the 10 most polluted cities & 10 cleanest air cities in america (buy, air pollution)

[james203]

http://www.tomvoli.com/smoggiest-cities-for-2007

[southernlady5464]

Amazingly Atlanta isn't in the top 10 worst. Liz

[james203]

I always knew LA was a toilet but i had thought pittsburgh had been cleaned up.looks like i was wrong.

[McGowdog]

We left the San Fernando Valley in the summer of 1977 for Southern Colorado. I remember days in the late 70's when the sun was Orange. Although I was 8, 9, or 10 years old and a non-smoker- I remember that on these high-smog days it would hurt to breathe. Denver was no picnic back then either.

[KewGee]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

We left the San Fernando Valley in the summer of 1977 for Southern Colorado. I remember days in the late 70's when the sun was Orange. Although I was 8, 9, or 10 years old and a non-smoker- I remember that on these high-smog days it would hurt to breathe. Denver was no picnic back then either.

I left the San Fernando Valley in the fall of 1978, but I was 28. My kids were 5 and 2. That is one reason why we left California. I don't really think it has gotten worse over all these years. My friends that are still there say that it even seems to be better, at least in Burbank.

I remember when it would hurt to breathe, like after you have been swimming all day in a chlorine pool, take a deep breath, and that's how it felt to me.

[ShadowCaver]

Like looking at the source data itself:

For long-term exposure
Cleanest 25: American Lung Association:*Air Pollution Facts & Air Quality Info - SOTA 2007 Table 5a - ALA State of the Air 2007 (http://lungaction.org/reports/sota07_table5a.html - broken link)
Dirtiest 25: American Lung Association:*Air Pollution Facts & Air Quality Info - SOTA 2007 Table 2a - ALA State of the Air 2007 (http://lungaction.org/reports/sota07_table2a.html - broken link)


james203 - I agree, had heard multiple sources/times that Pittsburgh had cleaned up, a lot, but,,, evidently not enough and/or they are downstream of other nasties. I am glad to see Chattanooga not on there tho'! Indy surprises me...

[SewickleyPA]

Originally Posted by james203

I always knew LA was a toilet but i had thought pittsburgh had been cleaned up.looks like i was wrong.

Actually Pittsburgh has been cleaned up, this survey is just very misleading (like all surveys). The American lung association took a reading from right next to the one remaining steel mill in the metro which happens to be far from the city itself (10 miles). They also ignored all of the much cleaner monitors throughout the metro. For some reason the idiots at the American Lung Association believe that this is an accurate method for measuring the overall air quality of a city. I will now personally thank the idiots for single-handedly setting the city of Pittsburgh back a couple of years as it tries to improve its image.

[Widowmaker2k]

I'm kind of surprised to see Salinas on the lists. Not because it's polluted, but more because it's not that important (don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with Salinas, and I love Of Mice and Men, but it's not a major city).

[At1WithNature]

I don't believe in the methods in which they conducted that study. How could New York City not be on the list?! All of those people, all of those cars, all of those industries...i don't buy it.

[Chicago60614]

wind patterns/geography, transit use and not a lot of "dirty" industries.