It is muggy, raining, and on top of that voggy? If you’€™re not from Hawaii, vog might not be a familiar term. However, for those who are from here, they know that vog is the nuisance that affects not only their health but their schedules. Vog comes from the words €œsmog and fog€ and is a form of air pollution. It results when sulfur dioxide and other gases and particles emitted by an erupting volcano react with oxygen and moisture in the presence of sunlight. The Kilauea Volcano has been continuously erupting since 1983 and affects both the citizens and the environment. Despite what the cause is, this does not stop the citizens of Hawaii from asking, what is up with the vog? Nancy Wilcox, the photography teacher at McKinley, suffers from headaches and fatigue when the skies are heavy with vog. Besides her own health, it also has an impact on her scheduling for her students.

“It’s difficult for me to take my students out on walking field trips in the neighborhood.”

€ While it doesn’€™t noticeably affect the attendance of her students, it does make some students rather lethargic.

“€œIt seems as though they have a lower energy level,” she commented.

Konaweb.com reports ten ways to lessen the health effects of vog. Drink lots of fluids to loosen mucus and clear lungs. Hot tea may be especially good. (Caffeinated teas also contain theophylline – a bronchial dilator, further, both of these materials also help the clearance of the lungs). Don’t overexert yourself when vog levels are high. Even better, take it easy. If practical, avoid high vog areas during times of thick vog. Avoid exposure to other air pollutants on the job and at home. Consult your doctor, or if possible, a toxicologist or an industrial hygienist. Don’t smoke, and avoid people smoking or burning trash, especially during vog episodes. When vog is strong, avoid contact with colds, flu, molds, mildew, pollen, and dust. (Some of the lung clearance and immune functions could be compromised by high vog.) For very high vog, stay indoors, close the windows, and run an air purifier or air conditioner. Indoor plants (especially spider plants) may help clean the air. You also can try hanging up sheets that have been soaked in a mixture of one teaspoon of baking soda to one liter of water (which can help trap acid aerosols and gases.) Keep any respiratory and heart medications you use handy. Consult your doctor. Respirators or wet handkerchiefs may help if vog levels are very high, but may hurt individuals with pre-existing respiratory or heart ailments, due to increased breathing resistance and, therefore, increased stress. Consult your doctor about your state of health, and consult an industrial hygienist about respirators. Get some baseline lung function tests (after breathing “clean” air one week or more), then get retested if/when breathing becomes more difficult during high vog episodes. Have your doctor keep records of both your lung function and approximate vog levels .