Have you ever lacked air?

Last week while we were walking home I noticed that there is smoke in the air. We kept on walking and the air got heavier and heavier. Then I was standing in a spot were two streets meet and in all four directions the air was equally smokey. "There is nowhere to run!", this tiny voice started to whisper in my head. "And if it gets worse?", it continued. I had no answers. All I could do was look around and be sharply conscious of each breath I was taking. Whole neighborhoods were filled with smoke that night and it made me think once more about a thing called "ecosystem services".
Environment is much more than polar bears and ancient forests. It's the air we breath, water we drink and food we eat. It's called "provisioning" and we are taking it for granted with every glass of water we drink and every breath we take. Standing there in the crossroads filled with smoke as far as my eyes could see made me aware of it on a bit more personal level, and the feeling was not pleasant.
Air pollution is not a minor issue, as polluted air causes 5.5 million deaths a year. It's almost three times the population of Latvia, the country I come from. Air pollution is one of the biggest and more visible environmental issues in China and India. You've seen those photos of cities filled with smog and people using face masks? Now check how many "made in China" products are around you and make your conclusions.
Going more local, parks are there not just for joggers and dog owners. WHO says that, in order to have an acceptable air quality, among other things, city should have 9 m2 of green spaces per person. Buenos Aires, where I live now, has 3,19 m2. The old saying that you've heard for hundreds of times, "Trees are giving as oxygen", is not just a figure of speech. It is a brutal fact of life and I can feel it living here.
Each bicycle you see in streets means one car less. Each tree you plant matters. Each useless product you choose not to consume means clearer air to your city or somebody living further away.
So, have you ever lacked air? How did it feel? And do you live in a green city or town? Are you happy with the air you are breathing right now?