What do you love and hate about living in Colorado? (Denver: construction, college)

[rhondee]

Originally Posted by ragerunner1

While Denver and the front range can have bad air days, its has significantly improved over the last 10 or 20 years and now is not a real factor, like it was in the 80s. Matter of fact Denver doesn't rank in the top 10 for short-term particle pollution, ozone pollution, or year-round particle pollution. That is probably why no one mentioned smog.

Most polluted US cities
(By short-term particle pollution)
1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2. Fresno, California
3. Bakersfield, California
4. Los Angeles, California.
5. Birmingham, Alabama
6. Salt Lake City, Utah
7. Sacramento, California
8. Logan, Utah
9. Chicago, Illinois
9. Detroit, Michigan

Most polluted US cities
(By ozone pollution)
1. Los Angeles, California
2. Bakersfield, California
3. Visalia, California
4. Fresno, California
5. Houston, Texas
6. Sacramento, California.
7. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
8. Charlotte, North Carolina
9. Phoenix, Arizona
10. El Centro, California

Most polluted US cities
(By year-round particle pollution)
1. Bakersfield, California
2. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
3. Los Angeles, California
4. Visalia, California
5. Birmingham, Alabama
6. Hanford, California
7. Fresno, California
8. Cincinnati, Ohio
9. Detroit, Michigan
10. Cleveland, Ohio
Source: City Mayors: The most polluted US cities

Just wanted to clarify a fact re: the above Pittsburgh ranking.This was based on American Lung Association deriving the data for Pittsburgh from a single air pollution monitor located in Clairton,Pa . next to U.S. Steel's Coke Plant. ( a coke plant is where raw coal is baked in prep.for making steel)
The pollution found from that single monitor is not representative of the true amounts of air pollution found in downtown and all other areas surrounding Pittsburgh ( in fact, accounts for only 1% of total Pittsburgh area)and downtown levels are only half of the amount found at the coke plant and fall within EPA standards.
American Lung Association took the reading from the coke plant to perhaps obtain a dramatic reading and score for a major U.S. city.
Although the reading is accurate and ALA was not false in their reporting (the people in the vicinity of US Steel's plant ARE breathing very polluted air) and while I support ALA's active efforts in improving air quality I wish they could have disclosed the location of the air quality reading for a more balanced report.
The photos of Pittsburgh used were taken on a cloudy/rainy day to portray smog, whereas in reality, we don't have any smog here.

Pittsburgh continues to work hard at improving the air and water quality ( a town outside of Pittsburgh - Donora,Pa was the birthplace of The Clean Air Act) and the rivers here have successfully nurtured seeing the return of hundreds of species of fish and aquatic life through clean up efforts.

[rhondee]

Originally Posted by Ziasforever

I'm sure there's many a place that has dirtier air than LA, Jr but that doesn't mean that the air is clean. It's certainly thinner than the air in Pittsburgh.

Statistics and 99 cents buys one of those hotdogs at the Circle K.

Yeah,it just goes to show how skewed/wrong statistics can be. And there is pollution here but it is in amounts that fall within EPA standards and much in line with other cities.
I think Pittsburgh has long been a popular example or image for what a polluted city looks like. Back during the height of steel production is was so filled with soot that streetlamps were turned on each day at noon b/c you couldn't see. Businessmen who wore white shirts to their jobs downtown had to bring an extra with them b/c by noon the white shirt would be black with soot.
But that was years ago, and now the city is nothing like it was back then.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by rhondee

Yeah,it just goes to show how skewed/wrong statistics can be. And there is pollution here but it is in amounts that fall within EPA standards and much in line with other cities.
I think Pittsburgh has long been a popular example or image for what a polluted city looks like. Back during the height of steel production is was so filled with soot that streetlamps were turned on each day at noon b/c you couldn't see. Businessmen who wore white shirts to their jobs downtown had to bring an extra with them b/c by noon the white shirt would be black with soot.
But that was years ago, and now the city is nothing like it was back then.

That was during WW-II, never been that way since, but it is a nice story.

[rhondee]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

That was during WW-II, never been that way since, but it is a nice story.

Yeah, that's why I said years ago that it was that level of pollution, but people still want to continue to associate Pittsburgh as being very polluted but it's no longer true.

