Life
You ever wonder exactly how clean the air you breathe really is? Luckily, there are air quality apps you can download that can help you monitor your city's air pollution levels. These apps pull data from a bunch of different sources, from government agencies, satellite imagery, and even crowd-sourcing to provide you with real-time alerts on how fresh or polluted your air is that day. Some of these apps even offer forecasting tools that can help you plan your outdoor time.
Knowing what's in the air you breath is getting more important than ever, especially if you live in a bigger city. According to the American Lung Association's 2018 State of the Air report, many U.S. cities experienced more days when ground-level ozone, or smog, reached unhealthy levels between 2014 and 2016. That means the number of people exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution increased to more than 134 million, says the American Lung Association, which is an increase from the 125 million reported in 2017.
And being exposed to air pollution is having serious health affects, resulting in one third of deaths from stroke, lung cancer, and heart disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Exposure to air pollution is essentially like smoking tobacco, says the WHO. But using air quality apps like these can at least make you aware of higher pollution days and help you limit your exposure. These are a few you can try out.
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AirVisual
The AirVisual air quality app combines data from government agencies, crowd-sourced information, and satellite imagery to help you track air pollution based on your location. The app tracks both indoor and outdoor air pollutants, gives you personalized health recommendations, and pings you with air quality alerts. AirVisual is free on both iPhone and Android.
2
AirMatters
Air Matters is a global air quality service provider founded in 2011, and the Air Matters app provides real-time air quality, pollen, and weather alerts for more than 180 countries. You can also connect the app to a Phillips-brand air purifier or Laser Egg-brand air monitor. The app is free with in-app purchases on both iPhone and Android.
3
AIR by Plume Labs
The AIR app combines land-based measurements with satellite imagery and AI learning to bring your real-time air quality reports, as well as pollution forecasts. You can also check to see what the air quality is in other cities to help you plan for upcoming travel. AIR is free on both iPhone and Android.
4
Blueair Friend
Although this is by the makers of Blueair purifiers and monitors, you don't have to buy anything to use the Blueair Friend app. The app pulls data from more than 2,700 air quality monitoring stations in 150 countries to provide you with real-time air quality information in almost any city. The app is free for both iPhone and Android.
5
BreezoMeter Air Quality Index
The BreezoMeter app provides location-specific, real-time air quality information by collecting data from more than 40,000 government sensors worldwide, traffic patterns, weather dynamics, and satellite data. The app provides health recommendations, air pollution forecasts, pollution concentrations, and more. BreezoMeter is free on iPhone and Android.
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Sh**t! I Smoke
7
Air Quality Index Near Me
The Air Quality Index Near Me app uses your GPS location to pull up air pollution levels using quality data from the nearest air quality measuring station. It also provides information on weather conditions, but it's only available on Android.
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Until the world gets a better handle on climate change, ozone depletion and air pollution will continue to be problems for the foreseeable future. But apps like these will at least put some power in your hands to know what the conditions are like in your area and how to manage your health accordingly.
