Science suggests that air quality varies from neighborhood to neighborhood. And it also suggests that lower income neighborhoods are often subjected to worse air quality. These places are often closest to the factories, airports and highways that spew pollution and add toxic chemicals to our air.
According to Aaron Piña, a national program lead for atmospheric science and fire weather at the U.S. Forest Service, historically, the east side of town was where the factories, ports and railways existed and also where the lowest-income neighborhoods were built. At the same time, the quality of the buildings and the ventilation inside homes also contributed to the overall poorer air quality. "Think about building materials as well, things like asbestos and lead," says Piña.
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But while we know that air quality varies by neighborhood, this is the first time we've been able ...
