Part B. Adapting to Air Pollution
Air Quality Health Index
The ETS (Edmonton Transit System) Electronic Billboard at South Campus Transit Center, with Foote Field in the background. The 6:07 at the center of the billboard is the time, but the “2- Low Risk” at the bottom of the sign is the air quality.
The ETS Electronic Billboards, which can be found at all major transit centers, display lots of different information on the weather and other subjects. This includes the time (“6:07”, at the center of the billboard), and the current air quality (“2- Low Risk”, at the bottom of the billboard). Air quality, which measures how much pollution is in the air, is usually displayed on the AQHI (Air Quality Health Index) scale. The AQHI scale goes from 1-10. A low AQHI like 1 or 2 means that air quality is good, and that air pollution health risk is low. A high AQHI like 9 or 10 means air quality is bad, and that air pollution health risk is high.
Environment Canada says people should avoid exercising outside when air quality is bad. This is even more important for children, older people, and people with heart or breathing problems.
For more information about the AQHI, and to get your local AQHI forecast, see the Environment Canada website at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-quality-health-index.html
Air Quality Monitors
The “Edmonton South” Air Quality Monitoring Station.
The “Edmonton South” station is located behind the Alberta School for the Deaf near the South Campus Transit Center, and it is one of many air quality sensors around the city of Edmonton. These stations measure many different kinds of pollution, and then use those measurements to calculate the local Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), which can then be used to let people know how polluted the air is. Knowing how much pollution is in the air helps people make good choices and stay healthy.
Exercise Locations
A man coughs into his elbow as he walks near a major Edmonton road.
Because traffic creates lots of air pollution, air quality near large, high-traffic roads is usually worse than in other areas. For this reason, doing exercise right next to a road with lots of cars on it, like the person in the photo is doing, means you will breathe in more polluted air.
This means that a good way to protect yourself from air pollution is to do any physical activity in places far away from major, high-traffic roadways. Examples of such places include the river valley and some of the many parks we have in Edmonton.
Sources:
Environment and Climate Change Canada. (2019, July 22). Air Quality Health Index. Retrieved July/August, 2020, from https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-quality-health-index.html
Health Canada. (2016, July 08). Road Traffic and Air Pollution. Retrieved July/August, 2020, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/air-quality/road-traffic-air-pollution.html