window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"science_1997208": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1997208",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1997208",
"found": true
},
"title": "250603-POLLUTERSPAY-21-BL-KQED",
"publishDate": 1749073405,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1749073458,
"caption": "The Chevron Richmond Refinery seen from the Point Richmond neighborhood in Richmond on June 3, 2025.",
"credit": "Beth LaBerge/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/250603-POLLUTERSPAY-21-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/250603-POLLUTERSPAY-21-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/250603-POLLUTERSPAY-21-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/250603-POLLUTERSPAY-21-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/250603-POLLUTERSPAY-21-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/250603-POLLUTERSPAY-21-BL-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/250603-POLLUTERSPAY-21-BL-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/250603-POLLUTERSPAY-21-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/06/250603-POLLUTERSPAY-21-BL-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1993849": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1993849",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1993849",
"found": true
},
"title": "wildfire-smoke-bay-area-air-quality",
"publishDate": 1722882240,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 1930023,
"modified": 1722882240,
"caption": null,
"credit": null,
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/wildfire-smoke-bay-area-air-quality-800x491.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 491,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/wildfire-smoke-bay-area-air-quality-1020x626.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 626,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/wildfire-smoke-bay-area-air-quality-160x98.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 98,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/wildfire-smoke-bay-area-air-quality-768x472.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 472,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/wildfire-smoke-bay-area-air-quality-1536x943.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 943,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/wildfire-smoke-bay-area-air-quality-2048x1258.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"height": 1258,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/wildfire-smoke-bay-area-air-quality-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/wildfire-smoke-bay-area-air-quality-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/wildfire-smoke-bay-area-air-quality-1920x1179.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1179,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/wildfire-smoke-bay-area-air-quality.jpg",
"width": 2247,
"height": 1380
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1999381": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1999381",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1999381",
"found": true
},
"title": "Improvements will extend landfill's life until the year 2102",
"publishDate": 1763684869,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 1999358,
"modified": 1763684918,
"caption": "Trash is flattened and spread out across a hillside before being covered with dirt at the Prima Deshecha landfill in San Juan Capistrano, California, on March 10, 2022. ",
"credit": "Mark Rightmire/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/CaliforniaLandfillMethaneGetty-160x92.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 92,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/CaliforniaLandfillMethaneGetty-768x442.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 442,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/CaliforniaLandfillMethaneGetty-1536x883.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 883,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/CaliforniaLandfillMethaneGetty-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/CaliforniaLandfillMethaneGetty-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/CaliforniaLandfillMethaneGetty-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/CaliforniaLandfillMethaneGetty.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1150
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1998283": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1998283",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1998283",
"found": true
},
"title": "RohnertParkProcessingPlant1",
"publishDate": 1756156404,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 1998274,
"modified": 1756156428,
"caption": "The Resynergi facility, located in Rohnert Park's SOMO Village, uses a process called pyrolysis in order to recycle plastic. ",
"credit": "Courtesy of Resynergi",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 120,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1-768x576.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1-1536x1152.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1152,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1500
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1995365": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1995365",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1995365",
"found": true
},
"title": "naturalgas_002_qed",
"publishDate": 1734482205,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 1995349,
"modified": 1734482359,
"caption": "A Kenmore natural gas stove in a San Francisco apartment on July 17, 2019.",
"credit": "Lindsey Moore/KQED",
"altTag": "Image of a gas stove against a black background.",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/naturalgas_002_qed-800x579.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 579,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/naturalgas_002_qed-1020x739.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 739,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/naturalgas_002_qed-160x116.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 116,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/naturalgas_002_qed-768x556.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 556,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/naturalgas_002_qed-1536x1112.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1112,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/naturalgas_002_qed-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/naturalgas_002_qed-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/12/naturalgas_002_qed.jpg",
"width": 1841,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1984300": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1984300",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1984300",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1984299,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/gettyimages-1258514923-d0f342ea312f778d880004356d38fea701661e61-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/gettyimages-1258514923-d0f342ea312f778d880004356d38fea701661e61-160x120.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 120
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/gettyimages-1258514923-d0f342ea312f778d880004356d38fea701661e61-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/gettyimages-1258514923-d0f342ea312f778d880004356d38fea701661e61-scaled.jpg",
"width": 2560,
"height": 1920
},
"2048x2048": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/gettyimages-1258514923-d0f342ea312f778d880004356d38fea701661e61-2048x1536.jpg",
"width": 2048,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1536
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/gettyimages-1258514923-d0f342ea312f778d880004356d38fea701661e61-1020x765.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 765
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/gettyimages-1258514923-d0f342ea312f778d880004356d38fea701661e61-1536x1152.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1152
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/gettyimages-1258514923-d0f342ea312f778d880004356d38fea701661e61-1920x1440.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1440
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/gettyimages-1258514923-d0f342ea312f778d880004356d38fea701661e61-800x600.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 600
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/09/gettyimages-1258514923-d0f342ea312f778d880004356d38fea701661e61-768x576.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
}
},
"publishDate": 1695240918,
"modified": 1695252129,
"caption": "Smoky haze from wildfires in Canada obscures New York City's Empire State Building this year. The air in the US has improved over the past 50 years, but smoke pollution from growing wildfires erodes much of that progress.",
"description": null,
"title": "Smoky haze from wildfire",
"credit": "David Dee Delgado/Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "Orange skies and smoke is seen in a city amongst buildings.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1983002": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1983002",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1983002",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1983001,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/06/gettyimages-1258513142_custom-fe583680dfe42a4b91eed6bfac99d12b16065fbd-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/06/gettyimages-1258513142_custom-fe583680dfe42a4b91eed6bfac99d12b16065fbd-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/06/gettyimages-1258513142_custom-fe583680dfe42a4b91eed6bfac99d12b16065fbd-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/06/gettyimages-1258513142_custom-fe583680dfe42a4b91eed6bfac99d12b16065fbd.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1332
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/06/gettyimages-1258513142_custom-fe583680dfe42a4b91eed6bfac99d12b16065fbd-1020x679.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 679
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/06/gettyimages-1258513142_custom-fe583680dfe42a4b91eed6bfac99d12b16065fbd-1536x1023.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1023
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/06/gettyimages-1258513142_custom-fe583680dfe42a4b91eed6bfac99d12b16065fbd-1920x1279.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1279
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/06/gettyimages-1258513142_custom-fe583680dfe42a4b91eed6bfac99d12b16065fbd-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/06/gettyimages-1258513142_custom-fe583680dfe42a4b91eed6bfac99d12b16065fbd-768x511.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 511
}
},
"publishDate": 1686334822,
"modified": 1686340241,
"caption": "Wildfire smoke filling a skyline, here in New York City, was a familiar sight to communities in the Western US, who have had to learn to live with the effects of more extreme fires.",
"description": null,
"title": "Wildfire smoke filling the New York City skyline was a familiar sight to communities in the Western U.S., who have had to learn to live with the effects of more extreme fires.",
"credit": "Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "A person walks dogs as smoke from wildfires in Canada cause hazy conditions in New York City on June 7, 2023. An orange-tinged smog caused by Canada's wildfires shrouded New York on Wednesday, obscuring its famous skyscrapers and causing residents to don face masks, as cities along the US East Coast issued air quality alerts.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1982500": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1982500",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1982500",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1982494,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS50202_IMG_6476-2-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS50202_IMG_6476-2-qut-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS50202_IMG_6476-2-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS50202_IMG_6476-2-qut.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS50202_IMG_6476-2-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS50202_IMG_6476-2-qut-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS50202_IMG_6476-2-qut-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS50202_IMG_6476-2-qut-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1682712903,
"modified": 1682712951,
"caption": "Traffic on Interstate 880 toward Oakland flowing with cars and diesel trucks midafternoon on Monday, June 28, 2021.",
"description": null,
"title": "RS50202_IMG_6476 (2)-qut",
"credit": "Joyce Tsai/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "Cars and trucks on an interstate highway as seen from an overpass.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1982475": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1982475",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1982475",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1982474,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS64748_GettyImages-94155923-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS64748_GettyImages-94155923-qut-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS64748_GettyImages-94155923-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS64748_GettyImages-94155923-qut.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS64748_GettyImages-94155923-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS64748_GettyImages-94155923-qut-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS64748_GettyImages-94155923-qut-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS64748_GettyImages-94155923-qut-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1682543060,
"modified": 1682552592,
"caption": "Emissions-producing diesel trucks pass windmills along Interstate 10 on Dec. 8, 2009, near Banning.",
"description": null,
"title": "New Climate Report Names Current Decade As Warmest On Record",
"credit": "David McNew/Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "White, grey and blue semi-trucks driving along the highway at twilight. Wind turbines in the background.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1982200": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1982200",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1982200",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1982166,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS33811_camp-fire-traffic-0217-qut-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS33811_camp-fire-traffic-0217-qut-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS33811_camp-fire-traffic-0217-qut-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS33811_camp-fire-traffic-0217-qut-1.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS33811_camp-fire-traffic-0217-qut-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS33811_camp-fire-traffic-0217-qut-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS33811_camp-fire-traffic-0217-qut-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS33811_camp-fire-traffic-0217-qut-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1680821667,
"modified": 1680828719,
"caption": "The Berkeley Hills filled with smoke from the Butte County fire on Friday Nov. 9, 2018.",
"description": null,
"title": "RS33811_camp-fire-traffic-0217-qut (1)",
"credit": "JP Dobrin/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "Smokey and hazy hillside.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1969556": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1969556",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1969556",
"found": true
},
"parent": 1969549,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/09/RS44903_GettyImages-1228428683-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/09/RS44903_GettyImages-1228428683-qut-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/09/RS44903_GettyImages-1228428683-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/09/RS44903_GettyImages-1228428683-qut.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/09/RS44903_GettyImages-1228428683-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/09/RS44903_GettyImages-1228428683-qut-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1024
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/09/RS44903_GettyImages-1228428683-qut-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/09/RS44903_GettyImages-1228428683-qut-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1600120850,
"modified": 1600190622,
"caption": "Cars drive along the Golden Gate Bridge under an orange, smoke-filled sky at midday in San Francisco on Sept. 9, 2020. ",
"description": null,
"title": "RS44903_GettyImages-1228428683-qut",
"credit": "Harold Postic/AFP",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"science_1976561": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "science_1976561",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1976561",
"found": true
},
"parent": 0,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/RS33891_SFBridge-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/RS33891_SFBridge-qut-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/RS33891_SFBridge-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/RS33891_SFBridge-qut.jpg",
"width": 1100,
"height": 733
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/RS33891_SFBridge-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/RS33891_SFBridge-qut-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/RS33891_SFBridge-qut-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
}
},
"publishDate": 1630365187,
"modified": 1630453214,
"caption": "Smoke from the Camp Fire blankets the Bay Bridge and the city of San Francisco on November 13, 2018.",
"description": null,
"title": "RS33891_SFBridge-qut",
"credit": "Samantha Shanahan/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": null,
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_science_1984299": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1984299",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1984299",
"name": "\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1193795778/alejandra-borunda\">Alejandra Borunda\u003c/a>",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_science_1983001": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_science_1983001",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_science_1983001",
"name": "\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/803934365/lauren-sommer\">Lauren Sommer\u003c/a>",
"isLoading": false
},
"matthewgreen": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "1263",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "1263",
"found": true
},
"name": "Matthew Green",
"firstName": "Matthew",
"lastName": "Green",
"slug": "matthewgreen",
"email": "mgreen@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Editor/Reporter",
"bio": "Matthew Green is a digital media producer for KQED News. He previously produced \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/lowdown\">The Lowdown\u003c/a>, KQED’s multimedia news education blog. Matthew's written for numerous Bay Area publications, including the Oakland Tribune and San Francisco Chronicle. He also taught journalism classes at Fremont High School in East Oakland.\r\n\r\nEmail: mgreen@kqed.org; Twitter: @MGreenKQED",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3bf498d1267ca02c8494f33d8cfc575e?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "MGreenKQED",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": []
},
{
"site": "lowdown",
"roles": []
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": []
},
{
"site": "education",
"roles": []
},
{
"site": "quest",
"roles": []
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": []
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Matthew Green | KQED",
"description": "KQED Editor/Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3bf498d1267ca02c8494f33d8cfc575e?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3bf498d1267ca02c8494f33d8cfc575e?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/matthewgreen"
},
"jsmall": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "6625",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "6625",
"found": true
},
"name": "Julie Small",
"firstName": "Julie",
"lastName": "Small",
"slug": "jsmall",
