Air Quality and Health in Wisconsin

Community advisory boards throughout Wisconsin have been documenting concerns about air quality and health in neighborhoods across the state from urban areas like Milwaukee and Green Bay to smaller communities near highways, agricultural operations, and industrial facilities. The community-based monitoring and resident health surveys indicate that the breathing problems and health challenges they see in some neighborhoods may reflect broader patterns affecting communities throughout Wisconsin.

Through community meetings, health surveys, and resident-led data collection across different types of Wisconsin communities, the board has been gathering information about how air quality issues affect daily life for families in urban neighborhoods, rural towns, farming communities, and tribal lands. The community health assessments and discussions with local health departments suggest that experiences documented in well-studied areas may be relevant to other Wisconsin communities facing similar environmental conditions.

Community members from diverse Wisconsin regions have reported similar patterns: children missing school due to breathing problems, families avoiding outdoor activities on certain days, and concerns about long-term health impacts from living near busy roads or industrial areas. These shared experiences across different community types suggest that local solutions developed in one area might be applicable to other Wisconsin communities.

The community advisory emphasizes that residents are the experts on their own neighborhoods and health experiences. By connecting communities across Wisconsin, urban and rural, different economic backgrounds, and various demographic groups, residents can learn from each other's experiences and solutions. This collaborative approach helps ensure that community-driven strategies developed in one setting can be adapted and applied to benefit other Wisconsin communities facing similar challenges.

The CAB believes that all Wisconsin residents, regardless of where they live, deserve to have a voice in decisions that affect their health and to benefit from community-centered solutions that have proven effective in similar settings across our state.

Please go through each of the activities below and share your thoughts about air quality in Wisconsin!