What air pollution does to the human body

The EPA is changing how it assesses proposed regulations by dropping the monetary value of health benefits from its cost-benefit analyses. That misses a big piece of the picture.

By: Jenni Shearston, University of Colorado Boulder, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 20, 2026

Words: 1,262

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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By Jenni Shearston, University of Colorado Boulder

I grew up in rural Colorado, deep in the mountains, and I can still remember the first time I visited Denver in the early 2000s. The city sits on the plain, skyscrapers rising and buildings extending far into the distance. Except, as we drove out of the mountains, I could barely see the city – the entire plain was covered in a brown, hazy cloud.

That brown, hazy cloud …

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