How clean air clubs are protecting Americans from wildfire smoke
Mutual aid groups that started giving out PPEs during Covid are now loaning air purifiers and distributing masks to fume-addled communities
TL;DR
- Mutual aid groups like Clean Air Clubs and Mask Blocs, which began distributing PPE during COVID-19, are now addressing the public health crisis caused by wildfire smoke.
- These groups lend air purifiers and distribute masks, particularly N95 masks which are more effective against wildfire smoke particles than cloth or surgical masks.
- The initiatives are a response to perceived failures in public health departments and government responses to climate change and worsening air quality from wildfires.
- Organizers emphasize the speed and efficiency of mutual aid groups in mobilizing resources compared to bureaucratic systems.
- The work provides critical support for individuals with respiratory conditions and those vulnerable to long COVID, especially in underserved communities.
- These efforts are seen as a way to offer hope and agency in the face of overwhelming global issues like pandemics and climate change.