On the night of April 8, a powerful cold front swept through Salt Lake City, bringing with it a massive dust storm that briefly obscured the skyline and spiked air quality index (AQI) levels to 129—unhealthy for sensitive groups. Captured on camera atop the University of Utah’s William Browning Building, the event revealed just how quickly conditions can change. Dust from Utah’s West Desert, Sevier Lake, and parts of eastern Nevada was carried into the city by wind gusts over 45 mph. This dramatic drop in air quality highlights a growing year-round concern across the West, where drought, exposed soil, and high winds contribute to more frequent dust events—adding to existing air quality challenges like inversions, ozone, and wildfire smoke. At TELLUS, our real-time monitoring systems are designed to capture these changes as they happen—empowering communities with data that’s both actionable and easy to understand. Read the full story or see real-time air quality data.

Now that it’s spring, many of us are starting to dive into our spring cleaning routines. While tidying up can help refresh our homes, there’s a hidden concern that often goes overlooked: the effect of vacuuming on indoor air quality. Vacuuming: A Double-Edged Sword for Your Home’s Air Quality Vacuuming keeps our living spaces clean, but it can worsen the air quality in your home over the short term because it stirs up particulate matter (PM). According to a study from the National Library of Medicine, when you vacuum, your cleaning efforts can cause a temporary resuspension of dust, dirt, and even toxic substances, such as lead, pesticides, and biological agents that can trigger allergic reactions. While the purpose of vacuuming is to remove these particles from our floors, some of them can get kicked back into the air, only to settle again on furniture, floors, and other surfaces. Some of these suspended particles can stay airborne for a significant amount of time – long enough for you to breathe them in. The Hidden Risks: How Dust Impacts Your Health Some dust particles are small enough to be inhaled, these are known as PM10 (particulate matter that is 10 micrometers or less in diameter). Inhaling these particles during vacuuming can lead to respiratory irritation, worsen allergies, or trigger asthma symptoms. These particles can be especially harmful to those with pre-existing respiratory conditions or weakened immune systems. What Can You Do to Minimize the Impact? Use a HEPA Filter Vacuum Investing in a vacuum with a HEPA filter can significantly reduce the amount of dust that is resuspended into the air during vacuuming. HEPA filters can also capture particles that are suspended, improving the overall air quality in your home and reducing the amount of allergens floating around. It’s important to note that a true HEPA filter in a well-designed vacuum with a sealed system can greatly improve indoor air quality, but if the vacuum leaks air or uses a low-quality filter, it may be a marketing gimmick. Keep the Windows Open While you’re vacuuming, consider opening windows or doors to improve airflow allowing particles to exit rather than circulate inside. Make sure it’s a day where the air quality is good, though, as letting in unhealthy air is counterproductive. Vacuum When You’re Not Home For those who have robot vacuums, this is a great solution to reduce your exposure to dust. Set your robot vacuum to clean while you’re away so you don’t inhale the dust it stirs up. Change the Filter on Your HVAC System A well-maintained HVAC furnace or central heating and cooling system filter can trap dust, pollen, and other particles, improving your indoor air quality. Improving your home’s air quality goes beyond just cleaning the floors. Make sure you change your HVAC filter at the recommended intervals. Changing your filter can provide a significant boost to the air cleanliness in your home. Just remember, while filtration helps, it cannot eliminate all pollutants, so it’s best to combine it with other strategies like ventilation and source control for optimal results. AirView showing a spike in PM levels caused by vacuuming indoors. How TELLUS Can Help You Monitor Air Quality Spring cleaning can stir up dust, but that doesn’t mean it has to impact your indoor air quality. With an AirU monitor, you can see real-time data about the air in and around your home – so you know when it might be time to open a window, switch up your vacuum, or swap out that HVAC filter. It’s a simple way to stay informed and make small changes that help you breathe a little easier. Contact us for more information! Wishing you a happy and healthy spring cleaning season!  

We’re excited to share another Fox-13 broadcast featuring TELLUS! Over the past months, we’ve been consistently providing them with air quality data to support their reporting and keep communities informed. Check out the latest clip to see how our real-time data is helping shed light on local air quality challenges. Watch the broadcast here!

