Life Expectancy Increased Only 0.5% With US Air Cleanup in 80s & 90s.
A study of the change in life expectancy in the USA in concludes that the change in air cleanliness has increased life expectancy by 21 weeks or significantly less than half a year. The question is, with today’s life expectancy of 78 years, what kind of return on investment is this over and above than the sheer beauty of clean air!
The study lead by Arden Pope, an epidemiologist at Brigham Young University in Utah, found that life expectancy had increased by 2.72 years between 1980 and 2000. Fifteen percent of this increase could be attributed to air quality, giving the reported 21 weeks. The reduction in smoking and general increase in socioeconomic conditions were the two most significant factors improving life expectancy.
Photo credit: Augapfel on Flickr under a Creative Commons license.
There is quantity, life expectancy, quality, how do we feel up until the end. Is anyone measuring that? Are we experiences fewer doctor visits or less pain or more awareness or greater happiness? Much harder to quantity, to be sure, but it’s really a key element in maintaining a clean environment.