from government sensors, private sensors, and satellite imagery to estimate real-time AQI values and provide health recommendations. In certain cities you can sign up for air quality alerts from your local environmental or public health department. In some cases, AQIs have even rocketed past 500, the top end of the EPA chart.ĪirNow also predicts future pollution levels, which can help you plan outdoor activities for days with less outdoor pollution. This week, AQIs in many Eastern cities have been in the hazardous zone. The EPA also has a similar guide for ozone, a separate pollutant that contributes to smog. Everyone else should consider rescheduling outdoor activities or moving inside.ģ01-500 is maroon, for “hazardous.” Everyone should avoid all physical activity outdoors, and sensitive groups should keep activity levels low indoors. The EPA says most sensitive groups should cut back on outside activities, people with asthma should have medications on hand, and people with heart disease should watch for serious symptoms like shortness of breath and unusual fatigue.ġ51–200 is red, for “unhealthy.” Sensitive groups should consider rescheduling outdoor activities or moving inside everyone else should reduce long or intense outdoor activity and take more breaks.Ģ01-300 is purple, for “very unhealthy.” Sensitive groups should avoid all physical activities outside. 0-50 is green, for “good.” Outside activities are safe for everyone.ĥ1-100 is yellow, for “moderate.” Unusually sensitive people should cut back on outdoor activities, and watch for symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath.ġ01-150 is orange, for “unhealthy for sensitive groups” such as people with heart and lung disease, older adults, children and teenagers, and people who work outside.
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