when your phone sends an air quality alert please for the love of everything do not just swipe it away
okay listen i need to have a small talk with everyone who dismisses air quality alerts because the sky looks fine
the sky looking fine is not the point
air quality alerts are issued when measured pollution levels cross thresholds where the science shows real physical harm to real human bodies. they are not weather forecasts. they are not suggestions. they are a signal that the air you are breathing right now contains enough harmful particles or gases to damage your lungs and cardiovascular system over time
and the frustrating part is your body cannot tell you in the moment. PM2.5 particles the fine particulate matter that causes the most damage are so small they go straight past your nose and throat and into your bloodstream. you feel nothing unusual. you just breathe.
so here is what an air quality alert actually means and what to do:
→ orange alert (AQI 101-150) unhealthy for sensitive groups. if you have asthma, heart conditions, are pregnant, under 14, or over 65 stay indoors and keep windows closed. everyone else limit strenuous outdoor activity.
→ red alert (AQI 151-200) unhealthy for everyone. run your air purifier. skip the outdoor run. this is a real day to stay inside.
→ purple or maroon (AQI 201+) hazardous. seriously. stay inside. N95 if you must go out. no negotiation.
→ the alert on your phone lags real-time conditions by hours. it could already be worse than what the number shows.
professional real-time air monitoring the kind that doesn't lag is what enviro testers at envirotesters.com builds for environmental agencies and industrial facilities.
swipe up not away. your lungs are worth it.
