I am a student at UMD in Minnesota. I am originally from a small town in southern Minnesota. After moving to a bigger city, I have found it hard to walk outside without having to cover my face from the smell of marijuana, cigarettes or other air pollutants from vehicles. I grew up with parents who smoked, but I have never experienced the smell and feeling of pollutants so extreme ever in my whole life. This has affected me by keeping me from enjoying activities I love such as hiking and going on walks in the Duluth area. We need to protect our air by protecting our environment and what goes into it. We need to fight for smoking cessation and fight against greenhouse gas emissions to save our air and our lungs. This is a growing issue and has continued to affect more and more people.
