Our Air Is Literally Killing Us. What Now?

In early June, as toxic wildfire smoke from Canada blanketed the Northeast, Linsey Marr, Ph.D., a professor of environmental science at Virginia Tech and one of the nation’s preeminent air experts, sat at her computer, feeling agitated as she scrolled through Twitter. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She’s recounting this to me in her office in Blacksburg, Virginia, a standard academic desk-and-bookshelf setup dotted with the stuff of her life: framed diplomas and a looming print of a ski slope; a well-organized desktop hosting air-measuring gadgets and an equation-filled textbook; the black Spot bike she rode to work parked in the corner. She’s describing how, just 500 miles to the north of this very place, the scene looked apocalyptic. The next day, the air in the New York metropolitan area was so bad—the air-quality index (AQI) topped a historic 400—it turned a disturbing shade of amber. The spreading pollution tripped air-quality alerts throughout not just the Northeast but also the Midwest and Southeast. When it floated its way to her doorstep, the AQI clocked above 140, nearly at the red zone: unhealthy for everyone. [View in Browser]( [Men's Health]( [SHOP]( [MVP EXCLUSIVES]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [Alternate text] THIS WEEK'S MUST-READ [Alternate text] [Our Air Is Literally Killing Us. What Now?]( [Our Air Is Literally Killing Us. What Now?]( [In early June, as toxic wildfire smoke from Canada blanketed the Northeast, Linsey Marr, Ph.D., a professor of environmental science at Virginia Tech and one of the nation’s preeminent air experts, sat at her computer, feeling agitated as she scrolled through Twitter. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She’s recounting this to me in her office in Blacksburg, Virginia, a standard academic desk-and-bookshelf setup dotted with the stuff of her life: framed diplomas and a looming print of a ski slope; a well-organized desktop hosting air-measuring gadgets and an equation-filled textbook; the black Spot bike she rode to work parked in the corner. She’s describing how, just 500 miles to the north of this very place, the scene looked apocalyptic. The next day, the air in the New York metropolitan area was so bad—the air-quality index (AQI) topped a historic 400—it turned a disturbing shade of amber. The spreading pollution tripped air-quality alerts throughout not just the Northeast but also the Midwest and Southeast. When it floated its way to her doorstep, the AQI clocked above 140, nearly at the red zone: unhealthy for everyone.]( [READ MORE]( [Alternate text] [71 Cool Gifts for Dads That Are Sure to Win Big This Holiday]( [71 Cool Gifts for Dads That Are Sure to Win Big This Holiday]( [Hint: They're way more creative than ties.]( [READ MORE]( [This Dumbbell Workout Plan Is a Full-Body Home Training Solution]( [This Dumbbell Workout Plan Is a Full-Body Home Training Solution]( [You can still make gains at home without a whole gym's worth of gear. Here's how.]( [READ MORE]( [Alternate text] [Alternate text] [The 14 Warmest Socks for Winter, Tested by Experts]( [The 14 Warmest Socks for Winter, Tested by Experts]( [This winter accessory will make or break your entire mood, so listen up!]( [READ MORE]( [10 Best Christmas Movies to Stream on Max]( [10 Best Christmas Movies to Stream on Max]( [Spend more time eating and being merry than scrolling.]( [READ MORE]( [Alternate text] [Alternate text] [This Popular Squid Game Board Game Is on Sale and Perfect for Gifting]( [This Popular Squid Game Board Game Is on Sale and Perfect for Gifting]( [And it will still arrive on time.]( [READ MORE]( [Alternate text] [Can Drinking Lemon Water Help You Lose Weight?]( [Can Drinking Lemon Water Help You Lose Weight?]( [The truth about this trendy beverage.]( [READ MORE]( [Alternate text] [Improve Sleep With Blue Light Blocking Frames From Men's Health]( [LiveIntent Logo]( [AdChoices Logo]( Follow Us [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Notice]( | [CA Notice at Collection]( Men's Health is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2023 Hearst Magazines, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779