Arizona has horrible air quality, from sources you might not expect
As a mom of two, a climate scientist, and a founding member of Science Moms, I talk to parents across the state, encouraging them to demand that our elected leaders prioritize healthy air quality.
Arizona has one of the worst air qualities in the nation, on average, and it has gotten significantly worse over the past couple of decades.
Last month, we learned that the City of Phoenix failed to address alarming levels of methane gas detected on city land. Methane gas, a key ingredient in fossil fuels and landfill waste, causes many adverse health effects, including memory loss and breathing problems.
And methane is only one of many pollutants in the air that harm our kids. Diesel school buses, for example, emit benzene — the same chemical found in cigarettes.
Ash from last year’s wildfire smoke was found to contain the carcinogen chromium-6, aka the Erin Brockovich chemical.
Arizonans deserve better than this. Our children have a right to grow up in safe and healthy communities, and I urge my fellow Arizonans to continue pushing for accountability.
Change starts locally, so it’s up to all of us to talk openly and honestly about ways to protect our kids — they’re counting on us.
Joellen Russell, Tucson
Keep bikes on roads, not sidewalks
We must stop the use of electric bicycles, and even all bicycles, on sidewalks. It is extremely dangerous for pedestrians. Bicycles were meant for the road, not the sidewalks.
Other cities in Arizona, like Prescott, have already done this. Bicycles should not be ridden on the sidewalk. It’s dangerous for everyone. They have a right to ride as they wish, but not on the sidewalks.
David Preston, Phoenix
Light rail is a pointless idea
The light rail handlers want it to look like they want the input of those impacted by a proposed transit route going out Indian School Road, like they haven’t made up their mind yet.
I would agree Indian School looks like a good choice, nice and wide. It would probably save on the fact that they might not have to widen the road.
But the idea of light rail has long since missed its mark.
No one rides it. The vast parking lots along the route — designed so you and I can drive down to a lot, park for free, then take the train into the heart of the city — have spaces that have never seen a car or truck parked in it.
And the cost? Well, you can ride for free most of the time since there is almost never a security team there to check the two or three patrons to make sure they have a ticket.
Mark Williams, Phoenix
This Gilbert teen gives me hope
Seventeen-year-old Connor Jarnagan is 40 years ahead of me in understanding how the Arizona Legislature works these days from his experience trying to ban brass knuckles.
I was 59 when former House Speaker Rusty Bowers requested I appear before the House Appropriations Committee on a bill he was sponsoring.
More letters: 'Goons' show leaders' incompetence
Young people like Mr. Jarnagan give me hope for the future.
John Hathaway, Phoenix
Arizona's drones are not the enemy
Senate Bill 1500 is making its way through the Legislature, and it aims to force all public safety agencies to ground any drone not manufactured in the U.S. It would take millions of dollars in money we do not have to replace our drone fleets.
SB 1500 is a poorly drafted bill that fails to address the overwhelming use of Chinese manufactured drones by Arizona public safety agencies, and is based on the current hysteria that the Chinese are spying on us.
DJI, a Chinese drone manufacturer, is really the subject of the bill.
All DJI drones have a feature allowing the operator to disconnect from the “cloud” at will, thus no sensitive information reaches the manufacturers. That is a red herring.
DJI drones are credited with saving more than 59 people from life-threatening conditions in 18 separate incidents around the globe, as of March 2017. Undoubtedly the number is more than 200 by now.
DJI’s report is based on a survey of media reports collected from around the world, and almost surely undercounts the number of lifesaving activities undertaken with drones.
It includes rescues made on land, on water and in flooded areas, as drones found missing people, brought them water and supplies, and in several cases brought them life jackets or rescue ropes.
Most Arizona public safety agencies own and fly DJI drones. To ground this fleet and replace it will cost millions of dollars. Most importantly, it may cost lives.
Luis Martinez, Casa Grande
The writer is air division chief of the Regional Fire & Rescue Department.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona has horrible air quality. Here's how it hurts us
