NC Air Awareness

05/29/2026

An interesting air quality event happened on Friday, May 15. We dug deeper into it in our latest blog post:

https://airquality.climate.ncsu.edu/2026/05/29/rapid-reaction-the-stratosphere-makes-a-surprise-visit/

05/08/2026

Air Quality Awareness Week is the perfect time to celebrate the progress North Carolina is making toward a cleaner, healthier future!

DEQ’s Division of Air Quality produces a statewide inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that represents the state’s “carbon footprint.” The 2026 update to the GHG emissions inventory provides a detailed look at emissions from human activity since 1990, along with projections of what North Carolina’s emissions could look like through 2050.

Want to explore the data or dive deeper into North Carolina’s progress? You can find the full Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory report and our press release online.

North Carolina's inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions represents our state's “carbon footprint.” DEQ updates the report's inventory and forecast every…

05/08/2026

Ring Ring! Calling all seventh-grade teachers and students!

Every year, DEQ’s Division of Air Quality invites seventh- grade students to participate in the AQ-IQ Contest. The AQ-IQ Contest gives students a chance to create a project that highlights an air quality issue and provides a solution to that issue.

The AQ-IQ Contest links closely with the N.C. Essential Standards and puts the student in the role of presenting the information, which is one of the most effective ways to learn. For details about the contest, how to participate and project closing date visit: AQ-IQ Contest.

Inspiration and hints from students:

AQ IQ Contest Inspiration and Hints for Students

05/08/2026

Teachers deserve more than apples! 🍎

That’s why we have created free K-12 Air Quality lessons and resources for teachers. These lessons are aligned with the N.C. Essential Standards to help students reach established academic goals. 📒✏

We have hundreds of teachers already using this content and encourage you to check out “The Adventures of Clair and CAM”, “Burning Questions?”, and “It’s Our Air”. Want to take it a step further and have our air experts visit your classroom? Contact [email protected] to learn more about how you can schedule an air quality activity or lesson in your school.

Free teacher resources:

K-12 Air Quality Education N.C. Air Awareness is the public outreach and education program of the North Carolina Division of Air Quality. The program helps

05/08/2026

Did you know that the Division of Air Quality has nine Regional Offices? We aren’t only located in Raleigh, but a city near you. With regional offices in Ashville, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville, Mooresville, Raleigh, Wilmington and little Washington, we are serving communities in all of North Carolina’s counties. https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/contact/regional-offices

With concerns about odor, dust, open burning or vehicle emissions, you can reach out to your regional office and express your air quality needs and learn helpful regional information.

05/07/2026

A message from Secretary Reid Wilson. HAPPY AIR QUALITY AWARENESS WEEK!!

05/07/2026

During a wildfire, smoke can make the outdoor air unhealthy to breathe. Local officials may advise you to stay indoors during a smoke event. However, you should be aware that some of the smoke from outdoors can enter your home and make it unhealthy to breathe indoor air, too.

Visit the Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) website for information on how wildfire smoke affects indoor air quality, how to prepare for fire season, how to reduce your smoke exposure, and how to reduce your exposure from ash indoors after a wildfire smoke event.

This collection of pages provides helpful information to reduce your exposure to wildfire smoke inside your home.

05/07/2026

Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors, and indoor allergens and irritants play a significant role in triggering asthma attacks.

Triggers are things that can cause asthma symptoms, an episode or attack, or make asthma worse. Some examples of triggers are secondhand smoke, dust mites, and molds.

If you have asthma, you may react to just one trigger or you may find that several things act as triggers. Be sure to work with a doctor to identify triggers and develop a treatment plan that includes ways to reduce exposures to your asthma triggers.

To learn more about asthma triggers and how you can reduce your exposure to triggers, visit EPA's Gain Control webpage.

05/07/2026

North Carolina is officially celebrating Air Quality Awareness Week, May 4-8th, thanks to a proclamation signed by Governor Josh Stein.

With big drops in air pollution, clearer views across the state, and continued daily monitoring by DEQ, there’s plenty to be proud of. Here’s to cleaner air, steady progress, and the work that keeps North Carolina breathing easy.

05/06/2026

Have you ever been outside and seen patchy white spots on a tree? Or picked up a stick and noticed a green, bushy thing growing off it? Chances are you were looking at a LICHEN! Just like people, lichens need air to live.

Unlike people, lichens get all their nutrients from the air — which means they can show us if our air is clean or dirty. If the lichen looks green and healthy, then our air is good. But if the lichen looks moldy or has changed color, then there could be a problem with our air. Because lichens get all their nutrients from the air and can tell us about the health of our environment, they are called bioindicators.

The cool thing about lichens is they grow just about ANYWHERE! You can find lichens on rocks, trees, plastic, concrete, buildings and stumps! They can be found in neighborhoods, parks, and forests, but also schoolyards, parking lots, and cities.

Knowing the three types of lichen (Leafy, Bushy, and Crusty) and finding them all in your area is also a good indicator that your air is clean. Learn more about lichens or visit our Lichen or Not? webpage. We think you will really LICHEN it!

Lichen is a type of living thing that can live in almost any place on the earth. They are not plants, animals, fungus, but something else with both algae and