The American Lung Association and the CVS Health Foundation announced a new, comprehensive project aimed at enhancing the efforts of healthcare providers and organizations nationwide to achieve cleaner air and improve health outcomes. The CVS Health Foundation is investing $3.5 million over four years in this initiative. Earlier this year, nearly $1 million of the total funding was distributed in Phoenix, which ranks among the most polluted cities in the U.S. for ozone and particulate pollution.
“Air pollution impacts everyone, but certain groups are at a higher risk of health harms, including children, older adults, people experiencing poverty and living in underserved communities, individuals who are pregnant, and people with an underlying health condition like lung disease,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. “According to our recent ‘State of the Air’ report, people of color are more than twice as likely to be living in an area with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Unfortunately, people of color are also more likely to be living with underlying chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes. We thank and applaud the CVS Health Foundation for their ongoing commitment to addressing climate change and improving lung health.”
In the U.S., more than 131 million people live in counties with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution. While air quality has improved across much of the country, climate change-related events such as wildfires and flooding threaten this progress by contributing to unhealthy air quality that may cause or worsen lung disease. Ozone and particle pollution can also cause premature death along with other serious health effects such as asthma attacks, cardiovascular damage, and developmental and reproductive harm.
“As we continue to see climate-related events contribute to poor air quality, which is tied to health outcomes,” said Sheryl Burke, Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at CVS Health Foundation. “By teaming up with the American Lung Association and working with local organizations, we aim to combat this health issue and make a meaningful impact for future generations.”
The project will focus on communities bearing a disproportionate burden from climate change and air pollution. The pilot program will take place in Phoenix, Arizona—a city facing extreme heat, poor air quality—and growing impacts from climate change.
