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James19991 t1_iy4y8i8 wrote

I mean, I feel like this map makes the numbers look scarier than they really are, as anything between 51 and 100 is in the yellow category for air quality by the EPA, which they define as: Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.

This map also showing numbers very different from what Google Maps is showing for local air quality readings

https://ibb.co/6w6Xwtq

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Bolmac t1_iy5e6sf wrote

I would argue the opposite and say that these numbers underrepresent the problem, since hydrogen sulfide is not part of the PM2.5 measurement.

Also, the NAAQS standard for PM2.5 for any 24-hour period is currently 35 mcg/m^3. There's a reason numbers above that are not green.

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Kamel-Red t1_iy6631t wrote

While I think that more monitoring and engineering around air quality is 100% a good thing, there needs to be a reality check for those freaking about yellows and oranges on this map. On this scale, an average day 50 and most definitely 100 years ago would be a black hole to another galaxy on this particular color scale.

Our steel and coal valleys were once hell on earth in comparison to air quality today--I don't want to go back to it and we know better now. Obligatory Denora smog link--perspective.

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Extreme_Qwerty OP t1_iy6rx47 wrote

Yeah, except that 50 years ago, the planet wasn't heating up to the degree it is. Pollution + heat + humidity are having a detrimental effect on people's health.

Further, these numbers are in the WINTER. They're MUCH higher in the summer.

The air quality where I live -- in the EXURBS -- has been making me sick for years. I only recently made the correlation between the high levels of pollution from the highway and me feeling like shit.

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