<description>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;How do you know if the air you breathe is safe? It often depends on where you live--not just what town or city, but what neighborhood, what street. In this episode, Amy talks with Langston Verdin, founder of MKE Fresh Air Collective, a community-led air quality monitoring project in Milwaukee. Hear what he’s been finding out about the air we breathe and what it could mean for our health. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;One of the most dangerous kinds of pollution in terms of health outcomes is in the air. Fine particulate matter airpPollution is made up of tiny airborne particles that are 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. They can settle deep in the lungs, even make their way into the bloodstream, and are associated with asthma attacks and higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and premature death.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;According to an analysis from Clean Wisconsin – Wisconsin has the 3&lt;sup&gt;rd&lt;/sup&gt; racial disparity in the country when it comes to exposure to these tiny particles. The particles come from burning fossil fuels, usually at coal and gas power plants, industrial facilities, or on busy roads with lots of cars, buses and heavy trucks.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;With all of those sources around, how do we know when the air is safe and when it’s not?  It’s vital information that Langston Verdin, founder of MKE Fresh Air Collective, wants everybody to have. The collective has been working to install neighborhood air monitors across the city. Amy meets Langston at the site of his very first air monitor, at his old duplex in Washington Heights.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Host:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p&gt;Amy Barrilleaux&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Guest :&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p&gt;Langston Verdin, Founder, MKE Fresh Air Collective, Milwaukee, Wisconsin&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class= "et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_2 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"&gt; &lt;div class="et_pb_text_inner"&gt; &lt;h2&gt;Background reading:&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;Learn more about the &lt;a href="https://www.mkefreshair.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;MKE Fresh Air Collective&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href= "https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/study-shows-wisconsin-has-one-of-the-largest-racial-disparities-in-the-nation-for-exposure-to-dangerous-air-pollution-particles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;Study shows Wisconsin has one of the largest racial disparities in the nation for exposure to dangerous air pollution particles&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href= "https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/new-analysis-proposed-epa-power-plant-rules-would-save-wisconsin-millions-in-healthcare-related-costs/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20EPA%27s%20proposed%20rules%20would,to%20continue%20operating%20beyond%202040.%E2%80%9D"&gt; New Analysis: Proposed EPA power plant rules would save Wisconsin millions in healthcare-related costs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;div class= "et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_4 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"&gt; &lt;div class="et_pb_text_inner"&gt; &lt;h2&gt;Like ‘State of Change?’&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;div class= "et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_5 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"&gt; &lt;div class="et_pb_text_inner"&gt; &lt;p&gt;Subscribe to State of Change on &lt;a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/state-of-change/id1496663872"&gt;Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href= "https://play.google.com/music/m/Ipq674a47epmqf72smzpd3qfymy?t=State_of_Change"&gt;Google Play Music&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href= "https://open.spotify.com/show/1XtxTJLGF1XeHxUIg4jwwU?si=It_7P6b6QLW1UgiEKtJXFg"&gt;Spotify&lt;/a&gt;, or wherever you get your podcasts.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at &lt;a href= "https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/"&gt;www.cleanwisconsin.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Sign up to get the latest news from Clean Wisconsin in your inbox at &lt;a href= "https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/email"&gt;www.cleanwisconsin.org/email&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at &lt;a href= "https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate"&gt;www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</description>

State of Change

Clean Wisconsin: your environmental voice since 1970

Uncovering Air Pollution

OCT 19, 202323 MIN
State of Change

Uncovering Air Pollution

OCT 19, 202323 MIN

Description

How do you know if the air you breathe is safe? It often depends on where you live--not just what town or city, but what neighborhood, what street. In this episode, Amy talks with Langston Verdin, founder of MKE Fresh Air Collective, a community-led air quality monitoring project in Milwaukee. Hear what he’s been finding out about the air we breathe and what it could mean for our health. 

One of the most dangerous kinds of pollution in terms of health outcomes is in the air. Fine particulate matter airpPollution is made up of tiny airborne particles that are 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. They can settle deep in the lungs, even make their way into the bloodstream, and are associated with asthma attacks and higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and premature death.

According to an analysis from Clean Wisconsin – Wisconsin has the 3rd racial disparity in the country when it comes to exposure to these tiny particles. The particles come from burning fossil fuels, usually at coal and gas power plants, industrial facilities, or on busy roads with lots of cars, buses and heavy trucks.

With all of those sources around, how do we know when the air is safe and when it’s not?  It’s vital information that Langston Verdin, founder of MKE Fresh Air Collective, wants everybody to have. The collective has been working to install neighborhood air monitors across the city. Amy meets Langston at the site of his very first air monitor, at his old duplex in Washington Heights.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guest :

Langston Verdin, Founder, MKE Fresh Air Collective, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Background reading: Like ‘State of Change?’

Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us.

You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at www.cleanwisconsin.org

Sign up to get the latest news from Clean Wisconsin in your inbox at www.cleanwisconsin.org/email

Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate