Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Is the air quality in Salt Lake City and Ogden Utah really that bad?

We are moving this coming year to the area and 2 of my children have asthma. I have done a little research on the air quality in the SLC valley and hear it is not good. My question is, is the air quality bad all year round? Just certain times of the year? Any info in this would be appreciated.Is the air quality in Salt Lake City and Ogden Utah really that bad?
We have two kinds of air pollution in the Salt Lake/Ogden area.



In the winter on a handful of days we have very high PM 2.5 pollution (known as Red air days) which means that everyone should limit their outdoor activity and drive less to reduce motor vehicle emissions (50% of air pollution comes from motor vehicles). We also have Yellow air days, which indicate that those with respiratory issues should limit their outdoor activity.



In the summer we have another handful of days that have high ozone pollution. Exactly how many poor air quality days we have depends on weather patterns. But the vast majority of days living in the Salt Lake area are free and clear (and gorgeous).



The plus side is that the Salt Lake community is very active and engaged in this issue. A full 68% of residents in Salt Lake County already limit their driving on poor air quality days. Another 67% use smart driving techniques like limiting their speed to 60 mph, eliminating fast acceleration and being idle free.



You can check current air quality and see the official forecast here: http://www.airquality.utah.gov/aqp/slc.html. Our meteorologists share the air quality forecast each night during the winter season. Our UDOT electronic traffic signs will alert people to poor air quality and remind them to drive less. And you can even sign up for air quality text alerts this winter by texting cleartheair to 69302. If you want to learn more, this is a great website: http://www.cleanair.utah.gov.



I hope this helps. I truly love living in Salt Lake, having moved here over five years ago. The access to the outdoors is unparalleled (we ski in the winter, hike and camp in the summer) and the area has a lot to offer.
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Is the air quality in Salt Lake City and Ogden Utah really that bad?
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