What is Air Pollution?

Air pollution occurs when anything is added to our air that makes it harmful. Air pollution comes from power plants, cars and trucks, factories, agriculture, wildfires, household cooking and heating, chemicals off-gassing from our stuff, and other sources. In the US, more than 4 in 10 people live in areas with unhealthy air outside; many of us live with air pollution inside as well.

What can air pollution do to you?

Air pollution is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for more than 6 million deaths each year. Air pollution can cause heart attacks, stroke, cancer, asthma, low birth weight, premature birth, and other serious health problems.

What you can do about air pollution.

Members of Moms Clean Air Force fight air pollution several ways. On a national level, we demand strong, protective regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the authority of the Clean Air Act. Right now, members of Moms Clean Air Force are working to clean up our air by:

Fighting EPA to protect the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards;

Fighting EPA to protect the Clean Car Standards;

Fighting EPA for strong rules from fracking pollution;

Fighting EPA to protect a new chemical law meant to keep toxics out of our stuff;

Fighting EPA to protect implementation of America’s Clean Power Plan, our most significant regulation against climate pollution.

If that seems like a lot of fighting, it is! Under the Trump administration, with EPA chief Andrew Wheeler, we are facing a massive wave of rollbacks of many of the clean air rules that have done so much to keep us safer.

Moms across the country are also working to strengthen state laws that keep pollution out of our air and protect the health of our families, especially laws against fracking pollution. Please visit our state pages for further information about what we are working on in your state.

We are especially focused on eliminating methane emissions from oil and gas development because of their severe climate impacts and their severe impacts on public health. Switching to renewable energy sources means cleaner air.

Resources about Air Pollution