Image: Moms Clean Air Force.

The first Tuesday in May is World Asthma Day.

May is Asthma Awareness Month with both Air Quality Awareness Week and World Asthma Day to bring attention to air pollution and it’s impacts on our health. Approximately one in every thirteen people in the US has asthma – including over 6 million children.

Asthma is one of the most common lifelong diseases in children and impacts more than their health. Asthma is a leading cause of school absence. Asthma is a complex disease but we one thing we do know: air pollution makes it worse. We can all help protect clean air and reduce  asthma triggers to help those with asthma breathe easy.

Here are a few tips:

1. Don’t idle you car – more than 10 seconds of idling wastes more gas than restarting. Pollution from cars and trucks is a leading cause of air pollution.
2. Avoid strong scents – for many asthma sufferers, strong scents are an asthma trigger. Plus, many scented products use artificial fragrances and preservatives (including formaldehyde) which aren’t healthy for any of us to breath in.
3. Don’t smoke! – Besides being unhealthy for you, secondhand smoke is a major trigger of asthma attacks in children.
4. Use less energy at home – energy production is a major cause of air pollution. Even if the power plant isn’t near your home, air pollution doesn’t follow any boundaries. By reducing your energy use, you can improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save money.

For more clean air tips, check out this list from the American Lung Association.

Check out the Center for Disease Control for resources for you, your family, or your students. Learn how to #TackleAsthma from the New York Giants’ Rashad Jennings and the Asthma & Allergy Association of America.