"email": "jsmall@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Julie Small reports on criminal justice and immigration.\r\n\r\nShe was part of a team at KQED awarded a regional 2019 Edward R. Murrow award for continuing coverage of the Trump Administration's family separation policy.\r\n\r\nThe Society for Professional Journalists recognized Julie's 2018 \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11636262/the-officer-tased-him-31-times-the-sheriff-called-his-death-an-accident\">reporting\u003c/a> on the San Joaquin County Sheriff's \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11634689/autopsy-doctors-sheriff-overrode-death-findings-to-protect-law-enforcement\">interference\u003c/a> in death investigations with an Excellence in Journalism Award for Ongoing Coverage.\r\n\r\nJulie's\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11039666/two-mentally-ill-inmates-died-one-month-in-santa-clara\"> reporting\u003c/a> with Lisa Pickoff-White on the treatment of mentally ill offenders in California jails earned a 2017 regional Edward R. Murrow Award for news reporting and an investigative reporting award from the SPJ of Northern California.\r\n\r\nBefore joining KQED, Julie covered government and politics in Sacramento for Southern California Public Radio (SCPR). Her 2010 \u003ca href=\"https://www.scpr.org/specials/prisonmedical/\">series\u003c/a> on lapses in California’s prison medical care also won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting and a Golden Mic Award from the RTNDA of Southern California.\r\n\r\nJulie began her career in journalism in 2000 as the deputy foreign editor for public radio's \u003cem>Marketplace, \u003c/em>while earning her master's degree in journalism from USC’s Annenberg School of Communication.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4baedf201468df97be97c2a9dd7585d0?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "@SmallRadio2",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Julie Small | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4baedf201468df97be97c2a9dd7585d0?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4baedf201468df97be97c2a9dd7585d0?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/jsmall"
},
"lklivans": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "8648",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "8648",
"found": true
},
"name": "Laura Klivans",
"firstName": "Laura",
"lastName": "Klivans",
"slug": "lklivans",
"email": "lklivans@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news",
"science"
],
"title": "Reporter",
"bio": "Laura Klivans is an award-winning science reporter for KQED News, where she covers climate change with an eye on both groundbreaking progress and gaps in action. She is the former host of KQED's blockbuster video series about tiny, amazing animals, \u003cem>Deep Look\u003c/em>. Her work reaches national audiences through NPR, \u003cem>Here & Now, \u003c/em>PRI, and other major outlets. \r\n\r\nLaura’s won five Northern California Area Emmy Awards for Deep Look and First Place in the Greater Bay Area Journalism Awards for a podcast exploring how one Oakland neighborhood teamed up to reduce planet-heating pollution.\r\n\r\nBeyond her reporting, she hosts and moderates events. In the past, she taught audio storytelling at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, led international education programs, worked with immigrants and refugees along the Thai-Burmese border, taught high schoolers sex ed, and was an actress. \r\n\r\nShe's a former UC Berkeley Human Rights Fellow, USC Center for Health Journalism's California Fellow and Coro Fellow in Public Affairs. Laura has a master’s in journalism from UC Berkeley, a master’s in education from Harvard, and an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University.\r\n\r\nShe loves trying to riddle the meaning out of vanity license plates.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2d2ecd1550a494cc10ad4a503406965585902124739e775a9b3817eebf1d88be?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "lauraklivans",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"contributor",
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Laura Klivans | KQED",
"description": "Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2d2ecd1550a494cc10ad4a503406965585902124739e775a9b3817eebf1d88be?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2d2ecd1550a494cc10ad4a503406965585902124739e775a9b3817eebf1d88be?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/lklivans"
},
"dventon": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11088",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11088",
"found": true
},
"name": "Danielle Venton",
"firstName": "Danielle",
"lastName": "Venton",
"slug": "dventon",
"email": "dventon@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"science"
],
"title": "Science reporter",
"bio": "Danielle Venton is a reporter for KQED Science. She covers wildfires, space and oceans (though she is prone to sea sickness).\r\n\r\nBefore joining KQED in 2015, Danielle was a staff reporter at KRCB in Sonoma County and a freelancer. She studied science communication at UC Santa Cruz and formerly worked at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland where she wrote about computing. She lives in Sonoma County and enjoys backpacking.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/37b292b5c40c8d93959c4f48d73b5286f41b7abd8588277e941905a3ed4c801c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "DanielleVenton",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Danielle Venton | KQED",
"description": "Science reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/37b292b5c40c8d93959c4f48d73b5286f41b7abd8588277e941905a3ed4c801c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/37b292b5c40c8d93959c4f48d73b5286f41b7abd8588277e941905a3ed4c801c?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/dventon"
},
"dcronin": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11362",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11362",
"found": true
},
"name": "Dana Cronin",
"firstName": "Dana",
"lastName": "Cronin",
"slug": "dcronin",
"email": "dcronin@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Dana Cronin is a reporter for KQED News. She loves writing stories about climate change, environmental issues, food and agriculture. She's reported across the country, from Colorado to Washington D.C. to Illinois, and has won numerous awards for her coverage. Her work is regularly featured on national broadcasts, including NPR’s Morning Edition, All Things Considered, PBS Newshour and Science Friday. She lives in Oakland and has an avocado tree in her back yard.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b242755225e2f85f37c259df1f4cdfa36dc82f17dcf79e697fb392d658d1750b?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "DanaHCronin",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Dana Cronin | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b242755225e2f85f37c259df1f4cdfa36dc82f17dcf79e697fb392d658d1750b?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b242755225e2f85f37c259df1f4cdfa36dc82f17dcf79e697fb392d658d1750b?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/dcronin"
},
"kevinstark": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11608",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11608",
"found": true
},
"name": "Kevin Stark",
"firstName": "Kevin",
"lastName": "Stark",
"slug": "kevinstark",
"email": "kstark@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"science"
],
"title": "Senior Editor",
"bio": "Kevin is a senior editor for KQED Science, managing the station's health and climate desks. His journalism career began in the Pacific Northwest, and he later became a lead reporter for the San Francisco Public Press. His work has appeared in Pacific Standard magazine, the Energy News Network, the Center for Investigative Reporting's Reveal and WBEZ in Chicago. Kevin joined KQED in 2019, and has covered issues related to energy, wildfire, climate change and the environment.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/365aaa4b597d3a8374f67504ff0facd323d7906e8eb4be0a7efd2427408e802c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "starkkev",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Kevin Stark | KQED",
"description": "Senior Editor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/365aaa4b597d3a8374f67504ff0facd323d7906e8eb4be0a7efd2427408e802c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/365aaa4b597d3a8374f67504ff0facd323d7906e8eb4be0a7efd2427408e802c?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/kevinstark"
},
"ccabreralomeli": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11708",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11708",
"found": true
},
"name": "Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí",
"firstName": "Carlos",
"lastName": "Cabrera-Lomelí",
"slug": "ccabreralomeli",
"email": "ccabreralomeli@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Community Reporter",
"bio": "Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí is a community reporter with KQED's digital engagement team. He also reports and co-produces for KQED's bilingual news hub KQED en Español. He grew up in San Francisco's Mission District and has previously worked with Univision, 48 Hills and REFORMA in Mexico City.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c309be9665e484f887b818c89e273ecc673004f426f36b24d00a4d813a2e0518?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "@LomeliCabrera",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "about",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "perspectives",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "elections",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí | KQED",
"description": "Community Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c309be9665e484f887b818c89e273ecc673004f426f36b24d00a4d813a2e0518?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c309be9665e484f887b818c89e273ecc673004f426f36b24d00a4d813a2e0518?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/ccabreralomeli"
},
"eromero": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11746",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11746",
"found": true
},
"name": "Ezra David Romero",
"firstName": "Ezra David",
"lastName": "Romero",
"slug": "eromero",
"email": "eromero@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news",
"science"
],
"title": "Climate Reporter",
"bio": "Ezra David Romero is a climate reporter for KQED News. He covers the absence and excess of water in the Bay Area — think sea level rise, flooding and drought. For nearly a decade he’s covered how warming temperatures are altering the lives of Californians. He’s reported on farmers worried their pistachio trees aren’t getting enough sleep, families desperate for water, scientists studying dying giant sequoias, and alongside firefighters containing wildfires. His work has appeared on local stations across California and nationally on public radio shows like Morning Edition, Here and Now, All Things Considered and Science Friday. ",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c76404d287c10ed40224227551ac36e24352c7306f106632caf6fead76f8801f?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "ezraromero",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Ezra David Romero | KQED",
"description": "Climate Reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c76404d287c10ed40224227551ac36e24352c7306f106632caf6fead76f8801f?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c76404d287c10ed40224227551ac36e24352c7306f106632caf6fead76f8801f?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/eromero"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"science_tag_air-quality": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_524",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "524",
"score": 9.106615
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "air quality",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "air quality Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 530,
"slug": "air-quality",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "air quality",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "science",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 1
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/science?tag=air-quality",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 1
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"science_2001777": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_2001777",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2001777",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1787688228000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "residents-near-chevrons-richmond-refinery-face-higher-risk-of-cancer-air-district-says",
"title": "Residents Near Chevron’s Richmond Refinery Face Higher Risk of Cancer, Air District Says",
"publishDate": 1787688228,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Residents Near Chevron’s Richmond Refinery Face Higher Risk of Cancer, Air District Says | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\n\u003cp>People living close to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/chevron-refinery\">Chevron Refinery\u003c/a> in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a> face an elevated risk of developing cancer over a lifetime, and illness from short exposure to excess emissions, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/fid10/fid10_preliminary-hra.pdf\">preliminary health risk assessment\u003c/a> by the Bay Area Air District released Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most of the cancer risk came from benzo[a]pyrene and other toxic air contaminants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH’s) that seeped from pipe fittings and storage tanks throughout the refinery. Diesel particulate matter and arsenic emissions were also found to be above the regulator’s allowed limit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There are multiple sources with multiple pollutants that are beyond the risk threshold,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, the Air District’s health officer. “That can harm people’s health, and [it] needs to be reduced.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The model analysis examines the highest cancer risk over a lifetime posed by exposure to facility emissions. The Air District found the Richmond refinery exposure to be 37 chances in a million, which is more than three times higher than its threshold for action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The air regulator requires facilities to take action to reduce the risk if it equals or exceeds 10 in a million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2145\" height=\"1228\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001825\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1.jpg 2145w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-2000x1145.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-160x92.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-768x440.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-1536x879.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-2048x1172.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2145px) 100vw, 2145px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Air District’s breakdown of cancer risk from pollutants at Chevron’s Richmond refinery. (Courtesy of Bay Area Air District Staff)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It is an estimate based on worst-case scenarios,” said Ariana Husain, the regulator’s risk assessment manager. “It does not represent the average risk to residents in Richmond.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nor does it mean that 37 more people in a million will develop cancer, Husain said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really the first step in understanding risk posed by emissions from facility operations to the nearby community,” Husain said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The health risk assessment is a tool to measure the risk of toxic air contaminants from high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery, Husain said. The Air District is empowered to conduct these assessments \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rules require those facilities to work with the air regulator to reduce emissions and the risk to communities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a Chevron Richmond spokesperson, pushed back in an email and said the company found “significant issues” with the assessment “that we believe materially overstate the Richmond refinery’s emissions and modeled health risk.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Chevron also quickly circulated an \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CHEVRON-RICHMOND-info-on-Bay-Area-Air-District-Draft-HRA-of-Richmond-Refinery-FAQ_Aug-2026.pdf\">FAQ document\u003c/a> to reporters about the assessment that categorized the tool as “conservative” and meant to understand where regulators should “focus efforts and resources to improve air quality and protect public health.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Scientific methods used in HRAs cannot be used to link individual illnesses to chemical exposures,” the document said.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>It also noted that the refinery’s cancer risk assessment “is not itself a violation” and fell below the “action” levels set by air districts in Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Chevron has 90 days to challenge the Air District’s findings and suggest modifications to the risk assessment. During that time, the public may also submit comments to the air regulator.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Long-term exposure to these substances may increase cancer risk and harm developmental, reproductive and immune systems. Children under two are more susceptible to effects. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District measured the potential impact of excess emissions on three categories of people with varying degrees of exposure. First, residents who they assumed to have 24 hours a day of exposure, non-resident refinery workers who face 8 hours of exposure a day, and students who attended school near the refinery but lived elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The assessment found that people who live within approximately 3 miles of the refinery, including in the communities of Achitson, Brickyard Cove, Iron Triangle, Point Richmond and North Richmond, face the greatest health risk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1616\" height=\"1265\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001806\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2.png 1616w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-160x125.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-768x601.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-1536x1202.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1616px) 100vw, 1616px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This map shows where the cancer risk is highest around Chevron’s Richmond refinery, according to air regulators. (Courtesy of Bay Area Air District Staff)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chevron workers who live out of town did not face an increased risk of cancer, but are subject to acute one-hour releases of benzene that can evaporate from the refinery’s waste treatment system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That is a toxic air contaminant that you can get irritated by in a very short amount of time,” Radhakrishna said. “Smelling it in your nose, in your mouth, in your throat, in your lungs, coughing attacks, and exacerbation of existing health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The effects of benzene are temporary and based on proximity to the refinery, according to the report, but Radhakrishna noted that repeated exposure to benzene can also contribute to cancer over the long term.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The health risk assessment found that children who attend schools near the refinery but don’t live in the area did not face an elevated risk of cancer, but are exposed to risks from the one-hour releases, as are residents and anyone within approximately three miles of the facilities when it releases emissions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District scheduled a public meeting to explain the findings and the comment process on Monday, Sept. 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the Richmond Memorial Civic Auditorium and Convention Center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The air regulators will consider both public comment and responses from Chevron before issuing a final risk assessment for the Richmond refinery. Then the company is required to submit a plan to reduce the risk, which will also be open to public comment and must ultimately be approved by the Air District.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>People living close to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/chevron-refinery\">Chevron Refinery\u003c/a> in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a> face an elevated risk of developing cancer over a lifetime, and illness from short exposure to excess emissions, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/fid10/fid10_preliminary-hra.pdf\">preliminary health risk assessment\u003c/a> by the Bay Area Air District released Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>People living close to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/chevron-refinery\">Chevron Refinery\u003c/a> in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a> face an elevated risk of developing cancer over a lifetime, and illness from short exposure to excess emissions, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/fid10/fid10_preliminary-hra.pdf\">preliminary health risk assessment\u003c/a> by the Bay Area Air District released Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Most of the cancer risk came from benzo[a]pyrene and other toxic air contaminants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH’s) that seeped from pipe fittings and storage tanks throughout the refinery. Diesel particulate matter and arsenic emissions were also found to be above the regulator’s allowed limit. