Air quality alerts have been issued across the state this week because of the smoke from wildfires in Canada that has been funneling into the Miami Valley.
The smoke we’re seeing in southwest Ohio demonstrates the interconnectedness of the earth’s ecosystem, according to Stacy Porter, an environmental science professor at Wittenberg University.
"I find when I'm teaching about climate change, a lot of my students tend to think that global climate change doesn't affect them right now, it's not affecting them here in Ohio — maybe it's a future generation thing," Porter said. "But the reality is we're all connected, so when things are happening in Canada, we feel the ripple effects here in Ohio."
It's likely that with climate change fueling more forest fires across the world and altering the jet stream, Porter said we'll see more summer air quality alerts in Ohio this year and into the future.
The particulate matter from that wildfire smoke in any amount is dangerous to human health when inhaled, and it leaks into peoples homes.
Theresa Pistochini, engineering manager at the University of California Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center, said a few simple steps can help people maintain indoor air quality in their homes when outdoor conditions are smoky.
“I like to think of it as not just being prepared for the big event that happens in the summer, but thinking about the exposure all year long,” Pistochini said.
Pistochini — who lives and works in a part of California that regularly experiences high levels of wildfire smoke — recommends sealing your home by closing windows and using weather stripping during air quality alerts.
She also said to reduce the transfer of outdoor air by turning off exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens. After sealing your home, Pistochini suggested limiting your use of cleaning products, cooking with gas, and burning candles because you won’t be able to air it out.
But Pistochini said the most important thing is to have at least one high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) cleaner running in your living space to filter out harmful particulate matter from the smoke that gets into your home. She said people can either purchase consumer cleaners for a couple hundred dollars or build their own “DIY” versions using a fan and filter for around $70 or $80.
Regularly replacing HEPA filters in cleaners is also important, Pistochini said.
