The term “air quality” means the state of the air around us. Good
air quality refers to clean, clear, unpolluted air. Clean air is essential to
maintaining the delicate balance of life on this planet — not just for
humans, but wildlife, vegetation, water and soil. Poor air quality is a result
of a number of factors, including emissions from various sources, both natural
and “human-caused.” Poor air quality occurs when pollutants reach
high enough concentrations to endanger human health and/or the environment. Our
everyday choices, such as driving cars and burning wood, can have a significant
impact on air quality.
Ambient air quality refers to the quality of outdoor air in our surrounding environment. It is typically measured near ground level, away from direct sources of pollution.
Air pollution isn't only an outdoor problem. The air in enclosed spaces, such as home, schools or workplaces, can also be polluted, from pollutants that have seeped in from the outdoors and pollutants emitted from indoor sources. In fact, some kinds of air pollution can be worse indoors than outdoors, such as tobacco smoke, mould, and chemicals released from synthetic fabrics, furnishings and household products. Indoor air quality is important, since Canadians spend about 90 percent of their time inside.
Top