Your Body Your Air: Breathe in. Breathe out.

We take an average of 23,000 breaths a day to get the oxygen that our bodies need to function. But what else is in the air that we breathe?

Air pollutants are substances in the air that can have a negative effect on our health. We invite you to learn about types and sources of air pollution in Houston and the effect they have on our bodies and our communities in The Health Museum’s new exhibit Your Body Your Air. Created in partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund, Your Body Your Air can be seen at various Houston Public Library locations through the year beginning with the Robinson-Westchase Neighborhood Library.

For additional information about this topic, you can visit the bilingual Your Body Your Air website at thehealthmuseum.org/yourbodyyourair. While on the site, you can check out the exhibit’s current location, look up the air quality in your area, learn more about community efforts to improve air quality, and share your thoughts.

Key Messages:

• Though we cannot see air pollutants, they can enter the body and have real impacts on our health.

• Many air pollutants are created by manufacturing and transportation.

• Though air pollution impacts the whole community, it disproportionately affects predominantly minority neighborhoods and those with a higher incidence of poverty.

• As individuals and as a community we need to commit to improving our air quality. Responsible use of resources, regulation and innovation can help create a healthier community.

Your Body Your Air will be on view at the following HPL locations:

Your Body Your Air is supported by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. This exhibit was also made possible through the generosity of the Houston Public Library Foundation.