100 Cities: The Best And Worst Air Quality

America’s air is markedly cleaner than it was nearly 40 years ago, when the Clean Air Act was passed. Toxic chemicals, smog and soot are less pervasive today. But science has also taught us, since then, that lower levels of pollutants do serious harm — to our lungs, our hearts and circulatory systems and to the development of our children. Science has shown that, despite significant reduction in acid rain, mountain streams are still struggling to recover from decades of abuse, leaving water there toxic to much fish and plant life.

In other words, as the American Lung Association’s 10th annual State of the Air puts it: “Air pollution continues to threaten the lives and health of millions of people in the United States despite great progress since the modern Clean Air Act was first passed in 1970. Even as the nation explores the complex challenges of global warming and energy, air pollution remains widespread and dangerous.”

The report, released this week, focuses on the two forms of air pollution most dangerous to lungs: Smog (a.k.a. ozone) and soot (a.k.a. fine particulates). Particulate pollution was analyzed in two ways — short-term and long-term levels.

Ozone forms on hot sunny days when smokestack and tailpipe pollution interacts with heat and sunlight. The result is ozone, a major component of smog. It’s the same molecule that, in the upper atmosphere, protects our skin from harmful radiation from the sun; but at ground level it scars lung tissue, causing permanent damage and making it unhealthy to exercise or, for sensitive individuals like the young, the elderly and those with lung disease, even breathe. Particulates can come in the form of familiar dust and soot, but also in the form of chemicals that form as tiny droplets after being spewed out of tailpipes and smokestacks.

More than 175 million Americans — six in 10 — live in counties where high ozone levels were detected — nearly twice as many as were at risk in 2008. That increase is largely due to new government calculations that account for new scientific understanding of risk of exposure at lower levels for shorter durations.

Even as cities have taken steps to reduce pollution sources, global warming is producing more hot sunny days, extending the ozone pollution season (April heat wave, anyone?) and increasing the number of days likely to produce unhealthy levels of ozone pollution.

Of the 25 most-polluted U.S. cities, 16 had worse ozone pollution than one year ago, according to the American Lung Association. Thirteen had worse particulate pollution.

Check out:

• The Cleanest Cities in the U.S.
• 25 Cities With The Worst Air Pollution: Ozone (Smog)
• 25 Counties With The Worst Air Pollution

Visit The Daily Green for the above mentioned lists and to read the original article.

Then get to Orlando for Green Cities Florida on May 20-21, 2009 and learn what actions community, business, and government leaders can take to be greener, cleaner and more sustainable!

Be sure to check out Dr. Penelope Canan’s presentation “Understanding the Global Carbon-Climate-Human System” which brings together natural and social science perspectives to understand global warming and climate change, their causes, consequences, and feedback loops.

To learn more about Green Cities Florida sustainability conference, visit the official website or call 1-800-408-0002.

Green Gameplan for Hollywood

Hollywood aims to lower its carbon footprint

Hollywood is striving to lower its carbon footprint, which was the theme for Greening Hollywood Set by Set, a symposium hosted by the Location Managers Guild of America.

The event, which was held Sunday, March 22 at the London Hotel, was moderated by California Film Commission director Amy Lemisch and included guest speakers Gretchen Lewotsky, VP of state and local government affairs and environmental operations, Fox Entertainment Group, along with Steven John, director of the EPA Southern California office.

Lewotsky, chosen by the Climate Project as one of 1,000 people worldwide to be trained by Al Gore to give his “An Inconvenient Truth” slide show, described a depressing reality for the planet’s future if civilization continues on its present course.

John noted that Southern California has the worst air quality in the nation, and that California has an exceptionally high concentration of contaminated sites.

Both stressed the importance of “green” education.

The film industry contributes to air pollution and energy consumption; and there’s the physical impact of trucks and equipment on a variety of locations.

Suggestions for practical strategies  and “green” education were made by panelists.

To see their suggestions and to view the entire story, visit http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001676.html?categoryid=8&cs=1.

Source: Variety Magazine, March 25, 2009