As of October 5, Peterborough has been issued 35 smog alerts by the Ministry of the Environment for 2005. That's 15 more days of poor air quality compared to last year's 20 days. Thatâs cause for concern and action.
In a study released by the Ontario Medical Association on July 14th, Ontario doctors reported that exposure to smog will contribute to approximately 5,800 premature deaths province-wide. To give these numbers a local context, the City of Peterborough will experience 80 premature deaths, 190 hospital admissions, 680 emergency visits with health care costs to treat victims nearing $4 million. It also estimates that the local economic impact of poor air quality will amount to $3.36 million. A pretty hefty price to pay, eh?
Thatâs the bad news.
The good news is, each of us can do something about it that will make a difference. Not only will the following actions save our air but they will also save you money! Read about what you can do On the Road and At Home.
To get Peterborough's daily Air Quality Report and to learn more about Smog go to:
www.airqualityontario.com.
For information on how Smog affects our health check out these Peterborough Green-Up Factsheets:
Air Quality and Your Child
Outdoor Exercise in Heat and Smog
Climate Change Action
