It's in the Air

Concerned about the health effects of gene-altered food, caffeine, or movie popcorn? It's in the Air reminds us that an insidious, often invisible but deadly force is omnipresent in our daily lives, in the air we breathe. Each day, industry and fossil fuel powered autos emit harmful particles into the air, causing illness and early death from cancer, heart disease, and bronchitis. Children, the elderly, and low income families (who often live in high pollution areas) are most at personal risk, while pollution also adds to overall health costs, as well as increased business costs due to absenteeism stemming from pollution-related illness. Including testimony from doctors and specialists, this short video clearly outlines the problems and suggests some solutions, ranging from the practical (switching exercise to early in the morning or later in the evening, staying inside during pollution alerts, closing windows, and installing air filters in the home) to the political (encouraging alternative fuels and zero emission vehicles). The program asks "how much would you pay for clean air?" and concludes that "nothing else matters if you can't breathe." While it makes some worthy points, most of the examples cited are from California, lending this more of a regional than a universal tone. Even so, this would be useful as an introduction for college and health care collections, and is therefore a strong optional purchase for most collections, and a solid choice for California libraries. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)