LA & Pittsburgh Top List Of Most Polluted Cities In US

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Apr 30, 2009 in Travel

California...cough, cough...dreaming. Los Angeles on another smoggy afternoon.

Now while not my usual “travel news” story, I felt compelled to write about the American Lung Association’s results from a two year project on air pollution in the United States. Because as travelers, you and I will eventually wind up in some of these places, some might have already been. After reading the results many more might want to pack their bags and move or visit virtually by checking out the city via Google street view.

Roughly 60% of Americans are breathing in such unhealthy air that it can make them sick. Researchers from the American Lung Association tested the air quality on three levels – long-term particle pollution, short-term particle pollution and ozone concentration. All three of these in excess amounts have been proven to result in negative health effects. So where are the dirtiest and cleanest places in the United States? Here are some results:

When it comes to the amount of ozone in the air, Los Angeles tops the list with the smoggiest and unhealthiest air in the country. The amount of ozone in the air can effect one’s breathing and lead to such complications as asthma. If you already have asthma, then chances are you will be prone to above average asthma attacks if you live in an area with such high ozone layers.
The top 10 list of ozone offenders sure does make California look bad. The Golden State clocked in with six cities, among the 10, that were considered hardest to breathe in America. They include the aforementioned Los Angeles, as well as Bakersfield, Visalia-Porterville, Fresno-Madera, Sacramento, and El Centro. The other four that made the list include Phoenix, Arizona, Charlotte, North Carolina, and both Houston and Dallas, Texas.
As for the cities with the dirtiest air? Well that dubious distinction was tied for first, with Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Bakersfield, California named the dueling cities of dirt. Each city throughout the United States was measured for the amount of particle pollutants floating in the air, such as specks of soot, dust, ash, and aerosols. California again hogs the list with a total of five cities, which include the already mentioned Bakersfield, as well as Los Angeles, Visalia, Hanford, and Fresno. Birmingham, Alabama, Detroit, Michigan, and both Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio round out the top 10.
So where are the cleanest places to live or visit in the States? Well the squeaky clean city of Billings, Montana tops the list with nearly non-existent, ozone levels. Other locales include Carson City, Nevada and Fargo, North Dakota. The healthiest cities on the list were places like Cheyenne, Wyoming, Honolulu, and Great Falls, Montana.

To check out the comprehensive air study, and to see how good (or bad) your city did, check out the American Lung Association’s State of the Air 2009. By the way if you were wondering how my city of Brooklyn scored. Kings County received a “D” in the Particle Pollution area. No results were released in regards to the ozone layers.

Tags: alabama, arizona, bakersfield, billings, birmingham, carson city, charlotte, cheyenne, cincinnati, cleveland, Dallas, detroit, el centro, fargo, fresno, great falls, honolulu, houston, los angeles, madera, michigan, montana, nevada, north carolina, north dakota, OHIO, phoenix, pittsburgh, porterville, sacramento, texas, visalia, wyoming

Rock On With These Summer Music Festivals

Posted by Andrew Hickey on Apr 27, 2009 in Travel

This year's Lollapalooza music festival returns to Chicago's Grant Park.

Although the calender says April, here in New York we have been dealing with some summer-like weather. Temperatures have been hovering around the 85-90 degree mark over the past few days and will continue to do so until midweek. Don’t get me wrong, I will take this warmness any day over the winter chills we just experienced in the Northeast over the past couple of months. But I would much rather gradually switch from cold to hot throughout the calendar year. I mean last week I had on layers and this week I am walking around in flip-flops and a t-shirt. I may even go to the beach for my birthday this week!

With the summer just a few weeks away, now is the perfect time to plan that road trip (or plane trip since prices are so low these days) to one of the many summer music festivals around the country. Here is a list of seven heavy hitters that will be rocking and rolling over the next few months:

Bama Jam: Enterprise, Alabama (June 4-6). The 3-day music and arts festival down south is not only a good time, but also most proceeds are going towards a good cause. Money raised during the event will help support the needs of the surrounding areas in Alabama. The headliners include Kid Rock, The Black Crowes, Taylor Swift, and G. Love & Special Sauce. For information on the full lineup and ticket prices, check out Bama Jam’s official website.
Bonnaroo: Manchester, Tennessee (June 11-14). This lively4-day event is located in the lesser known town of Manchester, Tennessee (just one hour south of Nashville). The show will include an all-star line up, with performances by “The Boss” Bruce Springsteen, Nine Inch Nails, Beastie Boys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and many more. For information on the full lineup and ticket prices, check out Bonnaroo’s official website.
Rothbury: Rothbury, Michigan (July 2-5). This fairly new 3-day music festival is going to include performances by such legendary acts as Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. Other musicians on the bill include Cold War Kids, Ani DiFranco, Guster, and more. For information on the full lineup and ticket prices, check out Rothbury’s official website.
Mile High Festival: Denver, Colorado (July 18-19). This 2-day festival includes 2-stages at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Acts include The Fray, Incubus, Widespread Panic, and Tool. For more information on the full lineup and ticket prices, check out Mile High Festival’s official website.
All Points Festival: Jersey City, New Jersey (July 31-August 2). Now 3-days in New Jersey might sound rough, but trust me with this collection of musical acts, it is well worth the visit to the garden state. Performances include Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys, Beastie Boys, Tool, and more. For more information on the full lineup and ticket prices, check out All Points Festival’s official website.
Lollapalooza: Chicago, Illinois (August 7-9). One of the originators in music festivals returns to Chicago’s Grant Park with an amazing collection of musical acts. Headliners include The Killers, Depeche Mode, Kings of Leon, Jane’s Addiction, and Snoop Dogg. For more information on the full lineup and ticket prices, check out Lollapalooza’s official website.
Bumbershoot: Seattle, Washington (September 5-7). For nearly 40 years this music & arts festival has rocked the Pacific Northwest. This year’s acts include Sheryl Crow, Modest Mouse, Katy Perry, Michael Franti & De La Soul, and more. For more information on the full lineup and ticket prices, check out Bumbershoot’s official website.