Why Is The Air Quality In Phoenix So Horrible? (Mesa: transplants, house)

[Artliquide]

Originally Posted by NE Live

By no burn days you are talking about fireplace usage?

Any kind...fireplace, bonfires, burning fall leaves, etc.

[vegaspilgrim]

Too much stirred up dust from construction.

[Artliquide]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Too much stirred up dust from construction.

Yes. Definitely. I noticed my allergies getting worse when a construction site opened up right next to my last workplace.

[AZ Tracy]

This actually shows what happens to our Valley of the Sun:
Thermal Inversion

[runnergrl]

In regards to the thermal inversion chart...Couldnt they just make a hole in the warm air to let the cool air out? If it were that easy....

[JoePAz]

Alot of it is geographic

Thermal inversion and proximity of the mountains.

We are in a desert and dust is more common with the dry ground. Personlly I don't don't consider "dust" in the air to be pollution as is not a chemical, but what do I know.

Of course cars and business also generate pollution.

Today 2/27/08 the air seems pretty clear. No cloud at all although it was pretty visible about a week ago or so. My guess is that was work of the thermal inversion keeping the crap in the air down low.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by JoePAz

Alot of it is geographic

Thermal inversion and proximity of the mountains.

We are in a desert and dust is more common with the dry ground. Personlly I don't don't consider "dust" in the air to be pollution as is not a chemical, but what do I know.

Of course cars and business also generate pollution.

Today 2/27/08 the air seems pretty clear. No cloud at all although it was pretty visible about a week ago or so. My guess is that was work of the thermal inversion keeping the crap in the air down low.

It must depend on where you are looking from. I was just out on a walk in the Estrellas and there looks to be a pretty serious brown cloud over Phoenix today. The wind is from the NE so it is heading our way .

[sablebaby]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

It must depend on where you are looking from. I was just out on a walk in the Estrellas and there looks to be a pretty serious brown cloud over Phoenix today. The wind is from the NE so it is heading our way .

I think you're right. I come from the north (7th street) and rarely see a day that the cloud isn't there. Today was more clear, but there was definitely a cloud overhead.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Too much stirred up dust from construction.

The brown cloud study blamed construction activities and diesel soot for the lion's share of the PM10 that we see in the air. Clean diesel and replacement of older diesel engines will help, the construction industry is being forced and fined into using dust control measures now, and dirt roads and highway shoulders are being paved. Maybe it will succeed. When I first came to Phoenix we had over 300 days of carbon monoxide violations per year. Now we never have them, demonstrating that pollution controls can work.

[runnergrl]

That sounds promising...I remember when we moved there about 5 yrs ago...the brown cloud wasnt as noticable...however once land started being cleared and more development started being built...I felt there was difference...especially in the east valley where there is still some farming going on. Surely the farming itself will create dust...the desert IS dusty afterall...but then add in all the additional building and more people....the brown cloud becomes more noticable.