Air quality affects the health of humans and wildlife. I monitor air quality at the garden with a PurpleAir sensor. The image below shows the map on a delightfully clear Labor Day, 2026. Click on it or here for the current and past air quality.
I’ve seen the level of pollution rise because of wood fires in the neighborhood, lawn crews using gas-powered equipment, and wildfires in Western North Carolina.
Xerces says that polluted air causes significant damage to pollinators by interfering with their sense of smell, which makes it harder to find the plants they seek. It damages their brains and immune systems. Pollution also stunts the growth of plants,
The World Health Organization reports that “Ambient (outdoor) air pollution in both cities and rural areas is causing fine particulate matter which results in strokes, heart diseases, lung cancer, and acute and chronic respiratory diseases.”
Further reading
Improved Air Quality Linked to Better Mental Development in Toddlers — I wouldn’t burn anything around someone with a developing brain, from a gasoline-powered car to a bonfire to a indoor fireplace to a gas stove. No cigarettes of course! I’m glad we finally replaced our gas heater with an electric heat pump.