Help clear the air

Once again, Utah's air quality is the pits.

It's nearly as predictable as death and taxes, and it's profoundly unhealthy, says Dr. Brian Moench, president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.

Moench likens exercising on so-called red alert days to smoking a pack of cigarettes while working out. That's a disturbing mental image.

Moench, an anesthesiologist at LDS Hospital, recommends skipping exercise for a day or two because some studies show the effects of air pollution can linger up to 30 days in a person's body. Bad air isn't just a problem for people with respiratory problems, Moench said.

"It's unhealthy for everybody," he told the Deseret News.

Dirty air drifts indoors, which is problematic, too, since indoor air has other, unique pollutants.

Utah's inversion problem is partially due to high mountains and low valleys that trap inversions and ozone. It's also a human-caused problem, largely due to driving automobiles and, to a lesser degree, burning wood in fireplaces.

Utah can do nothing about its topography. But it can, and should, take steps to improve air quality whenever possible.

The Utah Division of Air Quality recommends driving less, driving smarter and taking steps at home and in the office to help clear the air. For instance, more Utahns could use mass transportation, ride bikes or walk to work. Telecommuting not only helps curb auto pollution, it spares one from driving on icy roads. That seems especially appealing given the high number of auto accidents in recent days.

People who must drive need to keep their automobiles tuned up, their tires properly inflated and to limit their idling time.

At home, Utahns can shovel snow instead of firing up their snowblowers, purchase energy-efficient appliances and properly maintain their furnaces.

At the workplace, Utahns can help air quality by carpooling, working flex schedules and taking other steps to conserve energy in the office.

The division offers 50 suggestions on its Web site at www.cleanair.utah.gov

Meanwhile, Utahns may want to carefully consider Moench's advice. Working off those holiday treats may have to wait until Utah's air quality improves. Don't stress over that, though. You're merely following a doctor's orders.