Air Pollution in New York: How to Reduce Health Damage
Hey everyone!
I’ve got something really important and useful to share with you all. Recently, I decided to take a walk around my city streets — you know, just to get some exercise and fresh air. I walked about three miles back to my apartment and didn’t feel tired at all, so I gave myself a little pat on the back. I drank a glass of water and sat down at my computer. An hour later, I felt a scratch in my throat and had to clear it. What came out in the sink made me stop and do some thinking, maybe even some math.
So here’s the deal, friends — have you ever wondered just how much nasty stuff has built up in your lungs over a year?
Let’s crunch some numbers. Let’s say you’re a New Yorker. On average, we take about 15-16 breaths per minute. That means, in just a minute, 8-9 liters of air pass through your lungs. Over an hour, that’s about 500 liters, and in a day, that’s around 12,000 liters or 12 cubic meters of air. For women, it’s about 10-15% less.
Now, we need some data on how much pollution (PM2.5) actually gets into the lungs of an average person in different US cities. Here’s some average PM2.5 concentrations (in micrograms per cubic meter) for a few cities:
- Los Angeles: 15 µg/m³
- New York: 12 µg/m³
- San Francisco: 10 µg/m³
- Portland: 9 µg/m³
- Seattle: 8 µg/m³
So, if you’re in New York: 12 µg/m³ × 12 m³ × 365 = 52,560 µg or 52.56 mg per year.
Thinking about moving to Seattle yet? How to Protect Your Lungs?
Just the thought of having stuff in your lungs that shouldn’t be there is pretty depressing. So, what can we do about it?
Let’s go back to the numbers… On average, Americans spend about 65-70% of their time at home. That’s around 15-17 hours a day. This varies depending on factors like age, employment, family status, and the time of year. So, if we take steps to clean the air in our homes, we could reduce lung pollution by 65-70%… Maybe cancel that move to Seattle! 🙂
I started looking for an air purifier for my apartment, read up on what people were saying about models that matched my criteria, and made a choice.
About this item:
𝐏𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄: With a CADR of 130 CFM / 221 m3/h, the Vital 100 is perfect for living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens. It can cover 300 ft² / 28 m² in only 18 minutes. (Only products over 6 pounds can be equipped with such powerful motors that optimize the air cleaning performance).Voltage: AC 120V, 60Hz
𝟑-𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: Fine preliminary, Efficient filter and activated carbon filter. Efficient filter of the 3-in-1 filter removes dust, pollen, and more airborne particles
𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐘: With noise levels as low as 23 decibels, the Vital 100 won’t keep you up at night. You can also turn off the display lights when it’s time for bed
𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐑-𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐋𝐘: Set a timer for 2, 4, or 8 hours whenever you like. The Check Filter Indicator will let you know when it’s time for a fresh filter
𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐘 𝐄𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓: It only costs dollar 1.66 a week to run the Vital 100 24/7 , allowing you to use it all day during times of high pollution, like wildfire season
𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄: The compact design and top-facing air vents let you place the Vital 100 near walls or in the corner of a room
𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒: Depending on usage, the filters should be replaced every 6–8 months. You can buy new filters by searching Vital 100-RF. Remove the plastic wrap before installing a new filterWhat Benefits We Can Get from Air Purifer
You might be interested in my further research as well. I started thinking about the benefits of getting an air purifier. To assess the cost-effectiveness of using an air purifier in terms of reducing medication costs, we need to consider a few factors:
- Cost of the air purifier: Let’s say a good air purifier costs around $200-$500 (depending on the model and features).
- Cost of medication: The average costs for treating illnesses related to air pollution (like asthma or chronic bronchitis) can range from $500 to $2000 a year. This includes prescription meds, inhalers, and other medical expenses.
- Reduction in illness rates: Using an effective air purifier could reduce the frequency and severity of illnesses, leading to lower medical expenses. Estimates suggest this could cut medication costs by 20-50%.
A quick calculation:
- Reduced medication costs:
Assume the average annual medication costs are $1,000.
If the air purifier cuts those costs by 30%, the savings would be:
$1,000 × 0.30 = $300 - Return on Investment (ROI):
Cost of the air purifier: $300 (average).
Annual savings on medication: $300.
If the net economic benefit equals or exceeds the cost of the air purifier, it means the purchase pays for itself through reduced medication costs.
Additional economic benefits:
- Reduced medical expenses:
Fewer illnesses could mean fewer doctor visits and treatments, which should also be factored in. - Improved quality of life:
Less frequent and less severe symptoms contribute to a better quality of life, which is hard to put a price on, but it’s still an important economic factor. - Increased productivity:
Healthy people miss fewer days of work and are more productive, which can lead to indirect economic benefits as well.
Conclusion:
The cost savings from using an air purifier can be significant. If medication costs drop by 30-50%, it could completely offset the device’s price and even lead to additional savings. Preliminary calculations suggest that the cost of the purifier could be covered by savings on medical expenses in the first year of use.