It was the best of air, it was the worst of air: State of the Air 2011

Who knew?

There is an annual ranking of the air quality of cities and states around the US, done by the American Lung Association.

Makes sense.  I should have known but wasn't aware of it.

To get right to it, there are some interesting developments in it for us, locally.

Topeka, KS is on the list of "Cleanest Cities for Ozone Air Pollution".

Congratulations, Topeka.  (I still don't want to live there but at least it's got good, clean air).

Lincoln, NE ranked 11 on the same list.  Kudos.

But wait!  Our neighbor to the North, St. Joseph, MO-KS (my hometown), ranked 7th (7th!) on the "Cleanest US Cities for short-term particle pollution" while Lincoln, NE showed up 21st on that list, too.


Good on you, St. Joe!


Now for the bad news.


St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL is on the list of "Most polluted cities by year 'round particle pollution at number 17.


Poor ol' St. Lou.  It sucks to be you.  One of the most violent and now, as it turns out, one of the most polluted, too.  Yikes.  The Chamber of Commerce either scrambles on this or just lets it go, unable to do or say anything about it.  (Btw, Detroit, coincidentally, beat them out, too, at the number 16 spot.  Two of the most violent cities are both also have some of the dirtiest air.  Wow.)


The fact is, the list shows that, without doubt, some of the worst, filthiest and most polluted air is, without exception, is in California.  No wonder those people want clean air regulation.  Good for them.  Good for all of us.

The best air in the country?

Honolulu, Hawai'i.

There's a shock, huh?

As for our hometown digs here in KCMO?

Good news, really, overall.

We don't rank on any list of the "cleanest air"...

but we sure aren't on any of the "worst air" lists, either.

Cause for celebration.


Links:  http://www.stateoftheair.org/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110427/hl_nm/us_air

Update on Adam Smith Foundation's $500m donation to California

Like I said, as an update to yesterday's entry about the Adam Smith Foundation's $500 million contribution to, basically, try "to stop California's tougher pollution regulations...", I ran across this, today, at The Huffington Post: According to the American Lung Association, Los Angeles is the city with the most polluted ozone. The average ozone level in Los Angeles is 138.8 and the average particulates level is 16.8. The California Air Resources Board states that 18,000 deaths a year are "premature deaths" caused by air pollution. So California is listed as the number 2 (of 9) "most polluted places in the world" and the corporations and wealthy are paying money out the wazoo to try to fight any new regulations. Nice. Can you not see why the people of California would want tougher pollution laws and regulations? But again, since the Supreme Court's ruling, earlier this year, eliminating campaign contribution limits, the California voter's voice in the matter will have been reduced to virtually nil unless they remain strong and determined on this. Also, the American people need to speak up, coast to coast, and make it clear we want and need campaign contribution limits put on corporations and the wealthy so our votes still mean something. I hope y'all are paying attention to what's going on--and what needs to happen. Links: http://blogs.pitch.com/plog/2010/08/adam_smith_foundation.php: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/31/photos-most-polluted-plac_n_693008.html#s130738