Even though Massachusetts meets federal clean air guidelines, air pollution remains a persistent and profound invisible epidemic within the state, engendering around 2,780 deaths yearly due to illnesses such as lung cancer, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung disease, and strokes. Unfortunately, the consequences are widespread, additionally impacting childhood cognitive development by reducing on average 2 IQ points per child. All areas of society were reached, inadequate air quality proving detrimental to people mentally and physically “regardless of demographics or income level,” however disproportionately impacting the “most economically disadvantaged and socially underserved cities and towns.” Who is found culpable? Well, a staggering 95% of air pollution emerges from the combustion of fossil fuels from transportation, power plants, and industrial facilities. 

This article sheds light on human-health related consequences attributable to environmental factors such as air pollution. It is concerning how current EPA air pollution standards are not adequately protecting public health especially at a local level where the level of fine particulate pollution across Massachusetts “ranged from a low of 2.77 micrograms per cubic meter in Worcester County to a high of 8.26 in Suffolk County.” The varying degree of air quality can be correlated to socioeconomic status and demographics, which begs the question: how do we implicate regulations on air quality at a more local level? Since “all of these health effects occurred at pollution levels below current EPA standards,” those who are unprivileged are being disportionately affected with the cognitive and physical liabilities of poor air quality and thus, makes me realize that this problem is not only one of environmental and human health, but one rooted in inequity.