Take a deep breath. Seriously, it’s OK to take a deep breath around here. It’s not like we’re in Los Angeles or anything like that.
The American Lung Association released its State of the Air 2016 report recently, and the Cape Coral-Fort Myers-Naples area ranked as having some of the best air quality in the country.
Southwest Florida has continued to improve over the last decade when it comes to ozone pollution (the pollution caused in part by car or power plant exhaust), now placing it among the 32 lowest levels of metropolitan areas nationwide.
In general, the state of Florida faired pretty well compared to elsewhere in the country, especially California. LA and Bakersfield once again topped the lists for most polluted cities in the country, ranking high in both ozone and particle pollution. (Southwest Florida didn’t have complete enough data to rank within the particle pollution list.)
Overall, the air quality has gotten better in the United States, but the American Lung Association still warns that nearly half the counties in the country have unhealthful air quality levels.
For day-to-day air quality levels, visit airnow.gov.
Read The Feel Good Report every Tuesday and Thursday online and every month in Gulfshore Life.