TELLUS Co-Founder Kerry Kelly on KSL: Tools for Monitoring Utah’s Air Quality Last night, our very own Kerry Kelly—Associate Professor at the University of Utah and a founding member of TELLUS—joined KSL to discuss innovative tools and strategies for improving air quality in Utah. From cutting-edge monitoring technology to actionable data insights, Kerry shared how these tools empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions. Watch the full segment below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxAivOhDdX8

Researchers from the University of Utah have found that the exposed lakebed of the Great Salt Lake is emitting potentially harmful dust, raising concerns about its impact on air quality along the Wasatch Front. The study revealed that sediments from the lakebed contain high levels of toxic metals such as arsenic, lead, and lithium, which could irritate lungs and contribute to respiratory issues like asthma. Although it’s not a doomsday scenario, further research is needed to determine how much of this dust reaches nearby population centers. Efforts to mitigate the dust involve restoring water to the lake and resetting the lakebed’s natural crust. The lake’s decline is attributed to excessive water use, meaning conservation efforts could help reverse the damage. Read the full article here: https://www.ksl.com/article/51127952

As of August 27, 2024, 54 large active wildfires across the US have burned over two million acres of land. These fires pose a significant threat, not just to those directly in their path, but also to the people and animals thousands of miles away breathing in the smoke from these fires. Impact on human health & wildlife Wildfire smoke is particularly dangerous, as it contains fine and coarse particulate matter, which can penetrate deep in the lungs and bloodstream, exacerbating conditions such as asthma, COPD, and heart diseases. This smoke also contains hazardous volatile organic compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and benzene, which are known human carcinogens. Vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing conditions, are especially at risk. Beyond immediate health impacts, such as asthma exacerbations, strokes, and heart attacks, exposure to wildfire smoke can lead to long-term health issues, including reduced cognitive function, lung capacity, and weakened immune systems. Wildfires also affect wildlife. Like us, animals inhaling toxic smoke can suffer from lung damage and other respiratory issues. Even birds, which might seem safe in the sky, are highly susceptible to air pollution due to their unique respiratory systems. Recent studies indicate that a substantial number of animals, from snakes to elk, have died not from the flames but from smoke inhalation and gas poisoning. Ecological and environmental consequences Smoke from wildfires affects ecosystems in many ways. It reduces sunlight, impacting photosynthesis in plants and algae, crucial to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In bodies of water, smoke can reduce light penetration, hampering the growth of photosynthetic organisms and potentially degrading water quality, which affects fish and other aquatic life. What is causing this? The increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires can be attributed to climate change, earlier snow melts, and prolonged dry seasons, which create ideal conditions for more severe and longer-burning fires. These factors have led to a rise in “megafires”— large-scale blazes that are challenging to control and have significant impacts on the environment, wildlife, and human health. Understanding air quality where you are Wildfire smoke poses a significant threat to human health, so it is important to reduce you and your family’s exposure. Understanding air quality where you live, work, and recreate can empower you to make informed decisions about your daily activities when smoke levels are high. One challenge is that regulatory monitors are expensive, which means that their numbers are limited. Regions with low population density, like much of the Midwest and Western US, typically lack regulatory air-quality monitors. Cost-effective air quality sensors can help fill in these geographic gaps. Investing in air quality monitoring gives you accurate, real-time information to safeguard the health of you and your loved ones, whether they’re furry, scaly, or anything in between. What do we do about it? Effective strategies for reducing smoke exposure include staying inside (ensuring that your indoor air quality is good with high-quality HVAC filters and/or stand-alone air filters), limiting exertion outside during smoke events, and considering wearing an N95 (or similar) mask while outside. Over the long term, mitigating wildfire risks could include taking climate actions and encouraging responsible land management. By advocating for policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect natural habitats, and promote sustainable practices, we can try to lessen the impact of these damaging fires and work towards less smoke-filled summer skies. A recent study highlights the importance of selecting appropriate cooling systems for maintaining indoor air quality during wildfire smoke events. While direct evaporative coolers (ECs) offer substantial energy savings and may be a sustainable alternative to air conditioning (AC) in hot, dry climates, they allow significantly more outdoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) to infiltrate homes compared to ACs. During a wildfire smoke event, homes with ECs had nearly no protection against PM2.5 infiltration, whereas homes with ACs provided substantial protection. This suggests that further research is needed to improve cooling pad designs for both cooling efficiency and particle filtration. Consider how TELLUS air quality monitors and maps can help protect and engage your community by providing real-time data and insights, especially during wildfire events.

Read the full article here. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded over $4.3 billion in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants to fund community-driven solutions to the climate crisis. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) will receive nearly $75 million to support 13 statewide initiatives, including an electric school bus pilot program, pollution mitigation at oil and gas refineries, and expanding electric vehicle charging stations. As part of the “Beehive Emission Reduction Plan,” the University of Utah’s Intermountain Industrial Assessment Center (IIAC) will receive $3.75 million to enhance its work in improving energy efficiency across various sectors. The funding will allow the IIAC to expand its reach to commercial, government, and educational buildings, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. The IIAC, led by Professors Kody Powell and Julie Sieving, has already consulted with over 150 regional businesses, helping companies save significant energy costs while benefiting the environment.