Friday, September 27, 2013

Take a deep breath

From Metro:

The city’s air quality has reached the cleanest levels in more than 50 years through efforts that will save the lives of some 800 New Yorkers annually, officials announced Thursday.

“New York has the cleanest air now of any major American city,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

In the last five years, the levels of sulfur dioxide—which can cause difficulty breathing, death and contribute to acid rain production—decreased by 69 percent, according to a study conducted by the city. Soot pollution has dropped 23 percent since 2007.

Phasing out the most toxic heating oils as part of the Bloomberg administration’s PlaNYC initiative is the largest contributor to the reductions, officials said.

Through the Clean Heat program, more than 2,700 of the most heavily-polluting buildings converted to cleaner fuels since 2011, though regulations only require they do so by 2030.

“All of the people in this city have gotten together and, whether they really thought about it or not, collectively they’ve made a real difference in the stuff we’re putting in the air,” Bloomberg said.

Expanding the regional gas supply and local distribution as well as state emission regulations have also contributed to cleaner air quality.

Officials said these efforts were the biggest step in saving lives in the city since banning smoking in bars and restaurants a decade ago. Since 2008, there’s been about 25 percent less pollution-related deaths, hospital and emergency room visits, Bloomberg said.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

In other news, manufacturing and industrial jobs are at an all time low, as the recipe for clean air is everyone works in an office or in fast food or retail.

Joe said...

What good is this when there is festering overflowing garbage feet from your nose practically anyplace in Queens. Most of it is festering diapers from all the jackpot baby's.
I get more and more sick every-time I walk down myrtle ave
Parts of Queens look and smell like Mexico or Bangladesh take your pick

Anonymous said...

I find it to be amazing that people can find fault with news that is clearly good (no pun intended).

Anonymous said...

I find it to be amazing that people can find fault with news that is clearly good (no pun intended).
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If it's even true!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm skeptical. What about neighborhoods near highways and airports in Queens?

PDS8232 said...

Sure, I think about how clean the air is every time I walk past a Mister Softee truck parked at the curb with it's engine running.

Seems like every 3 blocks or so in Manhattan.

Anonymous said...

Anyone here ever google a picture of what the air looks like in Beijing or Shanghai ?
Makes the mister softee truck like like a small timer.

Anonymous said...

Fifty year ago the air in Manhattan wasn't very good...so I don't see much to brag about here.

Filthy coal furnaces, incinerators w/out scrubbers, care with no environment features and lax, if any, inspection.

In the 60s and 70s when I came back from a few weeks at Montauk this city took some getting used to.

No thanks to the right wingers, we've made at least some progress.

Jon Torodash said...

While the push for cleaner air is commendable, part of this is the mandate that co-ops hastily cease burning #6 grade oil in lieu of more expensive ones. This unfunded mandate from the city has imposed a not insignificant cost on a lot of hardworking people still facing a lot of economic difficulty. The transition could have ben better planned.

Anonymous said...

And the teabaggers want to scrap the EPA Clean Air Act!

Anonymous said...

Next he reduces the sulphur dioxide from flatulence derived from mammalian ingestion