Pollution
 

This post is informative only. No political comments or blame. I found it very surprising that Alaska is worse than California and some areas of the country I would not have even considered.

Most polluted cities in the US - Business Insider

I often wonder about things. This place gets dirtier outside faster than any place I can remember...however we spend more time outside too. There is dirt on the outside tables and you really should, could, would, wipe them off every couple of days. I admit I don't. Just when my conscience gets to me.

I agree this area is extremely dirty. You can wash windows every week if you are so inclined. We were in Fairbanks about 5 summers ago and didn’t notice any pollution. Makes you wonder.....

Yes exactly Fairbanks was a place I least expected.

Fairbanks Alaska experiences fine particle pollution (from wood burning stoves) and very clam winter air conditions, causing the air to not mix and the particles to remain suspended in the -40 to -60F temperatures. Over time the concentrations can cause bad "pollution" conditions (been there, lived that). Again, it is fine particles suspended in the air and not so much from CO or other common city pollutions that we may imagine or think of initially. the air is bad, but in other ways... but still bad due to climatological conditions.

Very interesting

Yep.

Having had the pleasure (pain? :oops:) of being in Fairbanks in the middle of winter, I can attest to the weirdness...of what they call 'Ice Fog.'

Here's a photo I found of it. :22yikes:

Wow, I was there once in June and it was so beautiful which is why I was so surprised. I never considered how the frigid temps could affect the air quality like this.

Here's a good article that explains it.

What makes Tanana Valley inversions so harsh | Science And Technology | newsminer.com


I know from the several trips I've made, that you want to cover your mouth when it's -30 or below...because your lungs hurt from sucking in such cold air. :(

Interesting article, might also explain why places like Utah and Colorado might make the list.

I don't ever plan to be anyplace that is -30.

+50 degrees is my low temp limit.....my second criteria? If there are no palm trees I know I am too far North!

Winter vs summer
 

We were in Fairbanks in the middle of June and nobody was burning wood in their stoves as it was unusually warm for that time of year. During the winter in Fairbanks, there probably is a big difference regarding pollution. Perhaps we were breathing pollution particles we couldn’t see but I have a sense that the pollution level is much more in the winter than in the summer when residents are not burning wood to stay warm. When we lived in Tennessee, a number of residents burned wood during the winter and there was likely a high level of pollution there too.

I would bet that the poor ranking of Fairbanks air quality...is based solely on wintertime conditions.

Having also been there in the summer a number of times, the air quality is quite nice...if you don't count mosquitoes the size of Cessna's! :oops:

I mean really, how in the heck can a mosquito survive winters that cold...then grow so damned big and hungry?! :mad:

Our oldest lived in Fairbanks for 7 1/2 years. As he said most do not realize how much pollution there is an Alaska.

For instance if you go into town to go shopping or want to go to the movies, and there is no place to plug your truck in, you leave it running. Sometimes for hours at a time or otherwise it will freeze up. When you look for a place to live plug in for auto is first on your list, even before a inside toilet..Wood fire is main heat.

There are many locals that instead of taking their garbage to the dump, it just gets thrown out the back door. And another bonus is if you do you take your trash in the back of your truck to the dump you have a 50% chance of a raven swooping in, while you were driving, picking up a trash bag and taking off with it.

A raven Is large enough to pick up your dog and take it with them. They almost lost their 11lb Puppy when a Raven picked it up and started flying away.

Ravens are sacred it is against the law to kill, them.

The mosquitoes are extremely large and can actually kill a person. He also lost two people to fog freeze when it came through their windshield and killed them. It’s against the law to drive during fog freeze, some just don’t listen.

Alaska is beautiful, but if you go outside the tourist trap, you May be shocked.

Such interesting information. I am learning very much.

Their one room 225sf apartment with auto plug in garage, inside toilet, and wood stove was $1400 a month.

If you don't mind me asking why did he choose to live there?

He and his wife are doctors, and DINKs (Dual income no kids.). They would not have left except for there was an opportunity to move to Europe and they chose that adventure.

On the weekend they could go to France, over to Italy and many other countries.They lived there for six years. He was in London just down the street when a bomb on a bus exploded, many died. It was 8 long hours until we heard from him, that he was ok.

Two years ago they chose to move back to the states.

Very nice, good for them. My daughter and her husband lived in London for 3 years. Traveling is a wonderful educational experience.

Yep! :thumbup:


One of my all-time favorite quotes...is Ohhh so true.

:ho:

Yep! :thumbup:

Re: Pollution and not political
 

I understand your thought but in the end any change positive or negative will require government action. We all incuding me, blame others. Yet, the things you can most easily control is what YOU do.

Al Gore, has made a fortune spreading the global warming hysteria. I ask what has Al Gore done? He lives in a huge home, with a huge carbon footprint. He drives, flys etc
while he SCREAMS AT WHAT WE SHOULD DO.

Someone mentioned California. The recent fires caused by a STUPID act, released tons of pollution. The volcano eruption in Hawaii tons of pollution. All you can do is the best you can.

Air quality? Actually has gotten better. I remember New York City in the 1960's. On bad days, you eyes would burn and your lungs would hurt. The government forced pollution controls on the suto industry. Many complained, including me, but, it is far better than it was.

In the villages, it is always someone else not me. A lot of dirt, pollution, comes from plant pollen. Would YOU want plastic plants and cement-I WOULD NOT.

Moderator?

"climatological"---is that really a word? I'll have to ask Jim Cantore----:mademyday::clap2::clap2::ho:

"scientific study of climates," 1803, from climate + -ology.
climatologic [klahy-muh-tl-oj-ik] (Show IPA), climatological, adjective

Couldn't you just appreciate the interesting information?

Yep, you're certainly not the only one who complained and predicted that pollution regulations...would be the demise of our entire economy. :oops:

It obviously wasn't.

Some people just have to be drug kicking and screaming to make our country/the world...a better place for our children/grandchildren. :ohdear:

I did not ask how it happened or what we are going to do to stop it. I simply found it very interesting about some of the places that were named and got some very interesting responses. Please stay on topic.

22 hours of sun! Mosquitoes/ ticks will never freeze out, the survived 10s of millions of years.

It was rhetorical. :oops: