The American Ling Association released its "State of the Air" report last week, finding that ozone and short-term particle pollution worsened in many cities in 2015-2017, compared to 2014-2016.
"About four in 10 people in the US live in counties where the air has either more ozone or more particulate pollution than is considered healthy," according to an article by Zoë Schlanger.
Those cities could look to places with clean air for leadership in protecting the air breathed by residents. The "State of the Air" report from the American Lung Association celebrates those cities with the cleanest air, including "a few cities [in the United States] that did not log a single bad-air day at all between 2015 and 2017."
Those places: Bangor, Maine; Burlington-South Burlington, Vermont; Honolulu, Hawaii; Lincoln-Beatrice, Nebraska; Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida; and Wilmington, North Carolina.
Schlanger also shares an additional eight "pretty good" cities that had no spikes in particulate pollution, and had low levels of particulate pollution all year round.
If you're looking for takeaways, a list of key findings from the report, prepared by the American Lung Association, includes an increasing number of high ozone and high particulate days in cities and increasing challenges and risks to human health posed by climate change.
FULL STORY: These six cities have the cleanest air in the US
California Has 8 of the 10 Most Polluted Cities in the U.S.
Despite ever-stricter air-quality regulations and dropping emissions, the American Lung Association once again finds the state to have some of the worst air in the nation.
The Surprising Region with the Nation's Worst Particulate Air Pollution
It's not Southern California, with its ports and congested freeways, California's Central Valley, with its bowl-like topography, Houston, with its oil refineries, or the midwest, with its coal power plants. Hint: think Santa Claus.
American Lung Association Releases Annual 'State of the Air' Report
The 16th annual State of the Air report includes everyone's favorite tool for putting the achievements of cities and metropolitan areas in perspective: rankings.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Grand Rapids Mayor Proposes Garage Conversion Plan
The mayor says allowing homeowners to convert garages to dwelling units could alleviate the city’s housing shortage.
Baltimore Ordered to Improve Sidewalk Accessibility
The city is one of many to face lawsuits for failing to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
This Toronto Suburb Has More Bus Riders Than Columbus, Ohio
Brampton, Ontario used gradual improvements in service to prove that if you build it, they will ride.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service