Originally posted on DEQ ’ s Air, Land & Water blog . It’s Air Quality Awareness Week and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is celebrating. This year’s theme is Better Air, Better Health! The goal is to promote an increased understanding of Oregon’s air and DEQ’s projects and programs dedicated to improving its quality. We also want to encourage people to check the Air Quality Index daily. DEQ has been working to improve Oregon’s air quality for more than 50 years. While there have been advancements, we still face many challenges. Weather and climate greatly affect our air quality during inversions and wildfires, but emissions from transportation, agriculture and industrial sources dominate at other times. Around the state, people can take an active part in reducing air pollution. Each day of Air Quality Awareness Week focuses on a specific issue that affects our health and air quality: Monday, May 4 – Wildfires & Smoke Tuesday, May 5 – Asthma &