[Boomer777]

Many people love living in CO, but Denver is not for me. Perhaps I am spoiled, being from the upper midwest, where there's tons of water, beautiful green forests, and friendly people, but I have just not found that living here.

First, the good, in my opinion: sun shines most days of the year, and weather goes up/down during winter, so you can have some nice days. If you're a golfer, you can enjoy some golf days during the middle of winter some years. People like being close to the ski areas.

The things that really bother me about Denver: Very unclean air (was just in NYC, and didn't smell/see the smog like I do everyday in Denver). The official reports are that one day in the Denver air is like smoking a pack of cigarettes a day--I believe it. A lot of the people seem depressed and fairly unfriendly to me (but, I am from the midwest, where a great majority of people are friendly). The complete lack of understanding as to how to properly plow the streets during winter drives me batty every year. They refuse to keep up and ahead of the snow, so it gets all lovely and icy. Up north, if it was snowing, they plowed all night, and the roads were very clear when it was rush hour. Not here--it is treacherous during winter, most of the time, in my opinion. And, they refuse to use rock salt (which is the only thing that melts the ice and takes the snow off the streets). There are no lakes or large bodies of water anywhere close. You have to drive three hours to Nebraska to find a real lake. The mountains are brown--okay, it doesn't seem to bother a lot of people, but all the mtns I saw before moving to Denver were green and lush. After the snow melts in May and June, the mtns turn brown until the snow covers them.

The majority of the population is very young. I have found a lot of gangs and there are con people on every corner downtown, in your face & begging for money. I don't feel very safe being in the downtown area much after work.

If you have any type of breathing or asthma problem, you are probably going to have a hard time here. The oxygen level is less than normal, and, with the high altitude (5,280) and strange barometric pressure changes, I really notice this, especially when I travel somewhere else (where I can fill my lungs completely & 100%). If you are a woman and entering mid-life, you can probably expect those hormonal headaches when the barometric pressure changes. And, there are more people here than I've ever seen with oxygen tanks strapped to their backs.

Again, a lot of people really like it here, so I think I must be spoiled. Water is very important to me, and I didn't know there wasn't any when I moved here. I will probably move back to the midwest or east coast so I can again see the water and green on a daily basis again.

If you are thinking of moving here, I'd highly suggest that you come visit at least 2-3x at different times of the year, and stay at least a few days each time. Quite a few people have trouble adjusting to the altitude.

Not to be a downer, but being truthful, and I have friends who feel the same way (or felt the same way--have since moved back to northern or eastern states). Best of luck to you if you do move here.

[Scott5280]

Things I love about Colorado: There isn't that constant cold and gloom you find in the mid-west, and much of the NE during the winter months..that would be a huge deal breaker. I spent several days in Chicago several winters back ..needless to say I kissed the ground when I returned to 60 degrees and sunny back in Boulder. Chicago barely made it above freezing and with the humidity..it felt like it does here when it's 15 here..NO THANKS!..Of course I love the amazing sunsets, the people, and most of my family is here. The only other place that used to take me away from this spectacular state was the California coast. Sadly I have witnessed the dwindling quality of life there coupled with the extremely high cost of living which I cannot afford at the moment. Colorado isn't perfect but family circumstances have brought me back once again..favorite Colorado cities for me: Boulder (home), Manitou Springs, Aspen, Steamboat Springs,Conifer, Evergreen and of course THE MILE HIGH CITY.

[smdensbcs]

Originally Posted by Boomer777

You have to drive three hours to Nebraska to find a real lake.

There are several thousand real lakes in Colorado which are, thanks be to God, not generally within miles of any road.

[proveick]

Is that Turquoise Lake? RP

[smdensbcs]

Originally Posted by proveick

Is that Skaguay Reservoir? RP

Whoops, not sure. Let's try one that's definitely not man-made (after all, there are several thousand out there ):

[Juliemac]

One year now living in Fort Collins... things I love- tons of sunshine, low humidity, absence of spiders and mosquitoes- (i know what you're gonna say, but trust me NOTHING like the midwest), awesome weekend road trips to the mountains, Old Town FoCo . Things Im not wild about - outrageously itchy dry skin when the furnace starts running in the fall, and those darn roundabout intersection things stress me out LOL.. im still adjusting!