For shorter trips around town, consider using mass transit, use bike sharing, or even invest in an e-bike or an e-scooter. Many cities are transitioning bus fleets to electric or hybrid models, thereby reducing emissions. And with a bike sharing account, you can reduce general waste.

While most people focus on vehicle or industrial emissions when thinking about air quality, the reality is that indoor air quality is often worse. And left unchecked, it can contribute to respiratory irritation and make allergies worse. For cleaner indoor air, get an air purifier that has a True HEPA filter, as well as an activated carbon filter. This ensures that your purifier is filtering the air for the most common pollutants: dust, dander, mold, smoke, pollen, and odors.

Again, VOCs aren’t just something that big industry produces. They can also be found in innocuous items around your home such as your mattress, the paint on your walls, your child’s toys, and even your clothing. And they can be just as irritating to your skin and your respiratory system. Avoid VOCs by looking for products that carry the GREENGUARD Gold, CertiPUR-US, GOTS, or GOLS seals. These are third-party oversight organizations that test consumer products for low VOC emissions.

Plants are more than just decoration. They can also serve to improve air quality as well as boost your mood. You might be surprised to find that chrysanthemums are considered the top option for cleaning your air. They also work to scour ammonia from the air. Better still, spending time around greenery is clinically proven to improve your mood, and who doesn’t love that?

You don’t have to have a bizarrely colored cleaning fluid to get your tabletops and floors clean. There are plenty of natural-based options that don’t smell overpowering. These options harness the power of plants to ensure an effective clean around your home. And since they’re naturally based, you’ll have less VOCs to contend with. 

There are also many simple ingredient DIY cleaning solution hacks that will keep your home sparkling clean without having to compromise your health.

While sorting your empty paper, plastic, glass and metal products in the right bin is important, the reality is only a fraction of the materials sent to recycling plants actually get reborn into a post-consumer recycled product. So, when possible, find new uses for old containers and plastic bags. Turn that water bottle into a plant irrigator. Or, transform those milk jugs into planters. More importantly, make sure you understand what items are eligible for municipal recycling and which aren’t.

The Healthy Air Campaign was created by the American Lung Association to help advocate for better air quality and reduce the effects that poor air quality can not only have on the environment, but also to people’s personal health. Visit the American Lung Association’s Healthy Air Campaign Webpage to learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved.