This summer, millions of families will flock to national parks like Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and Yellowstone to enjoy the great outdoors and have their kids breathe in some fresh country air.
The only problem: A whopping 96 percent of national parks in the U.S. are plagued by “significant air pollution,” according to a new study by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). In fact, 33 of America’s most-visited national parks are as polluted as our 20 largest cities, the report said. “The poor air quality in our national parks is both disturbing and unacceptable,” said Theresa Pierno, president and CEO for National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), in a statement. “Nearly every single one of our more than 400 national parks is plagued by air pollution. If we don’t take immediate action to combat this, the results will be devastating and irreversible.” The culprits? Extracting and burning fossil fuels (specifically coal — surprising, we know), car exhaust, and side effects of climate change like wildfire smoke. The report notes that the large majority of polluted air doesn’t originate in the parks, but gets blown in from elsewhere...MORE
Between 2007 and 2013, in all 59 parks, there were 1,025 fatalities. On average, approximately 160 visitors per year die while visiting national parks. Link
That is what they should be studying, not air quality. However, that would not provide the rationale to reach out and control lands beyond park boundaries.
The report notes that the large majority of polluted air doesn’t originate in the parks, but gets blown in from elsewhere.
Rest assured that is what this study is about.
1 comment:
The poor air quality in our national parks is both disturbing and unacceptable, so says the author of this stupid report. If poor quality air comes from outside of the park from places such as cities, then maybe the cities should be corrected. Like, parking all cars, trains and planes. Turning off the air conditioners in the summer and turning off the heaters in the winter and last but not least forgoing all carbon footprints and going solely to wind and solar energy. Of course the factories which make these products will pollute the near-by parks air quality. But it is all for the good of the sensitive environs. God help them!
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