air quality is purple/maroon in SF (hazardous/unhealthy) - some tips

[jessie woletz | seaweed sway]

HI all, 

SF's air is in the purple/maroon category right now - it's hazardous/unhealthy.

I just wrote up some info on fb, here's the quick link: 

http://bit.ly/airSFtips

Here is the long version - please pass it on and let me know if you have any other info.

Thanks!

Jessie

PS - If the air is OK enough, the choir I'm in has a big show Tuesday at the Freight & Salvage! & I was quoted in this article about it! 

SF IS IN THE MAROON (HAZARDOUS) AND PURPLE (UNHEALTHY FOR ALL) AIR QUALITY ZONE RIGHT NOW. It’s been Red or higher air quality for 7 days (with a brief dip to orange on Sunday). We don’t know how this will affect our long-term health. Kids, Older adults, and those with lung or immune system sensitivity are the most susceptible, tho everyone will likely start seeing the affects at this point.

I’m noticing that besides when I check facebook, there’s a real lack of information being disseminated about this air quality. My goal is to share info that I’ve found, so that more people know how to take care of themselves right now. I will add to this as I get updates, and feel free to add info in comments.

AIR QUALITY: Find out what it is in your region at http://purpleair.com ... AirNow.gov has a more general reading of the AQI.

SF ALERTS FOR AIR QUALITY & MORE: sign up at http://AlertSF.org

GET A MASK: Cannot emphasize this enough. Don’t wait for it to pass. Even if it gets better in a couple days, I recommend wearing the mask at least another week, until it’s at least in the Yellow AQI category. n-100 or p-100 are the best. (I have an n-100 and also got an n-95 that fits better and that I may wear more.)

WHERE TO GET A MASK: CALL FIRST! People I know have gotten masks at the following places:

*Rainbow Grocery has/had VogMasks

*Cole Hardware also has/had Vogmasks (in Cole Valley and on 9th street in SOMA)

*Ace Hardware on Market (limit 2 masks)

*Walgreens

*VogMask HAS KIDS MASKS & ADULT MASKS that fit better- order online - is local and awesome has free shipping (that I think takes 2 days). discount code is FIRST ($10 OFF) or SMOKE (15% OFF BEFORE TAXES, better only if buying more than 2 I think). Only problem is their filters are varied, the fun patterns being n-95 I think, instead of n-100. The organic ones seem to be n-100 though... They recommend L for adults and S for kids.

AIR PURIFIER:

I invested in a Molekule air purifier last year when we had to stay in for the smoke... and it’s changed the air in my apartment. I live in SOMA, which has bad air generally, so I see it as an investment for my lungs. They have a payment plan and are currently offering $150 off with AIR150 as the code. There are cheaper ones; but I haven’t experienced one that works this well, honestly. If I have it 5 years, with the filters being $100 a year (free the first year), I will have paid about 65 cents a day for clean air, which to me is worth it because my lungs are already sensitive.

HEALTH TIPS:

FIRE SUPPORT: HERBS FOR LUNGS & TRAUMA (from The Scarlet Sage Herb Co.) https://scarletsage.com/blogs/news/fire-support-herbs-for-lungs-and-trauma?fbclid=IwAR14Ost2SHQ7mydG9DUyptJc5aAaHWoiRlLe9kKYgzwDz2qU7pgJf8OC_VE

PROTECTING YOUR HEALTH FROM TOXIC WILDFIRE SMOKE: https://www.kqed.org/science/1926793/protecting-your-health-from-toxic-wildfire-smoke?fbclid=IwAR3A7QmQP9UTgYjIC12Nb_rkuJWPTClIW_cEvoeY7x6BSxJXt9-veLJrVIA

SELF-CARE TIPS: