Two years ago, I moved to western Massachusetts and unknowingly to a county that scored an "F" for air quality. I chose to move my family here particularly so that my four-year-old daughter could be closer to her grandparents. Since that time I have been diagnosed with asthma (at age 43), and I am very concerned about the potential health repercussions for my daughter, the rest of our family, and for all living things in this area.
I now use a daily inhaler to manage my shortness of breath and am wondering what staying here long term might mean. I am somehow even more concerned that this hasn't become an enormous issue of public concern and action. I am starting to take action by sharing this story and by joining groups who are developing some momentum to address the underlying factors contributing to such poor air quality. The quality of our lives depends on the air we breathe.
