I got an air quality sensor and air purifier, and have learned:

• opening the windows is the most effective way to decrease particulate matter

• our humidifier pumps out hazardous levels of particles when using tap water (oops)

• waking up w/an irritated throat and sinuses goes away with clean air!

• high particulate matter is correlated with nosebleeds in kids—and our kid gets chronic nosebleeds

I am happy to have learned all of this but also feel like an idiot for learning it so late. 😭

@cassidy opening the window, if only it were that easy. That is not a option during wildfire episodes, or during a normal day in much of the Global South.