Pittsburgh Air Quality Report

[gg]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I only disagree with you when you say something which I know is factually incorrect.

The frequency with which that happens is not really my fault.

My statement effects those of use that walk and ride bicycles in the city. If everyone were driving efficient cars, it would be a huge help. Seems I am correct and you are ignorant in what it is like to walk or ride a bike amongst all these huge automobiles. You just read some statistic and discount real life for active people. I understand you don't ride a bike or walk like Steel and I do. Most don't. I assure you, it isn't great!

Plus, lets just look at it from your homebody standpoint. Are you going to sit there and say, who cares what people drive. It makes no difference? BS! It makes way more difference than you are looking at. What about transportation costs in filling up the underground tanks? What about all the fuel coming from across the ocean? What about the wars that are fought over all this? What about...what about? Sure that tanker doesn't effect us. Good for you.

[greg42]

If you're walking or riding a bike it doesn't really matter how big the vehicle is; you're still going to get direct pollution in your face, short of an all-electric car. The overall pollution level is affected more by industry, power generation, etc. I believe that was the point. Vehicles aren't nothing, but everyone could drive a smaller vehicle, and the main effect would be on oil consumption not on overall pollution.

BTW, do me a favor and get affect/effect right. It's driving me insane. (So insane I originally got it wrong in one place up there, just noticed! )

[Craziaskowboi]

Compared to Atlanta, Pittsburgh has more small cars and fewer pickup trucks and SUVs.

[BrianTH]

I would agree that no one should be sucking on the tailpipe of an internal combustion engine, and I am not unsympathetic to bikers and walkers, including because I walk around a lot myself.

But otherwise, of course Greg is right. As I noted before, there are lots of reasons it would be good for more Americans to choose smaller personal vehicles when a larger vehicle isn't necessary. But in terms of factors affecting air quality, that is way down the list.

In part that is because in the U.S., most larger personal vehicle are gasoline, not diesel, and modern gasoline emissions are relatively clean. But even modern diesel personal vehicles are now much cleaner.

One more serious problem is that there are a lot of mobile diesel sources still around not using the latest technology. But as Greg points out, even they are still less of an issue collectively than non-mobile sources.

Of course I have noted before that we should be addressing all sources of air quality issues, with proportionate measures. But it remains true that as air quality factors go, personal vehicle choice is not one of the biggest factors.