Introduction

My name is Heather Rockwell and I'm a mom, an animal lover, a grad student, and a third generation Pittsburgher.  I've heard the stories of Pittsburgh's smoky past throughout my life, but growing up in the suburbs in the 1970s and 80s the only smoke I saw was trailing from the tips of my parents' menthol Salem cigarettes. While I am aware that every city has its environmental challenges, I have long assumed that Pittsburgh's significant environmental problems are mostly a thing of the past. They're not.

Photo courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh

Downtown Pittsburgh circa 1940, corner of Liberty and Fifth Avenues 8:38 AM, when coal smoke blocked the morning sun. 

Pittsburgh is certainly making great strides in leaving behind our reputation as "hell with the lid taken off," but we still have a long way to go. Here are some recent facts & figures:

• Top 10 Most Polluted: According to the American Lung Association's "State of the Air 2014" report, the Pittsburgh-New Castle area ranks 6th in the country for particle pollution.

• F Grade: In the same report, Allegheny County received a failing grade for ozone in the air. 

• Drinking Water: In a ranking by the Environmental Working Group that looked at EPA data for large American cities, Pittsburgh ranks 32nd and 73rd (depending on the water utility) out of 100 for water quality. Studies found unhealthy (and sometimes illegal) levels of certain chemicals in local drinking water.

The Pittsburgh Smog Blog is not just about smog. While air quality is certainly a significant problem for our region, I will also discuss other local environmental trends, identify industries and practices that contribute to our problems, discuss health implications, and examine what the research says. Anything and anyone related to our local environment is up for discussion and suggestions are welcome!