NC Air Awareness

09/26/2026

Our annual AQIQ Contest is off to an amazing start! This year’s special topics spotlight the connection between air quality and health—from celebrating 25 years of the North Carolina Clean Smokestack Act to understanding how wildfire smoke impacts the air we breathe.

World Environmental Health Day reminds us that strong public health begins with a healthy environment. Your 7th grade students can bridge that gap and bring their creativity to life through the AQIQ Contest. Encourage them to create a project that showcases everything they’ve learned about Air Quality!

Learn more about the 2026-2027 AI-IQ Contest:

The annual AQ-IQ contest challenges 7th grade students to research solutions to air quality problems and creatively present their findings.

09/26/2026

Celebrate World Environmental Health Day with us!

Environmental health professionals are the bridge between science and implementation. This World Environmental Health Day, we’re empowering our community with clear, accessible tools to protect health, starting with understanding local air quality and the impacts of air quality on health. Explore our new ‘Air Pollution and Your Health’ webpage, stay informed about your AQI, and join us in building healthier informed environments for everyone.

Clean air is essential to the health of every North Carolinian. Ground‑level ozone and particle pollution—primarily from vehicles and power plants—remain the…

09/02/2026

FYI (9/2/2026)

07/16/2026

FYI

ALERT (7/16/2026 – 10:50 AM) - A Code ORANGE Action Day for ozone has been issued for Wake, Durham, Granville, and Franklin counties, effective now through 8PM Thursday.

A Code ORANGE Air Quality Action Day for ozone remains in effect for Mecklenburg County through 8PM Thursday.

CODE ORANGE means that sensitive groups, such as older adults, children, active people, and those with lung disease such as asthma may experience health effects and should limit prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors.

For our discussion & KML files: https://airquality.climate.ncsu.edu/discussion/

07/01/2026

ALERT (7/1/2026 – 9:45 AM) - A Code ORANGE Air Quality Alert for ozone has been issued for Gaston, Lincoln, and Mecklenburg Counties from 10am to 8pm today
For more details on this forecast visit: https://t.co/6Ld1aT10Hk

06/04/2026

ALERT (6/4/26 – 3:49 PM): A CODE ORANGE Air Quality Action Day for OZONE has been issued for Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, and Rowan counties effective 10AM to 8PM Friday.

For our discussion & KML files: https://airquality.climate.ncsu.edu/discussion/

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