Man breathing the cleanest air in the world in Aavasaksa, Finnish Lapland
Photo by: Terhi Tuovinen

The Covfefe List: Benefits of the World's Cleanest Air

Imagine our surprise when President Donald Trump claimed the US has the cleanest air in the world. The last time time we checked, Finnish Lapland has the best air quality. So, we here in Finland, would like to … ahem … clear the air. 

The United States of America is a tremendous country, from the purple mountains to amber waves. And big too. Bigly even. But you might be confused about exactly how great the air in the US is.

According to the WHO* and the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the cleanest air in the world is not in the Big Apple, or Washington DC, or even in the beautiful hills of Appalachia, but in Lapland, Finland.

Part of it is simply the population: Lapland has more reindeer than people. In a region roughly the size of Colorado, there’s only 180,000 people. Combine the Finnish respect for nature with our love of the wilderness, this has resulted in the cleanest air in the world.  

But how can this benefit you, you ask. According to the good people at the EPA, the American Lung Association and the American Heart Association, breathing clean air has a large number of health and mental benefits. Here’s a handy list, set to a familiar acronym, to help you remember: 

C – Clean air is famously good for the elderly, as it keeps your skin glowing and reduces hair loss. 

O – Organs like your heart and brain really dig clean air. Clean air reduces the risks of strokes and heart attacks. 

V – Very fine particulates, the kind you get from burning coal, for example, are #bad. Russia has lots of coal burning plants, but Finnish Lapland has zero. 

F – Fired up from all that shouting? Clean air reduces your chances of having an asthma attack and running out of breath. 

E – Even the great minds of all time can get a little unfocused. Clean air helps keep your thoughts coherent. 

F – Fake news got you feeling sad? Clean air helps elevate your mood. 

E – Eating burgers and drinking diet cola every day can really upset your stomach. Clean air improves digestion. 

So visit Finnish Lapland and stroll through the forests of Luosto. Ski the white expanses of Salla. Climb the hills of Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park. That’s #winning. The clean air—the cleanest air in the world—invigorates you, revitalizes you and focuses you. And don’t worry about missing anything on Twitter; Finland has a world-class mobile network that extends even to the tops of Arctic Fells. 

And if you want to put America First, and help her 350 million people breathe easier, you should declare war on air pollution. Paris is waiting for your call. Very stable geniuses invest in green energy, not walls. Make Air Great Again. 

* Not the legendary British rock band, but the World Health Organization, the UN agency concerned with international public health.