We all need to eat. We also all need to breathe clean air. Around the country and the world the practice of agricultural burning is used to remove crop residue. This can often be the most efficient or cost-effective from the perspective of the individual farmer, but can also affect the people living and working in the area. Dr Laura C. Myers, M.D., M.P.H is a lung and ICU doctor at Kaiser Permanente who researches people with lung diseases and how air quality and heat can affect them. Join me to learn about agricultural burning and its health impact. We also explore what can be done to minimize this impact while ensuring both a healthy food production and healthy communities.

To Do-

Where possible, encourage your community to support farmers in alternatives to biomass burning through regenerative agricultural practices. Many agricultural universities across the US are studying this, and supporting up front costs for farmers may help improve their soil, profit margins and keep surrounding communities healthier.

Make sure you have clean air indoors- no smoking, vaping, open flames, etc. You can learn more from the “Clean Air Gift Guide” episode from earlier this season.

Spread the word about the importance of clean air indoors- reducing pollution from gas stoves, ensuring good air filtration and more can help improve resilience when agricultural burning is occurring.

If you or a loved one has asthma or airway disease, make sure they know about clean air resources.

Sign up for air quality alerts in your area.

Consider a donation to the American Lung Association, which helps patients with airway disease understand the air they breathe and works for clean air for all.

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For more information go to airhealthourhealth.org.

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Agricultural Burning, Air Quality & Community Health