Air Pollution & Asthma
The Issue
Every day, many of us are exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution. As we play in parks, walk to bus stops and simply go about our day, we may be inhaling invisible gases and particulate matter (particles 10-20 times smaller than the width of a human hair) able to travel deep into our lungs and bloodstream where they can cause a number of illnesses, including asthma, lung cancer and strokes. Often these gases and particles are caused by the burning of fossil fuels, for example to run our cars and factories, or else as a result of wildfires and desert storms, sometimes traveling far and wide on the wind to neighboring towns, countries and even other continents. In the U.S. alone, exposure to particulate matter causes 90,000 deaths per year.
Our Experts
Susan Anenberg
Director, Climate & Health Institute
Professor and Chair of Environmental and Occupational Health
GW Milken Institute School of Public Health
Dan Goldberg
Assistant Research Professor
GW Milken Institute School of Public Health
Gaige Kerr
Research Scientist
GW Milken Institute School of Public Health
Anjeni Keswani
Co-Director, Climate & Health Institute
Director, Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Center
Associate Professor of Medicine
GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Neelu Tummala
Co-Director, Climate & Health Institute
Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery
GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences