This storyoriginally appeared on CityLaband is part of theClimate Deskcollaboration. Until she moved to Fresno, California in 2003, Janet DietzKamei had never experienced asthma. But after just a few years in a city notorious for its filthy air—the American Lung Association lists it in the five worst US cities for air quality—DietzKamei found herself in the emergency room struggling to breathe.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices