Though easy for us to overlook, our bodies are processing air pollutants and particles all day long ‐ using oxygen to power itself and expelling dangerous foreign agents. Most threatening particles are removed right away through coughs or sneezes; but some air we breathe contains agents that nestle themselves deep into our tissues and camp out until we find ourselves with serious health problems, like lung cancer and heart disease.

This is exactly what happens with soot, a particulate matter produced by coal plants and diesel engines, to name a few. The EPA has recently proposed long-overdue initiatives to tighten regulations against soot pollution, requiring cities to meet stricter standards when it comes to soot prevalence.

The EPA is holding a public comment period before these new regulations have the chance to go into effect. Write to the EPA letting them know you support cleaner air and the initiative to keep Americans healthy!