AirGenius Awards Identify U.S. Cities with the Cleanest Air

SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass., Oct. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On average, people take more than 21,600 breaths a day, yet two-thirds of the American population[1] does not  think about the quality of the air they are breathing. The AirGenius Awards, sponsored by the makers of the new Honeywell AirGenius Air Cleaner, set out to 'clear the air' by assessing the nation's cities based on specific criteria related to air quality.  So where can you find the cleanest air in America? In short, the answer is Florida. The awards, evaluated by scientists at the leading consulting firm Environmental Health & Engineering, highlighted six Florida metropolitan areas in the top 25, with Palm Bay/Melbourne/Titusville in first place. 

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121024/NE98324LOGO )

"Data on pollen counts, particulate matter and ozone concentrations, public smoking laws, and 'green' city rankings for the 100 most populated U.S. cities were used in this assessment," said Dr. Ted Myatt, ScD, a senior scientist at the leading environmental consulting company Environmental Health & Engineering and Biological Safety Officer at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Massachusetts.  "The results are relevant to city dwellers and homeowners, particularly the elderly, young children, and individuals with allergies or asthma."

Below is a list of the top ten U.S. areas with the cleanest air:

1.    Palm Bay/Melbourne/Titusville, Fla.
2.    Cape Coral/Fort Myers, Fla.
3.    North Port-Bradenton/Sarasota, Fla.
4.    Honolulu, Hawaii
5.    Tucson, Ariz.
6.    Colorado Springs, Colo.
7.    Albuquerque, N.M.
8.    Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue, Wash.
9.    Charleston/North Charleston/Summerville, S.C.
10.  Lakeland/Winter Haven, Fla.

Americans curious about their own home air quality can take the Air IQ Quiz, sponsored by the makers of Honeywell Air Purifiers, on Facebook to find out their personal indoor air quality score and get tips to improve their home air quality.

As one tool to help combat potential spikes in poor indoor air quality, homeowners should consider the ongoing use of an air purifier. Find more tips at www.Facebook.com/HoneywellPluggedIn.

To view the complete AirGenius Awards list of the air quality rankings of 100 U.S. areas, visit www.Facebook.com/AirGeniusAwards. For more information on Honeywell air purifiers, visit www.HoneywellCleanAir.com.

Methodology

For each of the top 100 most populated U.S. metropolitan statistical areas, an air quality score was calculated based upon the data collected and weighted by the expert judgment of environmental health researchers.  Once each city was scored, an overall ranking of air quality was determined.  For the air quality rankings, a ranking of 1 corresponds to the city with the best air quality.  Data sources included the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Annual Pollen Index Measurement and Reports, the Local Tobacco Control Ordinance Database, and the U.S. and Canada Green City Index.

About EH&E

EH&E (http://www.eheinc.com) has provided an extensive range of environmental and engineering consulting services for over 20 years. The EH&E team consists of more than 60 experts with an outstanding record of providing solutions for issues that affect the environment. EH&E has a depth of knowledge and credibility unmatched in the industry. 

About Kaz

A world leader in high quality healthcare and home environment products, Kaz is a state of the art, dynamically-managed, global leader in healthcare devices, home comfort and water filtration products that operates in over 65 countries on six continents with a brand portfolio that includes PUR, Vicks, Honeywell, Braun, SoftHeat, SmartTemp, and more.  Kaz is a global marketer of humidifiers, air purifiers, heaters and fans under the Honeywell brand.  The Honeywell trademark is used by Kaz USA, Inc. under license from Honeywell International Inc. Kaz USA, Inc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE).  For more information about Helen of Troy Limited, please visit www.hotus.com. For information on other quality products for home health, home comfort, water filtration and insect control visit www.kaz.com.

[1] National omnibus survey conducted by the makers of Honeywell air purifiers and Lindberg International, September 2011.

SOURCE Kaz