Is SLC smog (in part) due to anti-environmental attitudes? (insurance, purchase)

[dcisive]

Most of my neighbors would be all for that Hilgi. They prefer the ability to run rampant in our streets (and sidewalks) with their toys like ATV's and Pocket bikes, both illegal to run on the streets of Herriman. Do you think they care about the environment? Heck NO. It's their precious rights once again they wish to preserve over all, and that INCLUDES the environment. Perhaps the folks over in Daybreak are more civil, but over in Herriman they think they are in the "country" as in their own personal country. Being able to do as they please with NO regard for others safety nor the environment. A few years ago some punk teens who were out for a fun (and illegal) time with their pocket bikes ended up on someones lawn running a young child over as the mother watched in horror. Yeah, good stuff protecting their rights. I would have smacked them silly, put them in juvenile hall, confiscated their bikes selling them at auction and fining their parents for allowing this adventure. Oh yeah, I'm real tough. It's called "consequences" something LOST in the law today. At no time more so than the summer do I get real fed up with these attitudes. If unified police would deputize me I'd bust their butts from here to Idaho. When I've called the cops they either never come or come far to late in the game to catch them in the act. They are of course more interested in "serious" crimes, like AFTER they kill someone or mame them breaking the law.

[dcisive]

AMEIN Chris. You NAILED it

[UtahRoots]

ChrisC - It's OK to be passionate about something. Your Libertarianism doesn't offend. Personally, I find it truly amazing that we've arrived at the point where smog can be blamed on a religion. That's really out there in left field. I haven't read any posts (maybe I'm not reading carefully enough) that bring up another variable with the inversions. Winter lasts 6 months in northern Utah, which contributes to people being averse to waiting at bus stops for public transportation, which contributes to people preferring private vehicles. The biggest source of particulates contributing to air pollution is private vehicles which account for about 25% of the total particulate pollution. So, long winters + private vehicles + geography = air pollution. I am really sure that whether the car is carrying a Mormon or an atheist, it's still emitting pollutants. For what it's worth, my mother (who lived in SLC from the 1930's on ) told me that back then, men's shirts had detachable collars and that men would take an extra shirt collar with them to work because the pollution from the coal burning was so bad that they'd have to change their collar when they got to work. As early as 1890 the area from Murray to Salt Lake was called "The Smoke Belt" because of all the air pollution. So air pollution was a problem here when HORSES were the primary mode of transportation... When you pack a million people with cars into a geographic bowl and then trap all the air, you get a bad situation. It probably doesn't help anything that Salt Lake County still allows (by permit) open trash burning in your backyard between November and June. My neighbor takes full advantage of that on a weekly basis and I live in an incorporated city - not out in a rural area at all. This jerk burns trash when the inversion is so bad that you can't see from his house to mine BEFORE he lights the fire. Chris C is right. It's all about personal responsibility. Limit your driving, plan your trips, use public transportation when you can, and for crying out loud don't burn your trash.

[InSandy]

Originally Posted by UtahRoots

ChrisC - This jerk burns trash when the inversion is so bad that you can't see from his house to mine BEFORE he lights the fire.

You mean he can burn his trash, but I can't light a fire?????? On Nov 1 the Department of Air Quality issued this statement, "Beginning today, the Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ) will begin enforcing wood-burning restrictions on “Red” air quality days when using wood-burning stoves and fireplaces are prohibited due to poor air quality." Are you sure Utahroots that it isn't the other way around that he can burn it between June and Nov?

I'm mormon, I tend toward environmentalism, I'm not diehard, but I try to do my part. I follow the injunction not to burn wood even though that is why I have a wood burning fireplace rather than gas, I limit my driving.

I agree with Katzpur, don't really know what mormons have to do with air quality. But since OP hasn't been back I have the feeling he/she had a preconceived idea that was prematurely reinforced after only two responses.

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by InSandy

Originally Posted by UtahRoots View Post
ChrisC - This jerk burns trash when the inversion is so bad that you can't see from his house to mine BEFORE he lights the fire.

You mean he can burn his trash, but I can't light a fire?????? On Nov 1 the Department of Air Quality issued this statement, "Beginning today, the Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ) will begin enforcing wood-burning restrictions on “Red” air quality days when using wood-burning stoves and fireplaces are prohibited due to poor air quality." Are you sure Utahroots that it isn't the other way around that he can burn it between June and Nov?

I'm mormon, I tend toward environmentalism, I'm not diehard, but I try to do my part. I follow the injunction not to burn wood even though that is why I have a wood burning fireplace rather than gas, I limit my driving.

I agree with Katzpur, don't really know what mormons have to do with air quality. But since OP hasn't been back I have the feeling he/she had a preconceived idea that was prematurely reinforced after only two responses.

Hey, I'm not a jerk... I don't even burn trash. I won't be burning anything until I "go rural" in an area where an "inversion" is more scarce than hens' teeth.


If I reinforced the idea that the inversion is largely due to local geography and meteorology, that's good, because that is exactly the reason. We may add our toxins (because that's what people do no matter how "green" they are in our automated world), but we do not cause the inversion. It would happen whether we were here or not. I also implied that, to my knowledge, religion neither causes nor prevent inversions.

[ChrisC]

Moderator cut: orphaned
Just to clear up a few mistaken opinions of me on this matter: I in no way support the raping of our environment or the polluting of our air. In my perfect world, there wouldn't be such a thing as a car or internal combustion engine. But, I don't think the clock will ever turn back. Moderator cut: off topic

[mysticaltyger]

Moderator cut: off topic

I agree with all of your other points as well. I live in California and I agree with the stricter emission standards we have here for the most part (the global warming stuff excepted). A place like UT would be better off if it adopted California style emissions regulations for cars & gas pumps. It would also be better off if it abandoned the suburban sprawl growth pattern in favor of more compact development that didin't require a car for every trip. It does seem like UT is moving in that direction somewhat, with it's light rail, etc.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by Lamborgotti

The Wasatch front will still be prone to them because of its geography. The question is of what we are willing to do to reduce our contribution to poor air quality when, in the end, the air quality will be poor no matter what.

I think that's a bunch of BS--an excuse for not taking action. Sure, it can't be eliminated 100%, but it could be reduced significantly (by say, 20% or more) without imposing a big cost on Utah's overall econonomy, and some of the costs might be offset by some economic benefits (fewer hospital visits related to smog, making the place more attractive to tourists, etc.)

[InSandy]

Chris-C,,,I am sorry. That reply was not directed at you at ALL, but at the jerk who burns trash,,, and I know it isn't you. My mistake for doing a poor job of using quotes...I have no idea how your name got left in.

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by InSandy

Chris-C,,,I am sorry. That reply was not directed at you at ALL, but at the jerk who burns trash,,, and I know it isn't you. My mistake for doing a poor job of using quotes...I have no idea how your name got left in.

I figured that was the case, but I got a good laugh out of it anyway.