SEASON 3: EPISODE 5 IS NOW LIVE

In recent years, metropolitan Washington has seen tremendous improvements in its air quality—down from upwards of 80 unhealthy air days each year in the 1990s to an average of ten as of 2023. But last year's Canadian wildfires emphasized that good air quality is not a guarantee, and it can be easily impacted by increasing environmental threats driven by climate change.

Air quality is not just an environmental challenge, but a health one. When the air quality is poor, our region's most vulnerable residents suffer.

In this episode of Think Regionally, host Robert McCartney speaks with Kristen Willard of the Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform, DC Department of Energy and Environment Air Quality Branch Chief Joseph Jakuta, and COG Air Quality Program Director Jen Desimone on how the region is supporting community health by zeroing in on initiatives, education, and programs aimed at improving air quality.

Episode 1: How do we move the region toward racial and economic equity?