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Most of the cancer risk came from benzo[a]pyrene and other toxic air contaminants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH’s) that seeped from pipe fittings and storage tanks throughout the refinery. Diesel particulate matter and arsenic emissions were also found to be above the regulator’s allowed limit. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There are multiple sources with multiple pollutants that are beyond the risk threshold,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, the Air District’s health officer. “That can harm people’s health, and [it] needs to be reduced.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“There are multiple sources with multiple pollutants that are beyond the risk threshold,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, the Air District’s health officer. “That can harm people’s health, and [it] needs to be reduced.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The model analysis examines the highest cancer risk over a lifetime posed by exposure to facility emissions. The Air District found the Richmond refinery exposure to be 37 chances in a million, which is more than three times higher than its threshold for action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The air regulator requires facilities to take action to reduce the risk if it equals or exceeds 10 in a million.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The model analysis examines the highest cancer risk over a lifetime posed by exposure to facility emissions. The Air District found the Richmond refinery exposure to be 37 chances in a million, which is more than three times higher than its threshold for action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The air regulator requires facilities to take action to reduce the risk if it equals or exceeds 10 in a million.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 2001825,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1.jpg 2145w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-2000x1145.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-160x92.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-768x440.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-1536x879.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-2048x1172.jpg 2048w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001825\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1.jpg 2145w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-2000x1145.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-160x92.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-768x440.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-1536x879.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-2048x1172.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Air District’s breakdown of cancer risk from pollutants at Chevron’s Richmond refinery.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Bay Area Air District Staff)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001825\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Air District’s breakdown of cancer risk from pollutants at Chevron’s Richmond refinery.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Bay Area Air District Staff)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It is an estimate based on worst-case scenarios,” said Ariana Husain, the regulator’s risk assessment manager. “It does not represent the average risk to residents in Richmond.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It is an estimate based on worst-case scenarios,” said Ariana Husain, the regulator’s risk assessment manager. “It does not represent the average risk to residents in Richmond.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nor does it mean that 37 more people in a million will develop cancer, Husain said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Nor does it mean that 37 more people in a million will develop cancer, Husain said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s really the first step in understanding risk posed by emissions from facility operations to the nearby community,” Husain said. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“It’s really the first step in understanding risk posed by emissions from facility operations to the nearby community,” Husain said. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The health risk assessment is a tool to measure the risk of toxic air contaminants from high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery, Husain said. The Air District is empowered to conduct these assessments \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The health risk assessment is a tool to measure the risk of toxic air contaminants from high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery, Husain said. The Air District is empowered to conduct these assessments \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The rules require those facilities to work with the air regulator to reduce emissions and the risk to communities.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The rules require those facilities to work with the air regulator to reduce emissions and the risk to communities.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"news_12095469"
],
"label": "Related Articles",
"maxPosts": 1,
"showImages": false,
"heroImage": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/02/20250203_MartinezRefineryFolo_GC-46.jpg",
"query": "",
"labelWasCleared": false,
"heroImageAlt": "",
"heroImageLink": "",
"labelLink": "",
"alignment": "right",
"target": "_self",
"manualLinks": [],
"posts": []
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a Chevron Richmond spokesperson, pushed back in an email and said the company found “significant issues” with the assessment “that we believe materially overstate the Richmond refinery’s emissions and modeled health risk.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Chevron also quickly circulated an \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CHEVRON-RICHMOND-info-on-Bay-Area-Air-District-Draft-HRA-of-Richmond-Refinery-FAQ_Aug-2026.pdf\">FAQ document\u003c/a> to reporters about the assessment that categorized the tool as “conservative” and meant to understand where regulators should “focus efforts and resources to improve air quality and protect public health.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Scientific methods used in HRAs cannot be used to link individual illnesses to chemical exposures,” the document said.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>It also noted that the refinery’s cancer risk assessment “is not itself a violation” and fell below the “action” levels set by air districts in Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Chevron has 90 days to challenge the Air District’s findings and suggest modifications to the risk assessment. During that time, the public may also submit comments to the air regulator.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a Chevron Richmond spokesperson, pushed back in an email and said the company found “significant issues” with the assessment “that we believe materially overstate the Richmond refinery’s emissions and modeled health risk.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Chevron also quickly circulated an \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CHEVRON-RICHMOND-info-on-Bay-Area-Air-District-Draft-HRA-of-Richmond-Refinery-FAQ_Aug-2026.pdf\">FAQ document\u003c/a> to reporters about the assessment that categorized the tool as “conservative” and meant to understand where regulators should “focus efforts and resources to improve air quality and protect public health.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Scientific methods used in HRAs cannot be used to link individual illnesses to chemical exposures,” the document said.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>It also noted that the refinery’s cancer risk assessment “is not itself a violation” and fell below the “action” levels set by air districts in Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Chevron has 90 days to challenge the Air District’s findings and suggest modifications to the risk assessment. During that time, the public may also submit comments to the air regulator.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Long-term exposure to these substances may increase cancer risk and harm developmental, reproductive and immune systems. Children under two are more susceptible to effects. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Long-term exposure to these substances may increase cancer risk and harm developmental, reproductive and immune systems. Children under two are more susceptible to effects. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District measured the potential impact of excess emissions on three categories of people with varying degrees of exposure. First, residents who they assumed to have 24 hours a day of exposure, non-resident refinery workers who face 8 hours of exposure a day, and students who attended school near the refinery but lived elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Air District measured the potential impact of excess emissions on three categories of people with varying degrees of exposure. First, residents who they assumed to have 24 hours a day of exposure, non-resident refinery workers who face 8 hours of exposure a day, and students who attended school near the refinery but lived elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The assessment found that people who live within approximately 3 miles of the refinery, including in the communities of Achitson, Brickyard Cove, Iron Triangle, Point Richmond and North Richmond, face the greatest health risk. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The assessment found that people who live within approximately 3 miles of the refinery, including in the communities of Achitson, Brickyard Cove, Iron Triangle, Point Richmond and North Richmond, face the greatest health risk. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 2001806,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2.png 1616w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-160x125.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-768x601.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-1536x1202.png 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001806\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2.png 1616w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-160x125.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-768x601.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-1536x1202.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This map shows where the cancer risk is highest around Chevron’s Richmond refinery, according to air regulators.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Bay Area Air District Staff)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001806\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This map shows where the cancer risk is highest around Chevron’s Richmond refinery, according to air regulators.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Bay Area Air District Staff)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chevron workers who live out of town did not face an increased risk of cancer, but are subject to acute one-hour releases of benzene that can evaporate from the refinery’s waste treatment system.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Chevron workers who live out of town did not face an increased risk of cancer, but are subject to acute one-hour releases of benzene that can evaporate from the refinery’s waste treatment system.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That is a toxic air contaminant that you can get irritated by in a very short amount of time,” Radhakrishna said. “Smelling it in your nose, in your mouth, in your throat, in your lungs, coughing attacks, and exacerbation of existing health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“That is a toxic air contaminant that you can get irritated by in a very short amount of time,” Radhakrishna said. “Smelling it in your nose, in your mouth, in your throat, in your lungs, coughing attacks, and exacerbation of existing health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The effects of benzene are temporary and based on proximity to the refinery, according to the report, but Radhakrishna noted that repeated exposure to benzene can also contribute to cancer over the long term.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The effects of benzene are temporary and based on proximity to the refinery, according to the report, but Radhakrishna noted that repeated exposure to benzene can also contribute to cancer over the long term.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The health risk assessment found that children who attend schools near the refinery but don’t live in the area did not face an elevated risk of cancer, but are exposed to risks from the one-hour releases, as are residents and anyone within approximately three miles of the facilities when it releases emissions. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The health risk assessment found that children who attend schools near the refinery but don’t live in the area did not face an elevated risk of cancer, but are exposed to risks from the one-hour releases, as are residents and anyone within approximately three miles of the facilities when it releases emissions. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Air District scheduled a public meeting to explain the findings and the comment process on Monday, Sept. 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the Richmond Memorial Civic Auditorium and Convention Center. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Air District scheduled a public meeting to explain the findings and the comment process on Monday, Sept. 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the Richmond Memorial Civic Auditorium and Convention Center. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The air regulators will consider both public comment and responses from Chevron before issuing a final risk assessment for the Richmond refinery. Then the company is required to submit a plan to reduce the risk, which will also be open to public comment and must ultimately be approved by the Air District.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The air regulators will consider both public comment and responses from Chevron before issuing a final risk assessment for the Richmond refinery. Then the company is required to submit a plan to reduce the risk, which will also be open to public comment and must ultimately be approved by the Air District.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "People living close to the Chevron Refinery in Richmond face an elevated risk of developing cancer over a lifetime, according to a preliminary assessment the air regulator released Tuesday. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1787862350,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 19,
"wordCount": 905
},
"headData": {
"title": "Residents Near Chevron’s Richmond Refinery Face Higher Risk of Cancer, Air District Says | KQED",
"description": "People living close to the Chevron Refinery in Richmond face an elevated risk of developing cancer over a lifetime, according to a preliminary assessment the air regulator released Tuesday. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Residents Near Chevron’s Richmond Refinery Face Higher Risk of Cancer, Air District Says",
"datePublished": "2026-08-25T13:03:48-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-27T13:25:50-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 39,
"slug": "health",
"name": "Health"
},
"source": "News",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-2001777",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/2001777/residents-near-chevrons-richmond-refinery-face-higher-risk-of-cancer-air-district-says",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>People living close to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/chevron-refinery\">Chevron Refinery\u003c/a> in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a> face an elevated risk of developing cancer over a lifetime, and illness from short exposure to excess emissions, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/ab617-community-health/facility-risk-reduction/hra-facilities/fid10/fid10_preliminary-hra.pdf\">preliminary health risk assessment\u003c/a> by the Bay Area Air District released Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Most of the cancer risk came from benzo[a]pyrene and other toxic air contaminants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH’s) that seeped from pipe fittings and storage tanks throughout the refinery. Diesel particulate matter and arsenic emissions were also found to be above the regulator’s allowed limit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There are multiple sources with multiple pollutants that are beyond the risk threshold,” said Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, the Air District’s health officer. “That can harm people’s health, and [it] needs to be reduced.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The model analysis examines the highest cancer risk over a lifetime posed by exposure to facility emissions. The Air District found the Richmond refinery exposure to be 37 chances in a million, which is more than three times higher than its threshold for action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The air regulator requires facilities to take action to reduce the risk if it equals or exceeds 10 in a million.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2145\" height=\"1228\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001825\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1.jpg 2145w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-2000x1145.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-160x92.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-768x440.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-1536x879.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CRR-Summary_Fig-3-1-2048x1172.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2145px) 100vw, 2145px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Air District’s breakdown of cancer risk from pollutants at Chevron’s Richmond refinery. (Courtesy of Bay Area Air District Staff)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It is an estimate based on worst-case scenarios,” said Ariana Husain, the regulator’s risk assessment manager. “It does not represent the average risk to residents in Richmond.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nor does it mean that 37 more people in a million will develop cancer, Husain said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really the first step in understanding risk posed by emissions from facility operations to the nearby community,” Husain said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The health risk assessment is a tool to measure the risk of toxic air contaminants from high-impact industrial facilities like Chevron’s Richmond refinery, Husain said. The Air District is empowered to conduct these assessments \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/rules-and-compliance/rules/regulation-11-rule-18-reduction-of-risk-from-air-toxic-emissions-at-existing-facilities\">under regulations\u003c/a> it adopted in 2017 and modified in June.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rules require those facilities to work with the air regulator to reduce emissions and the risk to communities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Caitlin Powell, a Chevron Richmond spokesperson, pushed back in an email and said the company found “significant issues” with the assessment “that we believe materially overstate the Richmond refinery’s emissions and modeled health risk.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Chevron also quickly circulated an \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/CHEVRON-RICHMOND-info-on-Bay-Area-Air-District-Draft-HRA-of-Richmond-Refinery-FAQ_Aug-2026.pdf\">FAQ document\u003c/a> to reporters about the assessment that categorized the tool as “conservative” and meant to understand where regulators should “focus efforts and resources to improve air quality and protect public health.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Scientific methods used in HRAs cannot be used to link individual illnesses to chemical exposures,” the document said.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>It also noted that the refinery’s cancer risk assessment “is not itself a violation” and fell below the “action” levels set by air districts in Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Chevron has 90 days to challenge the Air District’s findings and suggest modifications to the risk assessment. During that time, the public may also submit comments to the air regulator.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Long-term exposure to these substances may increase cancer risk and harm developmental, reproductive and immune systems. Children under two are more susceptible to effects. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District measured the potential impact of excess emissions on three categories of people with varying degrees of exposure. First, residents who they assumed to have 24 hours a day of exposure, non-resident refinery workers who face 8 hours of exposure a day, and students who attended school near the refinery but lived elsewhere.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The assessment found that people who live within approximately 3 miles of the refinery, including in the communities of Achitson, Brickyard Cove, Iron Triangle, Point Richmond and North Richmond, face the greatest health risk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1616\" height=\"1265\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001806\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2.png 1616w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-160x125.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-768x601.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/Figure-2-1536x1202.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1616px) 100vw, 1616px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This map shows where the cancer risk is highest around Chevron’s Richmond refinery, according to air regulators. (Courtesy of Bay Area Air District Staff)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chevron workers who live out of town did not face an increased risk of cancer, but are subject to acute one-hour releases of benzene that can evaporate from the refinery’s waste treatment system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That is a toxic air contaminant that you can get irritated by in a very short amount of time,” Radhakrishna said. “Smelling it in your nose, in your mouth, in your throat, in your lungs, coughing attacks, and exacerbation of existing health conditions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The effects of benzene are temporary and based on proximity to the refinery, according to the report, but Radhakrishna noted that repeated exposure to benzene can also contribute to cancer over the long term.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The health risk assessment found that children who attend schools near the refinery but don’t live in the area did not face an elevated risk of cancer, but are exposed to risks from the one-hour releases, as are residents and anyone within approximately three miles of the facilities when it releases emissions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Air District scheduled a public meeting to explain the findings and the comment process on Monday, Sept. 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the Richmond Memorial Civic Auditorium and Convention Center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The air regulators will consider both public comment and responses from Chevron before issuing a final risk assessment for the Richmond refinery. Then the company is required to submit a plan to reduce the risk, which will also be open to public comment and must ultimately be approved by the Air District.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/2001777/residents-near-chevrons-richmond-refinery-face-higher-risk-of-cancer-air-district-says",
"authors": [
"6625"
],
"categories": [
"science_35",
"science_39",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_524",
"science_856",
"science_374",
"science_5193",
"science_354",
"science_4414",
"science_5181",
"science_4277",
"science_553",
"science_1455",
"science_309"
],
"featImg": "science_1997208",
"label": "source_science_2001777"
},
"science_1930023": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1930023",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1930023",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1785510306000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "map-heres-your-daily-air-quality-report-for-the-bay-area",
"title": "Your Bay Area Air Quality Map",
"publishDate": 1785510306,
"format": "aside",
"headTitle": "Your Bay Area Air Quality Map | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1968622/mapa-reporte-actual-de-la-calidad-del-aire-en-el-area-de-la-bahia\">Leer en español\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Concerned about wildfire smoke in your region? This map shows air quality ratings for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> and California, updated every hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The large circles on the map show Air Quality Index (AQI) values — for ozone and AQI2.5 — as measured at official, outdoor permanent monitoring sites managed in the Bay Area by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/about-air-quality/current-air-quality\">Air Quality Management District\u003c/a> and submitted to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.airnow.gov/\">U.S. EPA’s AirNow database\u003c/a>. Data from these sensors is updated hourly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Smaller squares show real-time PM2.5 readings at low-cost, individually owned \u003ca href=\"https://map.purpleair.com/air-quality-standards-us-epa-aqi?opt=%2F1%2Flp%2Fa10%2Fp604800%2FcC0#7.72/37.63/-121.556\">PurpleAir sensors\u003c/a> that may be located indoors or outdoors. Data is updated every four hours. Outliers may be a result of localized activities, such as small fires or exposure to vehicle exhaust. Alternatively, healthy air quality in an otherwise unhealthy location could be the result of a sensor placed in a well-ventilated indoor area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Use the layer selector in the top left corner to toggle between layer views, including current wind and weather patterns, based on hourly weather station data provided by NOAA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>If the map does not display below, \u003ca href=\"https://kqedsf.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=a5534be2dbad4a168130942a641ab643\">view it here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv style=\"width: 100%;\" align=\"center\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://kqedsf.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=a5534be2dbad4a168130942a641ab643\" width=\"100%\" height=\"700\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:0\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Map produced by Matthew Green and \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-soule-6a085819/\">Brendan Soulé\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>What does AQI mean?\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a scale used to measure and report air pollution levels. It tells you how clean or polluted the air is and what health effects might be a concern. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generally, AQI values above 100 are considered unhealthy. Specifically, values between 101-150 are unhealthy for sensitive groups (like children, older adults, and people with heart or lung disease), 151-200 are unhealthy, 201-300 are very unhealthy, and anything over 300 is considered hazardous. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the air quality is poor (AQI above 100), it’s best to limit prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities. Sensitive groups should be especially cautious and may need to stay indoors. Checking the air quality forecast can help you plan your activities accordingly.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Want more information about air quality and wildfire smoke?\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1926793/protecting-your-health-from-toxic-wildfire-smoke\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1969271/making-sense-of-purple-air-vs-airnow-and-a-new-map-to-rule-them-all\">How to read air quality maps properly, from Purple Air to AirNow\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11834305/masks-for-smoke-and-covid-19-what-kind-is-best\">Which masks are best for smoke?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Here is an expanded list of other air quality measurement resources:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://mobile.arb.ca.gov/breathewell/CityList.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Air Resource Board Breathewell for Mobile\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"http://aqicn.org/city/california/san-francisco/san-francisco-arkansas-street/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">World Air Quality Index\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://fire.airnow.gov/?lat=37.7576497&lng=-122.4353884&zoom=10\">AirNow is also running a project\u003c/a> that adds data from low-cost sensors to a fire and smoke map.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Breathe easy: this regularly-updated air quality map shows wildfire smoke impacts across the Bay Area.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1785860706,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": true,
"iframeSrcs": [
"https://kqedsf.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html"
],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 15,
"wordCount": 402
},
"headData": {
"title": "Bay Area Air Quality: Check Local AQI Levels Anytime | KQED",
"description": "Track current air quality in the Bay Area with an interactive map showing official AQI and local sensor data to help you plan your day safely.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "Bay Area Air Quality: Check Local AQI Levels Anytime | KQED",
"socialDescription": "Track current air quality in the Bay Area with an interactive map showing official AQI and local sensor data to help you plan your day safely.",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Your Bay Area Air Quality Map",
"datePublished": "2026-07-31T08:05:06-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-08-04T09:25:06-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 31,
"slug": "climate",
"name": "Climate"
},
"source": "Air Quality",
"sticky": false,
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1930023/map-heres-your-daily-air-quality-report-for-the-bay-area",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1968622/mapa-reporte-actual-de-la-calidad-del-aire-en-el-area-de-la-bahia\">Leer en español\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Concerned about wildfire smoke in your region? This map shows air quality ratings for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> and California, updated every hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The large circles on the map show Air Quality Index (AQI) values — for ozone and AQI2.5 — as measured at official, outdoor permanent monitoring sites managed in the Bay Area by the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/about-air-quality/current-air-quality\">Air Quality Management District\u003c/a> and submitted to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.airnow.gov/\">U.S. EPA’s AirNow database\u003c/a>. Data from these sensors is updated hourly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Smaller squares show real-time PM2.5 readings at low-cost, individually owned \u003ca href=\"https://map.purpleair.com/air-quality-standards-us-epa-aqi?opt=%2F1%2Flp%2Fa10%2Fp604800%2FcC0#7.72/37.63/-121.556\">PurpleAir sensors\u003c/a> that may be located indoors or outdoors. Data is updated every four hours. Outliers may be a result of localized activities, such as small fires or exposure to vehicle exhaust. Alternatively, healthy air quality in an otherwise unhealthy location could be the result of a sensor placed in a well-ventilated indoor area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Use the layer selector in the top left corner to toggle between layer views, including current wind and weather patterns, based on hourly weather station data provided by NOAA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>If the map does not display below, \u003ca href=\"https://kqedsf.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=a5534be2dbad4a168130942a641ab643\">view it here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv style=\"width: 100%;\" align=\"center\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://kqedsf.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=a5534be2dbad4a168130942a641ab643\" width=\"100%\" height=\"700\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:0\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Map produced by Matthew Green and \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-soule-6a085819/\">Brendan Soulé\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>What does AQI mean?\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a scale used to measure and report air pollution levels. It tells you how clean or polluted the air is and what health effects might be a concern. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generally, AQI values above 100 are considered unhealthy. Specifically, values between 101-150 are unhealthy for sensitive groups (like children, older adults, and people with heart or lung disease), 151-200 are unhealthy, 201-300 are very unhealthy, and anything over 300 is considered hazardous. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the air quality is poor (AQI above 100), it’s best to limit prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities. Sensitive groups should be especially cautious and may need to stay indoors. Checking the air quality forecast can help you plan your activities accordingly.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Want more information about air quality and wildfire smoke?\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1926793/protecting-your-health-from-toxic-wildfire-smoke\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1969271/making-sense-of-purple-air-vs-airnow-and-a-new-map-to-rule-them-all\">How to read air quality maps properly, from Purple Air to AirNow\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11834305/masks-for-smoke-and-covid-19-what-kind-is-best\">Which masks are best for smoke?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Here is an expanded list of other air quality measurement resources:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://mobile.arb.ca.gov/breathewell/CityList.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Air Resource Board Breathewell for Mobile\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"http://aqicn.org/city/california/san-francisco/san-francisco-arkansas-street/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">World Air Quality Index\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://fire.airnow.gov/?lat=37.7576497&lng=-122.4353884&zoom=10\">AirNow is also running a project\u003c/a> that adds data from low-cost sensors to a fire and smoke map.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1930023/map-heres-your-daily-air-quality-report-for-the-bay-area",
"authors": [
"1263"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_40",
"science_4450",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_505",
"science_524",
"science_4992",
"science_856",
"science_3820",
"science_3463",
"science_113",
"science_5342",
"science_5347"
],
"featImg": "science_1993849",
"label": "source_science_1930023"
},
"science_1999358": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1999358",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1999358",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1763685214000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-adopts-tougher-methane-rule-for-landfills-to-curb-planetary-warming",
"title": "California Adopts Tougher Methane Rule for Landfills to Curb Planetary Warming",
"publishDate": 1763685214,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "California Adopts Tougher Methane Rule for Landfills to Curb Planetary Warming | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Your trash, or the place where it ends up, is also one of the most serious contributors to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/global-warming\">global warming\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After livestock, landfills are the second-largest source of methane emissions in California, responsible for more than 20% of the state’s output. That’s why the California Air Resources Board took action on Thursday to monitor and capture the landfill’s gases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is generated from the breakdown of waste. Even though it’s a short-lived climate pollutant compared to long-lasting carbon dioxide, it severely exacerbates human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/landfill-methane-regulation\">new rules\u003c/a> will eventually require landfill operators to take action when a \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/californias-methane-satellite-helps-stop-10-large-leaks\">satellite\u003c/a> or airplane detects a methane leak, improve routine leak monitoring and reporting and mandate stronger action on recurring issues. The protections will add to a suite of regulations the state passed in 2010, which made California the first state to develop stricter standards than the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is another example of California’s leadership in reducing emissions and harmful climate-warming pollutants across all sources. With these updates, California will be able to more efficiently and effectively monitor methane sources to detect and remedy leaks quickly,” CARB Chair \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/about/leadership/lauren-sanchez\">Lauren Sanchez said \u003c/a>in a press release.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The board reported that the state’s methane satellite, which passes by four to five times a week, has helped stop 10 large leaks since May.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1999362\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1999362\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/230906-850-SINGLETON-RD-MD-09_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/230906-850-SINGLETON-RD-MD-09_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/230906-850-SINGLETON-RD-MD-09_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/230906-850-SINGLETON-RD-MD-09_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/230906-850-SINGLETON-RD-MD-09_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The landfill at 850 Singleton Road in San José, California, on Sept. 6, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We believe that many operators would be interested in adopting these technologies to reduce the need for costly labor, especially as the number of mature technologies increases over time,” said air resources engineer Quinn Langfitt, who introduced the regulator’s proposal at a public hearing on Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The changes, which will impact 188 landfills in the state, are part of meeting the state’s goal to reduce methane emissions by 40% below 2013 levels by 2030.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials said the new rules could reduce landfill emissions by 427,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. They would create $34 million in social benefits and cost landfills around $12 million, with the largest bearing the brunt of the price tag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A recent report backed up the agency’s findings: By 2050, landfill emissions could be reduced by more than half and up to 64% by the end of the century, according to \u003ca href=\"https://industriouslabs.org/archive/press-release-common-sense-standards-can-deliver-cleaner-air-cut-california-landfill-methane\">a March analysis\u003c/a> by Industrious Labs. The group noted that California landfills emit 7.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent of methane annually, which has “the same climate impact as driving 1.7 million cars for one year.”[aside postID=news_12061054 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/CHSugarCrockettGetty.jpg']But even though the board passed the new rules, they won’t go into effect immediately; staff will need to address a slew of clarifying questions raised by the public and board members during the hearing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CARB board member Diane Takvorian supported the rule but pushed for a public-facing dashboard to show when and where emissions plumes are detected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People are asking for basic information,” Takvorian said, noting that technology is moving fast and that people need information now, not in years. She and others recommended an 18-month technology review after the rule goes into effect. They also suggested that the state and landfills share any data with the public as soon as possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we have the data, we should share it,” board member Hector De La Torre said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>John Kennedy, senior policy advocate for the Rural County Representatives of California, said he is “supportive of efforts to reduce emissions.” His group represents more than two-thirds of the landfills to which the standards would apply. Kennedy wants to ensure that the implementation is feasible for local governments “while protecting the communities that are close to those landfills.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson from Waste Management, which does business as WM, representing facilities across the state, thanked staff for the updated plan, but said he hopes they will work with the industry on site-specific conditions, which of the new rules are “necessary and useful to diagnose conditions,” and a framework for using alternative monitoring technologies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1947347\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1925px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1947347\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/09/GettyImages-2154411-e1568322782842.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1925\" height=\"1258\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A worker watches as aluminum cans are emptied into a bailer at the Norcal Waste recycling facility on July 11, 2003, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Multiple residents from the Los Angeles community of Val Verde attended the meeting. They said they have suffered because of widespread noxious odors and hazardous gas emissions from the \u003ca href=\"https://calepa.ca.gov/chiquita-canyon-response/\">Chiquita Canyon Landfill\u003c/a> in recent years. Brandi Howse, who spoke during public comment, said she has lived about 1,000 feet from the landfill for 27 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Howse said she has experienced clouds of methane and other gases at her home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You become dizzy, disoriented, nauseous, you get headaches, burning sinuses and bloody noses,” Howse said. “We are left to be concerned with long-term effects. I know that myself and my neighbors to my left and my right have all had cancer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Community members from the Kern County community of Avenal approached the podium to say that the landfill in their community is causing health concerns like cancer and people are leaving the town because of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The smell is really bad,” said Leticia Luna, who moved to Avenal 15 years ago. “People are leaving our community because their homes are not safe, and when they leave, they find it difficult to sell because we live very close to the landfill.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While many groups applauded the new rule, \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-williams-36820528b/\">Jane Williams\u003c/a>, executive director of California Communities Against Toxics, said it is a “real first step,” and that CARB needs even stronger rules to prevent fires and large emission leaks at landfills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "California adopted new rules to better detect and curb methane leaks from landfills, aiming to reduce the state’s second-largest source of climate-warming pollution.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1763687525,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 23,
"wordCount": 1005
},
"headData": {
"title": "California Adopts Tougher Methane Rule for Landfills to Curb Planetary Warming | KQED",
"description": "California adopted new rules to better detect and curb methane leaks from landfills, aiming to reduce the state’s second-largest source of climate-warming pollution.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "California Adopts Tougher Methane Rule for Landfills to Curb Planetary Warming",
"datePublished": "2025-11-20T16:33:34-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-11-20T17:12:05-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 35,
"slug": "environment",
"name": "Environment"
},
"source": "News",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1999358",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1999358/california-adopts-tougher-methane-rule-for-landfills-to-curb-planetary-warming",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Your trash, or the place where it ends up, is also one of the most serious contributors to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/global-warming\">global warming\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After livestock, landfills are the second-largest source of methane emissions in California, responsible for more than 20% of the state’s output. That’s why the California Air Resources Board took action on Thursday to monitor and capture the landfill’s gases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is generated from the breakdown of waste. Even though it’s a short-lived climate pollutant compared to long-lasting carbon dioxide, it severely exacerbates human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/landfill-methane-regulation\">new rules\u003c/a> will eventually require landfill operators to take action when a \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/californias-methane-satellite-helps-stop-10-large-leaks\">satellite\u003c/a> or airplane detects a methane leak, improve routine leak monitoring and reporting and mandate stronger action on recurring issues. The protections will add to a suite of regulations the state passed in 2010, which made California the first state to develop stricter standards than the federal government.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is another example of California’s leadership in reducing emissions and harmful climate-warming pollutants across all sources. With these updates, California will be able to more efficiently and effectively monitor methane sources to detect and remedy leaks quickly,” CARB Chair \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/about/leadership/lauren-sanchez\">Lauren Sanchez said \u003c/a>in a press release.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The board reported that the state’s methane satellite, which passes by four to five times a week, has helped stop 10 large leaks since May.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1999362\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1999362\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/230906-850-SINGLETON-RD-MD-09_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/230906-850-SINGLETON-RD-MD-09_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/230906-850-SINGLETON-RD-MD-09_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/230906-850-SINGLETON-RD-MD-09_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/230906-850-SINGLETON-RD-MD-09_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The landfill at 850 Singleton Road in San José, California, on Sept. 6, 2023. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We believe that many operators would be interested in adopting these technologies to reduce the need for costly labor, especially as the number of mature technologies increases over time,” said air resources engineer Quinn Langfitt, who introduced the regulator’s proposal at a public hearing on Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The changes, which will impact 188 landfills in the state, are part of meeting the state’s goal to reduce methane emissions by 40% below 2013 levels by 2030.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officials said the new rules could reduce landfill emissions by 427,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. They would create $34 million in social benefits and cost landfills around $12 million, with the largest bearing the brunt of the price tag.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A recent report backed up the agency’s findings: By 2050, landfill emissions could be reduced by more than half and up to 64% by the end of the century, according to \u003ca href=\"https://industriouslabs.org/archive/press-release-common-sense-standards-can-deliver-cleaner-air-cut-california-landfill-methane\">a March analysis\u003c/a> by Industrious Labs. The group noted that California landfills emit 7.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent of methane annually, which has “the same climate impact as driving 1.7 million cars for one year.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12061054",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/CHSugarCrockettGetty.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But even though the board passed the new rules, they won’t go into effect immediately; staff will need to address a slew of clarifying questions raised by the public and board members during the hearing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CARB board member Diane Takvorian supported the rule but pushed for a public-facing dashboard to show when and where emissions plumes are detected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People are asking for basic information,” Takvorian said, noting that technology is moving fast and that people need information now, not in years. She and others recommended an 18-month technology review after the rule goes into effect. They also suggested that the state and landfills share any data with the public as soon as possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If we have the data, we should share it,” board member Hector De La Torre said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>John Kennedy, senior policy advocate for the Rural County Representatives of California, said he is “supportive of efforts to reduce emissions.” His group represents more than two-thirds of the landfills to which the standards would apply. Kennedy wants to ensure that the implementation is feasible for local governments “while protecting the communities that are close to those landfills.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson from Waste Management, which does business as WM, representing facilities across the state, thanked staff for the updated plan, but said he hopes they will work with the industry on site-specific conditions, which of the new rules are “necessary and useful to diagnose conditions,” and a framework for using alternative monitoring technologies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1947347\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1925px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1947347\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2019/09/GettyImages-2154411-e1568322782842.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1925\" height=\"1258\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A worker watches as aluminum cans are emptied into a bailer at the Norcal Waste recycling facility on July 11, 2003, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Multiple residents from the Los Angeles community of Val Verde attended the meeting. They said they have suffered because of widespread noxious odors and hazardous gas emissions from the \u003ca href=\"https://calepa.ca.gov/chiquita-canyon-response/\">Chiquita Canyon Landfill\u003c/a> in recent years. Brandi Howse, who spoke during public comment, said she has lived about 1,000 feet from the landfill for 27 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Howse said she has experienced clouds of methane and other gases at her home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You become dizzy, disoriented, nauseous, you get headaches, burning sinuses and bloody noses,” Howse said. “We are left to be concerned with long-term effects. I know that myself and my neighbors to my left and my right have all had cancer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Community members from the Kern County community of Avenal approached the podium to say that the landfill in their community is causing health concerns like cancer and people are leaving the town because of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The smell is really bad,” said Leticia Luna, who moved to Avenal 15 years ago. “People are leaving our community because their homes are not safe, and when they leave, they find it difficult to sell because we live very close to the landfill.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While many groups applauded the new rule, \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-williams-36820528b/\">Jane Williams\u003c/a>, executive director of California Communities Against Toxics, said it is a “real first step,” and that CARB needs even stronger rules to prevent fires and large emission leaks at landfills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1999358/california-adopts-tougher-methane-rule-for-landfills-to-curb-planetary-warming",
"authors": [
"11746"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_4550",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_505",
"science_524",
"science_856",
"science_5178",
"science_194",
"science_192",
"science_4414"
],
"featImg": "science_1999381",
"label": "source_science_1999358"
},
"science_1998274": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1998274",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1998274",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1756242055000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "a-new-sonoma-facility-wants-to-recycle-plastics-residents-are-pushing-back",
"title": "A New Sonoma Facility Wants to Recycle Plastics. Residents Are Pushing Back",
"publishDate": 1756242055,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "A New Sonoma Facility Wants to Recycle Plastics. Residents Are Pushing Back | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Business leaders of a new facility in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/rohnert-park\">Rohnert Park\u003c/a> who have promised to divert plastic waste from landfills have found themselves at the center of a controversy, with residents concerned the operation will cause environmental harm, pose safety hazards and impact property values.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neighbors opposed to the project have garnered thousands of signatures on an \u003ca href=\"https://www.change.org/p/demanding-priority-of-public-safety-and-health-halt-permitting-plastic-pyrolysis-facility?\">online petition\u003c/a> to halt the permitting of the facility, which they plan to deliver to the government and officials with the Bay Area Air District.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Resynergi facility sits in the heart of SOMO Village, a new construction, sustainability-focused mixed-use development for businesses, homes and a high school. The recycler is currently awaiting permit approval from the Air District in order to begin operating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in an effort to stall that approval, residents have packed city council and school board meetings, speaking out with their concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Rohnert Park will suddenly have the reputation of being the garbage dump of Sonoma County,” resident James Griffin said during a recent city council meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parents of students who attend Credo High School, which is located near the facility, said at the same meeting that they are worried about their kids’ health and safety.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1998293\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1998293\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/250702-JosephHuffakerTrial-18-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/250702-JosephHuffakerTrial-18-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/250702-JosephHuffakerTrial-18-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/250702-JosephHuffakerTrial-18-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/250702-JosephHuffakerTrial-18-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sign for Rohnert Park on Commerce Boulevard in Rohnert Park on July 2, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Many of us will take our kids out of that very fabulous school and very fabulous environment due to the unnecessary risk that’s there if it opens,” parent Wowlvenn Seward-Katzmiller said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to the pushback, Resynergi officials have been hosting open houses for the community to tour the facility and learn more about the recycling process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve been working really hard to educate people that we don’t do smoke stacks,” Resynergi co-founder and CEO Brian Bauer said. “We’re actually a very clean process because we follow real closely the air district and the city fire department and all the different groups that regulate this type of thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The process Resynergi uses to recycle plastic is called pyrolysis, which involves heating plastic without the use of oxygen. Bauer said there are byproducts of that process, including volatile organic compounds, which can cause cancer, but that they are minimal.[aside postID=science_1998209 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/GettyImages-1271601364.jpg']“Those VOCs coming out of our system are about the equivalent to one passenger car driving down the road,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bauer also said the chance for an explosion at the facility is extremely low.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At any one time, we have very little gases in our system,” he said. “It would be equivalent to camping stove propane. That’s your potential of ignition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, local and state regulators are investigating three sites where Resynergi conducted business in the last several years — including the SOMO Village facility. Air district regulators alleged the company did not have proper permits at these locations, \u003ca href=\"https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/north-bay/resynergi-regulatory-permits-recycling/?\">according to a report in The Press Democrat\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lynda Hopkins, chair of the Air District’s board, told KQED the agency issued a violation against the company for moving forward “with construction of the unit without actually having a construction permit in hand. [The facility] is being closely tracked by a variety of different government agencies in Sonoma County and beyond.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The environmental group California Communities Against Toxics has also filed an \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/2025-08-13-LBauer-60-NoticeResynergifx.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">intent to sue Resynergi\u003c/a> over permit issues, claiming the company’s recycling operations violated the Clean Air Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Bauer denied that claim and said they have not started operating at that location yet, and there is no basis for the lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Air District delayed its approval of \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/engineering/public-notices/2025/704470/fid203504_nsr_704470_eval_071825-pdf.pdf?rev=11ecccc3400042a09b30cd5817e00211&sc_lang=en\">Resynergi’s permit\u003c/a> in order to give the public more time to submit comments. The deadline is now Oct. 3.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve had a lot of folks coming to me trying to get me to essentially put a stop to the permitting process,” Hopkins said. “As long as a project is in compliance with our rules, it will move forward through the permitting process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Rohnert Park residents worry the new Resynergi plastic recycling facility will degrade air quality and pose safety concerns.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1756231569,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 20,
"wordCount": 708
},
"headData": {
"title": "A New Sonoma Facility Wants to Recycle Plastics. Residents Are Pushing Back | KQED",
"description": "Rohnert Park residents worry the new Resynergi plastic recycling facility will degrade air quality and pose safety concerns.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "A New Sonoma Facility Wants to Recycle Plastics. Residents Are Pushing Back",
"datePublished": "2025-08-26T14:00:55-07:00",
"dateModified": "2025-08-26T11:06:09-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 40,
"slug": "news",
"name": "News"
},
"source": "News",
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/6dcf66f9-7a82-4ec2-8b30-b344010fe404/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1998274/a-new-sonoma-facility-wants-to-recycle-plastics-residents-are-pushing-back",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Business leaders of a new facility in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/rohnert-park\">Rohnert Park\u003c/a> who have promised to divert plastic waste from landfills have found themselves at the center of a controversy, with residents concerned the operation will cause environmental harm, pose safety hazards and impact property values.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neighbors opposed to the project have garnered thousands of signatures on an \u003ca href=\"https://www.change.org/p/demanding-priority-of-public-safety-and-health-halt-permitting-plastic-pyrolysis-facility?\">online petition\u003c/a> to halt the permitting of the facility, which they plan to deliver to the government and officials with the Bay Area Air District.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Resynergi facility sits in the heart of SOMO Village, a new construction, sustainability-focused mixed-use development for businesses, homes and a high school. The recycler is currently awaiting permit approval from the Air District in order to begin operating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in an effort to stall that approval, residents have packed city council and school board meetings, speaking out with their concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Rohnert Park will suddenly have the reputation of being the garbage dump of Sonoma County,” resident James Griffin said during a recent city council meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parents of students who attend Credo High School, which is located near the facility, said at the same meeting that they are worried about their kids’ health and safety.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1998293\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1998293\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/250702-JosephHuffakerTrial-18-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/250702-JosephHuffakerTrial-18-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/250702-JosephHuffakerTrial-18-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/250702-JosephHuffakerTrial-18-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/250702-JosephHuffakerTrial-18-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sign for Rohnert Park on Commerce Boulevard in Rohnert Park on July 2, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Many of us will take our kids out of that very fabulous school and very fabulous environment due to the unnecessary risk that’s there if it opens,” parent Wowlvenn Seward-Katzmiller said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to the pushback, Resynergi officials have been hosting open houses for the community to tour the facility and learn more about the recycling process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve been working really hard to educate people that we don’t do smoke stacks,” Resynergi co-founder and CEO Brian Bauer said. “We’re actually a very clean process because we follow real closely the air district and the city fire department and all the different groups that regulate this type of thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The process Resynergi uses to recycle plastic is called pyrolysis, which involves heating plastic without the use of oxygen. Bauer said there are byproducts of that process, including volatile organic compounds, which can cause cancer, but that they are minimal.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1998209",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/GettyImages-1271601364.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Those VOCs coming out of our system are about the equivalent to one passenger car driving down the road,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bauer also said the chance for an explosion at the facility is extremely low.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At any one time, we have very little gases in our system,” he said. “It would be equivalent to camping stove propane. That’s your potential of ignition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, local and state regulators are investigating three sites where Resynergi conducted business in the last several years — including the SOMO Village facility. Air district regulators alleged the company did not have proper permits at these locations, \u003ca href=\"https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/north-bay/resynergi-regulatory-permits-recycling/?\">according to a report in The Press Democrat\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lynda Hopkins, chair of the Air District’s board, told KQED the agency issued a violation against the company for moving forward “with construction of the unit without actually having a construction permit in hand. [The facility] is being closely tracked by a variety of different government agencies in Sonoma County and beyond.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The environmental group California Communities Against Toxics has also filed an \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/2025-08-13-LBauer-60-NoticeResynergifx.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">intent to sue Resynergi\u003c/a> over permit issues, claiming the company’s recycling operations violated the Clean Air Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Bauer denied that claim and said they have not started operating at that location yet, and there is no basis for the lawsuit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Air District delayed its approval of \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/engineering/public-notices/2025/704470/fid203504_nsr_704470_eval_071825-pdf.pdf?rev=11ecccc3400042a09b30cd5817e00211&sc_lang=en\">Resynergi’s permit\u003c/a> in order to give the public more time to submit comments. The deadline is now Oct. 3.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve had a lot of folks coming to me trying to get me to essentially put a stop to the permitting process,” Hopkins said. “As long as a project is in compliance with our rules, it will move forward through the permitting process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1998274/a-new-sonoma-facility-wants-to-recycle-plastics-residents-are-pushing-back",
"authors": [
"11362"
],
"categories": [
"science_35",
"science_39",
"science_4550",
"science_40"
],
"tags": [
"science_505",
"science_524",
"science_856",
"science_5178",
"science_192",
"science_4414",
"science_5181",
"science_3103",
"science_1189",
"science_554",
"science_4277",
"science_269",
"science_5338"
],
"featImg": "science_1998283",
"label": "source_science_1998274"
},
"science_1995349": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1995349",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1995349",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1734523255000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "gas-stoves-pollute-the-air-inside-your-home-heres-how-to-keep-it-clean",
"title": "Gas Stoves Pollute the Air Inside Your Home. Here’s How to Keep It Clean",
"publishDate": 1734523255,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Gas Stoves Pollute the Air Inside Your Home. Here’s How to Keep It Clean | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Perhaps you’ve heard that \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2024/12/18/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on/\">pollution from gas stoves can harm your health\u003c/a>. What can you do to minimize your risk of exposure? Heaving your gas stove to the curb and going for an induction or electric one is an option, but that is available to just a limited number of people who own their home and can afford it. Luckily, there are a host of more accessible and low-cost solutions, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The simplest and most affordable options\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Switch on your hood.\u003c/strong> Many hoods vent outdoors, which can help cut down on pollution. The effectiveness of hoods really varies, with some cutting pollution by less than 15% and others by more than 98%, according to a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory \u003ca href=\"https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/ehp.122-A154\">study\u003c/a>, which found most of the hoods they tested fell on the less effective end of that spectrum. Cooking on rear burners allowed hoods to capture more pollution than on the front ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Throw open windows when cooking, and keep them that way for a while afterward.\u003c/strong> This will move the dirty indoor air out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buy or loan a portable, plug-in induction cooktop.\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/tillreda-portable-induction-cooktop-1-zone-white-10493520/\">Like this\u003c/a> one from IKEA, which retails for $60 at the time of publication. Keep in mind that you need to use pots and pans compatible with induction, like stainless steel or cast iron. Some \u003ca href=\"https://pge-induction.myturn.com/library/\">utilities\u003c/a> and even \u003ca href=\"https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/4625/Induction-Cooktop-Loaner-Program\">public libraries\u003c/a> have loaner programs, so you can try these cooktops out before you purchase.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Turn on other electric appliances to cook when possible.\u003c/strong> Slow cookers, instapots, toaster ovens and electric tea kettles can help you minimize how frequently you cook on your gas stove.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The more complicated, full change out\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Take the plunge and purchase an induction or electric stove.\u003c/strong> The prices of induction stoves have come down in recent years, and highly rated ones now sell for under $1000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The stoves are efficient, fast, and quiet. Induction groupies tout their safety around children or the elderly with memory issues – no one is accidentally turning or leaving a burner on. The surface of an induction cooktop won’t heat up unless there is a pot or pan on top.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some incentives are available for induction stoves in California. See what you qualify for at the \u003ca href=\"https://incentives.switchison.org/residents/incentives?state=CA&_ga=2.243644357.1934015849.1732736439-1384157352.1732736439&_gl=1*dqc5fb*_gcl_au*NjQ5Nzk2MjQuMTczMjczNjQzOA..*_ga*MTM4NDE1NzM1Mi4xNzMyNzM2NDM5*_ga_8NM1W0PLNN*MTczMjczODkzNC4yLjAuMTczMjczODkzNC42MC4wLjA.\">Switch Is On\u003c/a>, a website that helps identify rebates and contractors for going electric.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Electric stoves are no longer made up of those black coils that slowly heat up, they too have come a long way. Like induction, new electric stoves are efficient and don’t create the pollution associated with gas stoves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you go for a new stove, most homes will require rewiring to accommodate the appliance, which uses more energy than a gas stove. The costs can be significant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Innovators have met this challenge by building stoves that can plug into a standard outlet, eliminating the need to mess with your electrical setup. Stoves like \u003ca href=\"https://copperhome.com/products/charlie\">this one\u003c/a> from company Copper include a battery inside, which could allow you to keep using it during a power outage. They come with a hefty price tag of roughly $6,000, but that is offset by a 30% \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5695.pdf\">federal tax credit (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Pollutants that come from cooking food, regardless of fuel\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Gas pollution aside, there’s good reason to keep your hood on or open windows when cooking, regardless of how you do it. Cooking food on both gas and electric ranges will produce tiny particles called PM2.5.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Exposure to this kind of pollution from wildfire smoke has adverse health effects, but there isn’t as much data on the health effects of PM2.5 from cooking, said UCSF doctor and physician scientist John Balmes of the California Air Resources Board. Balmes is part of a current study that is looking into this.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Pushback from industry\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Lobbying groups like the American Gas Association challenge the assertion that gas stoves harm health, writing in an email to KQED that “the U.S. government and the regulatory agencies responsible for protecting residential consumer health and safety do not recognize any documented risks to respiratory health from natural gas stoves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/nitrogen-dioxides-impact-indoor-air-quality\">this EPA page\u003c/a> does discuss harms associated with nitrogen dioxide and said a source of the gas is “unvented combustion appliances, e.g., gas stoves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Health groups like the \u003ca href=\"https://policysearch.ama-assn.org/policyfinder/detail/gas%20stove?uri=%2FAMADoc%2Fdirectives.xml-D-135.964.xml\">American Medical Association\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2023/01/18/gas-stove-emissions\">American Public Health Association\u003c/a> are now warning that gas stoves increase the risk of respiratory illnesses and suggest people take steps to minimize the risks they pose.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Cooking with gas warms the planet\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Beyond health concerns, another reason to swap your gas stove for an electric one is because natural gas contributes to global warming, and relying on California’s greening electric grid creates fewer greenhouse gases. Methane warms the climate at nearly 80 times the rate of carbon dioxide, although it stays in the atmosphere for a much shorter period of time, around a decade or two, as opposed to hundreds or thousands of years like carbon dioxide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.1c04707\">One study\u003c/a> estimated that the amount of methane emitted from all gas stoves in U.S. homes was similar to the annual emissions of 500,000 cars. This same study found that some gas stoves leaked methane even while off.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>What you do depends on your risk tolerance\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>So, you may be asking, should I get rid of my gas stove? It depends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In terms of health, “Whether you choose to do so or not is up to a whole lot of factors like your personal risk tolerance, whether you have an old stove or a new stove, whether you can afford to switch one out,” said Yannai Kashtan, a scientist with PSE Healthy Energy. “But we do want to be clear that it’s settled science. If you have a gas stove, you’re going to be exposed to more air pollution.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Cooking with gas? Follow these simple tips to minimize your exposure to pollutants. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1734550675,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 22,
"wordCount": 981
},
"headData": {
"title": "Gas Stoves Pollute the Air Inside Your Home. Here’s How to Keep It Clean | KQED",
"description": "Cooking with gas? Follow these simple tips to minimize your exposure to pollutants. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Gas Stoves Pollute the Air Inside Your Home. Here’s How to Keep It Clean",
"datePublished": "2024-12-18T04:00:55-08:00",
"dateModified": "2024-12-18T11:37:55-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Food",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-1995349",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1995349/gas-stoves-pollute-the-air-inside-your-home-heres-how-to-keep-it-clean",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Perhaps you’ve heard that \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2024/12/18/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on/\">pollution from gas stoves can harm your health\u003c/a>. What can you do to minimize your risk of exposure? Heaving your gas stove to the curb and going for an induction or electric one is an option, but that is available to just a limited number of people who own their home and can afford it. Luckily, there are a host of more accessible and low-cost solutions, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The simplest and most affordable options\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Switch on your hood.\u003c/strong> Many hoods vent outdoors, which can help cut down on pollution. The effectiveness of hoods really varies, with some cutting pollution by less than 15% and others by more than 98%, according to a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory \u003ca href=\"https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/ehp.122-A154\">study\u003c/a>, which found most of the hoods they tested fell on the less effective end of that spectrum. Cooking on rear burners allowed hoods to capture more pollution than on the front ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Throw open windows when cooking, and keep them that way for a while afterward.\u003c/strong> This will move the dirty indoor air out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buy or loan a portable, plug-in induction cooktop.\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/tillreda-portable-induction-cooktop-1-zone-white-10493520/\">Like this\u003c/a> one from IKEA, which retails for $60 at the time of publication. Keep in mind that you need to use pots and pans compatible with induction, like stainless steel or cast iron. Some \u003ca href=\"https://pge-induction.myturn.com/library/\">utilities\u003c/a> and even \u003ca href=\"https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/4625/Induction-Cooktop-Loaner-Program\">public libraries\u003c/a> have loaner programs, so you can try these cooktops out before you purchase.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Turn on other electric appliances to cook when possible.\u003c/strong> Slow cookers, instapots, toaster ovens and electric tea kettles can help you minimize how frequently you cook on your gas stove.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>The more complicated, full change out\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Take the plunge and purchase an induction or electric stove.\u003c/strong> The prices of induction stoves have come down in recent years, and highly rated ones now sell for under $1000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The stoves are efficient, fast, and quiet. Induction groupies tout their safety around children or the elderly with memory issues – no one is accidentally turning or leaving a burner on. The surface of an induction cooktop won’t heat up unless there is a pot or pan on top.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some incentives are available for induction stoves in California. See what you qualify for at the \u003ca href=\"https://incentives.switchison.org/residents/incentives?state=CA&_ga=2.243644357.1934015849.1732736439-1384157352.1732736439&_gl=1*dqc5fb*_gcl_au*NjQ5Nzk2MjQuMTczMjczNjQzOA..*_ga*MTM4NDE1NzM1Mi4xNzMyNzM2NDM5*_ga_8NM1W0PLNN*MTczMjczODkzNC4yLjAuMTczMjczODkzNC42MC4wLjA.\">Switch Is On\u003c/a>, a website that helps identify rebates and contractors for going electric.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Electric stoves are no longer made up of those black coils that slowly heat up, they too have come a long way. Like induction, new electric stoves are efficient and don’t create the pollution associated with gas stoves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you go for a new stove, most homes will require rewiring to accommodate the appliance, which uses more energy than a gas stove. The costs can be significant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Innovators have met this challenge by building stoves that can plug into a standard outlet, eliminating the need to mess with your electrical setup. Stoves like \u003ca href=\"https://copperhome.com/products/charlie\">this one\u003c/a> from company Copper include a battery inside, which could allow you to keep using it during a power outage. They come with a hefty price tag of roughly $6,000, but that is offset by a 30% \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5695.pdf\">federal tax credit (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Pollutants that come from cooking food, regardless of fuel\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Gas pollution aside, there’s good reason to keep your hood on or open windows when cooking, regardless of how you do it. Cooking food on both gas and electric ranges will produce tiny particles called PM2.5.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Exposure to this kind of pollution from wildfire smoke has adverse health effects, but there isn’t as much data on the health effects of PM2.5 from cooking, said UCSF doctor and physician scientist John Balmes of the California Air Resources Board. Balmes is part of a current study that is looking into this.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Pushback from industry\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Lobbying groups like the American Gas Association challenge the assertion that gas stoves harm health, writing in an email to KQED that “the U.S. government and the regulatory agencies responsible for protecting residential consumer health and safety do not recognize any documented risks to respiratory health from natural gas stoves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/nitrogen-dioxides-impact-indoor-air-quality\">this EPA page\u003c/a> does discuss harms associated with nitrogen dioxide and said a source of the gas is “unvented combustion appliances, e.g., gas stoves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Health groups like the \u003ca href=\"https://policysearch.ama-assn.org/policyfinder/detail/gas%20stove?uri=%2FAMADoc%2Fdirectives.xml-D-135.964.xml\">American Medical Association\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2023/01/18/gas-stove-emissions\">American Public Health Association\u003c/a> are now warning that gas stoves increase the risk of respiratory illnesses and suggest people take steps to minimize the risks they pose.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Cooking with gas warms the planet\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Beyond health concerns, another reason to swap your gas stove for an electric one is because natural gas contributes to global warming, and relying on California’s greening electric grid creates fewer greenhouse gases. Methane warms the climate at nearly 80 times the rate of carbon dioxide, although it stays in the atmosphere for a much shorter period of time, around a decade or two, as opposed to hundreds or thousands of years like carbon dioxide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.1c04707\">One study\u003c/a> estimated that the amount of methane emitted from all gas stoves in U.S. homes was similar to the annual emissions of 500,000 cars. This same study found that some gas stoves leaked methane even while off.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>What you do depends on your risk tolerance\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>So, you may be asking, should I get rid of my gas stove? It depends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In terms of health, “Whether you choose to do so or not is up to a whole lot of factors like your personal risk tolerance, whether you have an old stove or a new stove, whether you can afford to switch one out,” said Yannai Kashtan, a scientist with PSE Healthy Energy. “But we do want to be clear that it’s settled science. If you have a gas stove, you’re going to be exposed to more air pollution.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1995349/gas-stoves-pollute-the-air-inside-your-home-heres-how-to-keep-it-clean",
"authors": [
"8648"
],
"categories": [
"science_33",
"science_36",
"science_4550",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_505",
"science_524",
"science_953"
],
"featImg": "science_1995365",
"label": "source_science_1995349"
},
"science_1984299": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1984299",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1984299",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1695306643000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1695306643,
"format": "standard",
"title": "How Wildfire Smoke Is Erasing Years of Progress Toward Cleaning Up America's Air",
"headTitle": "How Wildfire Smoke Is Erasing Years of Progress Toward Cleaning Up America’s Air | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Over the last few decades, air in the U.S. has undergone a remarkable transformation: pollution levels of health-damaging tiny particles have dropped by roughly 40% since 2000, primarily thanks to the country’s decades-long effort to improve air quality through the Clean Air Act, a landmark environmental law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Smoke from wildfires fueled by human-driven climate change, however, has erased roughly 25% of those air quality gains, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06522-6\">a new study\u003c/a> published Wednesday in \u003cem>Nature\u003c/em>. “We’ve seen really remarkable improvements in air quality,” says Marissa Childs, one of the authors of the study and a researcher at Harvard’s Center for the Environment. “But wildfire smoke is undoing that progress in many states.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The effects are more pronounced in Western states, where smoke-laden days have become an annual fact of life. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/10/25/1131279317/pacific-northwest-schools-cancel-outdoor-activities-when-air-quality-is-unhealth\">Schools\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/transcripts/550656850\"> keep kids inside during recess\u003c/a>; \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/08/25/1195926923/canada-wildfire-smoke-asthma-cdc-new-york-hospital-visits\">emergency rooms\u003c/a> know to prepare when wildfires break out nearby. The study found that since 2016, in states like California, Washington, and Oregon, wildfire smoke has added enough pollution to the air to wipe out nearly half of the total air quality gains made from 2000 onward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Midwest, South, and eastern states are not immune. “This is impacting way more places than we used to think and at a larger scale,” says Childs. Even before this year’s\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/08/22/1195154996/some-of-canadas-wildfires-likely-made-worse-by-human-driven-climate-change\"> Canadian wildfires\u003c/a> blanketed the Eastern seaboard in thick smoke, smoke plumes regularly tanked air quality far from\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/06/26/1184393713/canadas-wildfires-are-part-of-a-worrying-trend-but-theyre-not-without-precedent\"> the actual wildfires\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Clean Air Act worked until now\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The bipartisan Clean Air Act, signed into law in 1970, has had remarkable success cleaning up \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/06/19/1179670466/air-pollution-satellite-baltimore-climate-change\">the nation’s air\u003c/a>. In its first few decades, levels of the six major pollutants it addressed dropped by \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/40th-anniversary-clean-air-act\">more than 40%\u003c/a>. Since 2000, the drop has continued nearly everywhere in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Marissa Childs, author and researcher, Harvard's Center for the Environment\"]‘We’ve seen really remarkable improvements in air quality. But wildfire smoke is undoing that progress in many states.’[/pullquote]One major target of the Clean Air Act is PM2.5 — tiny particles about 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. Many different sources contribute to PM2.5 including dust, and soot from burning coal or gas. The super-small particles are also produced when anything burns such as forests, grasslands, and houses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Closing or retiring coal and gas-fired power plants cut PM2.5 levels nearby. So did improving car and truck fuel efficiency and pollution-control technologies like catalytic converters — though pollution levels near major roadways still often exceed the EPA’s daily standard. Nationally, PM2.5 levels dropped \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/air-trends/particulate-matter-pm25-trends\">another 42% between 2000 and 2022\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Overall, there was a big improvement — but it was not shared equitably,” says Tarik Benmarhnia, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of California, San Diego. Communities of colo\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/06/19/1179670466/air-pollution-satellite-baltimore-climate-change\">r remained exposed to higher pollution\u003c/a>,\u003ca href=\"https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/EHP8584\"> even as total levels dropped\u003c/a>. Black communities in particular breathe in much more heavy pollution from \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.abf4491\">cars, heavy industry, and construction\u003c/a> than any other groups. That’s a pattern that holds nationwide and over decades, including into today’s efforts to cut back fossil fuel pollution, which are at risk of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41131-x\">continuing the disparities\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>More smoke is not good for anyone’s health\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Overall, the country’s air was getting cleaner. But Childs, who was living in California at the time watching wildfire seasons break record after record, could tell that wasn’t the whole story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists were pinpointing how climate change exacerbated the burns. The answer, they found over and over, \u003ca href=\"https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2213815120\">was a lot\u003c/a>. Hotter, drier conditions sucked more moisture out of vegetation, priming it to burn explosively and extensively when a spark happened to catch.[aside postID='science_1926793,science_1930023,news_11834305' label='Related coverage']Decades and even centuries of fire suppression — the long-held policy of the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies — also fed the wildfires. Many habitats across the Western U.S. evolved to experience frequent burns, which cleared away excess fuel, and Indigenous communities often used fire to keep those habitats open as well. Now forests are packed with \u003ca href=\"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.3250\">many more trees\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The combination has led to wildfires that burn 10 times the acreage as 50 years ago. Massive, destructive burn years like 2020 are projected to become much more common as \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-021-00299-0\">climate change marches forward\u003c/a>, though \u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.usda.gov/features/professionals-prepare-for-prescribed-burn#:~:text=Prescribed%20fire%20helps%20reduce%20wildfire,less%20available%20material%20to%20burn.\">aggressive forest management\u003c/a> could blunt some of the worst outcomes,\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1126912268\"> research shows\u003c/a>. And wildfires are not just tied to the West. This year, wildfires burned from Canada’s East to West coasts and deep into Louisiana.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Christopher Migliaccio, an immunologist at the University of Montana, studies the impact of wildfire smoke on human health. When he moved to Montana in 2000, wildfires weren’t top-of-mind for most people. But within the past decade, “the concern has gotten huge,” he says. “And it’s gone global.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because the health impacts leak well outside the immediate realm of the fires. Smoke, and all its fine particles, can travel thousands of miles. “When you see a wildfire smoke plume, you see that pollution. Essentially, the smoke that you’re seeing is PM2.5,” says Colleen Reid, an environmental public health expert at the University of Colorado, Boulder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not yet completely clear if \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/05/17/1099482986/eliminating-fossil-fuel-air-pollution-would-save-about-50-000-lives-study-finds\">wildfire smoke particles\u003c/a> induce different health outcomes than PM2.5 from other sources, like roadways, though \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/03/05/973848360/study-finds-wildfire-smoke-more-harmful-to-humans-than-pollution-from-cars\">some research points that direction\u003c/a>. But the tiny particles from fires and other pollution sources are so small they cross from lungs into the bloodstream, driving inflammation throughout the body. Even short-term exposure to wildfire smoke makes lung problems like asthma worse, as well as a panoply of other health issues, from heart attacks to neurological issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Migliaccio \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32764367/\">led a study\u003c/a> that followed Montanans exposed to extremely high doses of smoke for 49 straight days in 2017. It found their lung function was depressed for at least two years afterward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 41 states, air quality had been getting better between 2000 and the 2010s. But as wildfires exploded, those improvements stopped or even reversed. Smoke was responsible for just intermittent “exceedances,” when air pollution exceeds EPA’s limits, in the early part of the record. By 2020-2022, wildfire smoke was the primary cause of bad air in four western states and a major contributor in 17 others.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Solutions are not straightforward\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Wildfires are a natural and necessary ecological reality in many parts of the country. But research predicts the frequency and size of fires will\u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-021-00299-0\"> grow precipitously in coming decades\u003c/a>, increasing peoples’ exposure to smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Clean Air Act effectively regulates point-source pollution, like soot from power plants. It is less effective at regulating risk from smoke, which drifts across state borders and affects people far from the wildfires themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dialing back the climate pressures that exacerbate wildfires is critical, says Childs. But so is creating forest and fire management policies that reduce exposure to very high concentrations of smoke. That could be, somewhat counterintuitively, increasing the number of \u003cem>prescribed\u003c/em> fires, which can lessen the risk of catastrophic wildfires, though they also generate local smoke plumes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, people can take steps to protect themselves from inevitable smoke exposure, says Reid. Installing air filters in your home — and keeping them clean — can go a long way. Health experts recommend wearing N95 or KN95 masks if you have to go outdoors, and to avoid exercise in smoky air if possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=How+wildfire+smoke+is+erasing+years+of+progress+toward+cleaning+up+America%27s+air&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1294,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 22
},
"modified": 1704845898,
"excerpt": "A new study finds that smoke from massive wildfires has eroded about a quarter of the air quality gains from the last few decades. ",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "A new study finds that smoke from massive wildfires has eroded about a quarter of the air quality gains from the last few decades. ",
"title": "How Wildfire Smoke Is Erasing Years of Progress Toward Cleaning Up America's Air | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How Wildfire Smoke Is Erasing Years of Progress Toward Cleaning Up America's Air",
"datePublished": "2023-09-21T07:30:43-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T16:18:18-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-wildfire-smoke-is-erasing-years-of-progress-toward-cleaning-up-americas-air",
"status": "publish",
"nprApiLink": "http://api.npr.org/query?id=1200143622&apiKey=MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004",
"nprStoryDate": "Wed, 20 Sep 2023 11:00:20 -0400",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"nprLastModifiedDate": "Wed, 20 Sep 2023 11:40:59 -0400",
"nprHtmlLink": "https://www.npr.org/2023/09/20/1200143622/how-wildfire-smoke-is-erasing-years-of-progress-toward-cleaning-up-americas-air?ft=nprml&f=1200143622",
"nprImageAgency": "David Dee Delgado/Getty Images",
"source": "NPR",
"nprStoryId": "1200143622",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/news/affiliate/npr",
"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/1193795778/alejandra-borunda\">Alejandra Borunda\u003c/a>",
"sticky": false,
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"nprRetrievedStory": "1",
"nprPubDate": "Wed, 20 Sep 2023 11:40:00 -0400",
"path": "/science/1984299/how-wildfire-smoke-is-erasing-years-of-progress-toward-cleaning-up-americas-air",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Over the last few decades, air in the U.S. has undergone a remarkable transformation: pollution levels of health-damaging tiny particles have dropped by roughly 40% since 2000, primarily thanks to the country’s decades-long effort to improve air quality through the Clean Air Act, a landmark environmental law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Smoke from wildfires fueled by human-driven climate change, however, has erased roughly 25% of those air quality gains, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06522-6\">a new study\u003c/a> published Wednesday in \u003cem>Nature\u003c/em>. “We’ve seen really remarkable improvements in air quality,” says Marissa Childs, one of the authors of the study and a researcher at Harvard’s Center for the Environment. “But wildfire smoke is undoing that progress in many states.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The effects are more pronounced in Western states, where smoke-laden days have become an annual fact of life. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/10/25/1131279317/pacific-northwest-schools-cancel-outdoor-activities-when-air-quality-is-unhealth\">Schools\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/transcripts/550656850\"> keep kids inside during recess\u003c/a>; \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/08/25/1195926923/canada-wildfire-smoke-asthma-cdc-new-york-hospital-visits\">emergency rooms\u003c/a> know to prepare when wildfires break out nearby. The study found that since 2016, in states like California, Washington, and Oregon, wildfire smoke has added enough pollution to the air to wipe out nearly half of the total air quality gains made from 2000 onward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Midwest, South, and eastern states are not immune. “This is impacting way more places than we used to think and at a larger scale,” says Childs. Even before this year’s\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/08/22/1195154996/some-of-canadas-wildfires-likely-made-worse-by-human-driven-climate-change\"> Canadian wildfires\u003c/a> blanketed the Eastern seaboard in thick smoke, smoke plumes regularly tanked air quality far from\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/06/26/1184393713/canadas-wildfires-are-part-of-a-worrying-trend-but-theyre-not-without-precedent\"> the actual wildfires\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Clean Air Act worked until now\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The bipartisan Clean Air Act, signed into law in 1970, has had remarkable success cleaning up \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/06/19/1179670466/air-pollution-satellite-baltimore-climate-change\">the nation’s air\u003c/a>. In its first few decades, levels of the six major pollutants it addressed dropped by \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/40th-anniversary-clean-air-act\">more than 40%\u003c/a>. Since 2000, the drop has continued nearly everywhere in the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘We’ve seen really remarkable improvements in air quality. But wildfire smoke is undoing that progress in many states.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"size": "medium",
"citation": "Marissa Childs, author and researcher, Harvard's Center for the Environment",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>One major target of the Clean Air Act is PM2.5 — tiny particles about 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. Many different sources contribute to PM2.5 including dust, and soot from burning coal or gas. The super-small particles are also produced when anything burns such as forests, grasslands, and houses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Closing or retiring coal and gas-fired power plants cut PM2.5 levels nearby. So did improving car and truck fuel efficiency and pollution-control technologies like catalytic converters — though pollution levels near major roadways still often exceed the EPA’s daily standard. Nationally, PM2.5 levels dropped \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/air-trends/particulate-matter-pm25-trends\">another 42% between 2000 and 2022\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Overall, there was a big improvement — but it was not shared equitably,” says Tarik Benmarhnia, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of California, San Diego. Communities of colo\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/06/19/1179670466/air-pollution-satellite-baltimore-climate-change\">r remained exposed to higher pollution\u003c/a>,\u003ca href=\"https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/EHP8584\"> even as total levels dropped\u003c/a>. Black communities in particular breathe in much more heavy pollution from \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.abf4491\">cars, heavy industry, and construction\u003c/a> than any other groups. That’s a pattern that holds nationwide and over decades, including into today’s efforts to cut back fossil fuel pollution, which are at risk of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-41131-x\">continuing the disparities\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>More smoke is not good for anyone’s health\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Overall, the country’s air was getting cleaner. But Childs, who was living in California at the time watching wildfire seasons break record after record, could tell that wasn’t the whole story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists were pinpointing how climate change exacerbated the burns. The answer, they found over and over, \u003ca href=\"https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2213815120\">was a lot\u003c/a>. Hotter, drier conditions sucked more moisture out of vegetation, priming it to burn explosively and extensively when a spark happened to catch.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1926793,science_1930023,news_11834305",
"label": "Related coverage "
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Decades and even centuries of fire suppression — the long-held policy of the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies — also fed the wildfires. Many habitats across the Western U.S. evolved to experience frequent burns, which cleared away excess fuel, and Indigenous communities often used fire to keep those habitats open as well. Now forests are packed with \u003ca href=\"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.3250\">many more trees\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The combination has led to wildfires that burn 10 times the acreage as 50 years ago. Massive, destructive burn years like 2020 are projected to become much more common as \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-021-00299-0\">climate change marches forward\u003c/a>, though \u003ca href=\"https://www.fs.usda.gov/features/professionals-prepare-for-prescribed-burn#:~:text=Prescribed%20fire%20helps%20reduce%20wildfire,less%20available%20material%20to%20burn.\">aggressive forest management\u003c/a> could blunt some of the worst outcomes,\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1126912268\"> research shows\u003c/a>. And wildfires are not just tied to the West. This year, wildfires burned from Canada’s East to West coasts and deep into Louisiana.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Christopher Migliaccio, an immunologist at the University of Montana, studies the impact of wildfire smoke on human health. When he moved to Montana in 2000, wildfires weren’t top-of-mind for most people. But within the past decade, “the concern has gotten huge,” he says. “And it’s gone global.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because the health impacts leak well outside the immediate realm of the fires. Smoke, and all its fine particles, can travel thousands of miles. “When you see a wildfire smoke plume, you see that pollution. Essentially, the smoke that you’re seeing is PM2.5,” says Colleen Reid, an environmental public health expert at the University of Colorado, Boulder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not yet completely clear if \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2022/05/17/1099482986/eliminating-fossil-fuel-air-pollution-would-save-about-50-000-lives-study-finds\">wildfire smoke particles\u003c/a> induce different health outcomes than PM2.5 from other sources, like roadways, though \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/03/05/973848360/study-finds-wildfire-smoke-more-harmful-to-humans-than-pollution-from-cars\">some research points that direction\u003c/a>. But the tiny particles from fires and other pollution sources are so small they cross from lungs into the bloodstream, driving inflammation throughout the body. Even short-term exposure to wildfire smoke makes lung problems like asthma worse, as well as a panoply of other health issues, from heart attacks to neurological issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Migliaccio \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32764367/\">led a study\u003c/a> that followed Montanans exposed to extremely high doses of smoke for 49 straight days in 2017. It found their lung function was depressed for at least two years afterward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 41 states, air quality had been getting better between 2000 and the 2010s. But as wildfires exploded, those improvements stopped or even reversed. Smoke was responsible for just intermittent “exceedances,” when air pollution exceeds EPA’s limits, in the early part of the record. By 2020-2022, wildfire smoke was the primary cause of bad air in four western states and a major contributor in 17 others.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Solutions are not straightforward\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Wildfires are a natural and necessary ecological reality in many parts of the country. But research predicts the frequency and size of fires will\u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-021-00299-0\"> grow precipitously in coming decades\u003c/a>, increasing peoples’ exposure to smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Clean Air Act effectively regulates point-source pollution, like soot from power plants. It is less effective at regulating risk from smoke, which drifts across state borders and affects people far from the wildfires themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dialing back the climate pressures that exacerbate wildfires is critical, says Childs. But so is creating forest and fire management policies that reduce exposure to very high concentrations of smoke. That could be, somewhat counterintuitively, increasing the number of \u003cem>prescribed\u003c/em> fires, which can lessen the risk of catastrophic wildfires, though they also generate local smoke plumes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, people can take steps to protect themselves from inevitable smoke exposure, says Reid. Installing air filters in your home — and keeping them clean — can go a long way. Health experts recommend wearing N95 or KN95 masks if you have to go outdoors, and to avoid exercise in smoky air if possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=How+wildfire+smoke+is+erasing+years+of+progress+toward+cleaning+up+America%27s+air&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1984299/how-wildfire-smoke-is-erasing-years-of-progress-toward-cleaning-up-americas-air",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1984299"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_505",
"science_524",
"science_959",
"science_3463",
"science_113"
],
"featImg": "science_1984300",
"label": "source_science_1984299"
},
"science_1983001": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1983001",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1983001",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1686338437000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1686338437,
"format": "standard",
"title": "3 Lessons From the Western US for Dealing With Wildfire Smoke",
"headTitle": "3 Lessons From the Western US for Dealing With Wildfire Smoke | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>When New York City’s skyline turned an eerie orange color with smoke from widespread wildfires in Canada, it was an all-too-familiar sight for residents of the Western U.S. In recent years, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/search?q=wildfires&site=all\">record-setting wildfires\u003c/a> have darkened the sky for weeks at a time with unhealthy air, upending life for Westerners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hazardous wildfire smoke is becoming an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11890211/dangerous%E2%80%91air%E2%80%91as%E2%80%91california%E2%80%91burns%E2%80%91america%E2%80%91breathes%E2%80%91toxic%E2%80%91smoke.\">increasing problem around the country\u003c/a>, as NPR’s California Newsroom has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11890211/dangerous%E2%80%91air%E2%80%91as%E2%80%91california%E2%80%91burns%E2%80%91america%E2%80%91breathes%E2%80%91toxic%E2%80%91smoke.\">reported\u003c/a>. The risk is only expected to rise, as a hotter climate helps create bigger and more severe fires that can take months to contain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tiny particles in smoke can go deep in the lungs, increasing the risk of asthma, heart attack and stroke. One scientific study found wildfire smoke is \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/03/05/973848360/study-finds-wildfire-smoke-more-harmful-to-humans-than-pollution-from-cars\">even more dangerous\u003c/a> than pollution from cars and trucks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the West, schools districts, businesses and families have had to grapple with how to live with smoke. Here’s what they’ve learned.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>1. Everyone needs to protect themselves, even when they’re indoors\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When wildfires raged in California in the summer of 2020, the air was choked with smoke for weeks. Many residents tracked the air quality in real-time on \u003ca href=\"https://www2.purpleair.com/\">Purple Air\u003c/a>, a crowd-sourced network of sensors that shows pollution readings across a city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On those same maps, pollution also spiked inside people’s homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some households had installed sensors indoors to track air quality levels. Researchers at the University of California Berkeley studied the data from 1,400 sensors in San Francisco and Los Angeles and found that \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/09/07/1034895514/sheltering-inside-may-not-protect-you-from-the-dangers-of-wildfire-smoke\">even indoors, air pollution tripled during the fires\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lesson: just going inside isn’t enough. Invisible particles in smoke, known as particulate matter or PM 2.5, can seep in through doors and cracks in windows. In older homes and substandard housing, the infiltration can be even worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, researchers found the households that took action fared much better. Those that closed their windows, had air purifiers or ran central air conditioners had lower levels of indoor pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Covid-19 pandemic has made portable indoor air purifiers a much more common item, but when smoke fills the skies, it can be tough to find one in a store. So, plans to build more affordable DIY air purifiers have proliferated online where \u003ca href=\"https://aghealth.ucdavis.edu/news/corsi-rosenthal-box-diy-box-fan-air-filter-covid-19-and-wildfire-smoke\">all someone needs is a box fan, some air filters and duct tape\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>2. Create a plan for what to do with kids\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A haze of gray smoke in the sky usually means one thing for families: a scramble for childcare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/live-updates/air-quality-wildfires-canada-smoke#new-york-city-schools-canceled-all-outdoor-activities-for-the-day\">Many schools close\u003c/a> when air quality reaches hazardous levels, but policies can be patchwork and haphazard. While an elementary school might close for the day, nearby preschools or aftercare programs might remain open.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For school administrators, the decision can be fraught. Many working parents have no other options for where to send their kids. And knowing when to keep kids indoors can be tough for families, based on the official \u003ca href=\"https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/\">air quality index\u003c/a> or AQI. While children are considered a “sensitive” group, there’s not much guidance about whether a \u003ca href=\"https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/\">yellow or orange air alert\u003c/a> is enough to keep kids under lockdown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Children are \u003ca href=\"http://childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/parenting/parenting-articles/wildfire-smoke/\">particularly vulnerable to the effects of wildfire smoke\u003c/a>. They’re more active, have developing lungs and take in more air than adults do relative to their body size. The decision to close school is up to each local district, but just a few years ago, there weren’t many health resources to inform those decisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As wildfire smoke became more severe in California, state officials released an index with more specific \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ep/documents/airqualityguidance.pdf\">advice for schools about activities (PDF)\u003c/a>, like what to do about P.E., recess and sports events. (In the state’s version, it doesn’t mention exact air quality index numbers, though many school districts have consulted local air quality officials and created guidelines, \u003ca href=\"https://www.shastacounty.gov/sites/default/files/fileattachments/air_quality/page/2400/aq-levels-guidelines.pdf\">like this version (PDF)\u003c/a> from Shasta County Office of Education.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Creating smoke response plans ahead of time, with community input, is key for schools, according to Eric Wittmershaus, director of communications for the Sonoma County Office of Education. On the West Coast, “smoke days” are becoming the new “snow days.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things we tell school officials to balance is whether the students will be safer and healthier if they’re in their school building, which may have a better HVAC system than what the students have at home,” Wittmershaus says. “It’s going to be a fact of life we struggle with.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>3. The most vulnerable communities of people need direct help\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Some of those most susceptible to the health impacts of wildfire smoke are the least able to protect themselves. Recent episodes of smoke on the West Coast have revealed how some populations are falling through the cracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many people don’t realize they need to protect themselves from smoke, unlike other extreme weather events. The elderly or those with health problems might struggle to get the tools and solutions to filter the air at home. Those who lack housing have no way to escape being exposed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We see individuals with access to fewer resources, who may live in substandard housing, who may desire to reduce their exposure but who are unable to do so,” says Gabrielle Wong-Parodi, assistant professor in the department of earth system science at Stanford University, who has studied how communities responded to smoke in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, \u003ca href=\"https://earth.stanford.edu/news/how-do-people-respond-wildfire-smoke\">not many people are checking the air quality index\u003c/a> on a regular basis and changing their behavior, her research found. Instead, seeing how other people react to smoke is the bigger motivator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lesson: make sure the message is coming from those in the local community, like community groups, senior centers or faith groups. Providing masks, air filters and resources to groups on the ground can help ensure it reaches those who need it most.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=3+lessons+from+the+Western+U.S.+for+dealing+with+wildfire+smoke+&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1008,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 24
},
"modified": 1704845987,
"excerpt": "How bad does the air get inside your house? What should schools do about recess? Western states have grappled with all that before.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "How bad does the air get inside your house? What should schools do about recess? Western states have grappled with all that before.",
"title": "3 Lessons From the Western US for Dealing With Wildfire Smoke | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "3 Lessons From the Western US for Dealing With Wildfire Smoke",
"datePublished": "2023-06-09T12:20:37-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T16:19:47-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "3-lessons-from-the-western-u-s-for-dealing-with-wildfire-smoke",
"status": "publish",
"nprApiLink": "http://api.npr.org/query?id=1181179929&apiKey=MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004",
"nprStoryDate": "Fri, 09 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0400",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"nprLastModifiedDate": "Fri, 09 Jun 2023 13:23:01 -0400",
"nprHtmlLink": "https://www.npr.org/2023/06/09/1181179929/wildfire-smoke-health-western-tips?ft=nprml&f=1181179929",
"nprImageAgency": "AFP via Getty Images",
"source": "NPR",
"nprStoryId": "1181179929",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.npr.org",
"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/people/803934365/lauren-sommer\">Lauren Sommer\u003c/a>",
"sticky": false,
"nprImageCredit": "Angela Weiss",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"nprRetrievedStory": "1",
"nprPubDate": "Fri, 09 Jun 2023 13:23:00 -0400",
"path": "/science/1983001/3-lessons-from-the-western-u-s-for-dealing-with-wildfire-smoke",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When New York City’s skyline turned an eerie orange color with smoke from widespread wildfires in Canada, it was an all-too-familiar sight for residents of the Western U.S. In recent years, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/search?q=wildfires&site=all\">record-setting wildfires\u003c/a> have darkened the sky for weeks at a time with unhealthy air, upending life for Westerners.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hazardous wildfire smoke is becoming an \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11890211/dangerous%E2%80%91air%E2%80%91as%E2%80%91california%E2%80%91burns%E2%80%91america%E2%80%91breathes%E2%80%91toxic%E2%80%91smoke.\">increasing problem around the country\u003c/a>, as NPR’s California Newsroom has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11890211/dangerous%E2%80%91air%E2%80%91as%E2%80%91california%E2%80%91burns%E2%80%91america%E2%80%91breathes%E2%80%91toxic%E2%80%91smoke.\">reported\u003c/a>. The risk is only expected to rise, as a hotter climate helps create bigger and more severe fires that can take months to contain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tiny particles in smoke can go deep in the lungs, increasing the risk of asthma, heart attack and stroke. One scientific study found wildfire smoke is \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/03/05/973848360/study-finds-wildfire-smoke-more-harmful-to-humans-than-pollution-from-cars\">even more dangerous\u003c/a> than pollution from cars and trucks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the West, schools districts, businesses and families have had to grapple with how to live with smoke. Here’s what they’ve learned.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>1. Everyone needs to protect themselves, even when they’re indoors\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When wildfires raged in California in the summer of 2020, the air was choked with smoke for weeks. Many residents tracked the air quality in real-time on \u003ca href=\"https://www2.purpleair.com/\">Purple Air\u003c/a>, a crowd-sourced network of sensors that shows pollution readings across a city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On those same maps, pollution also spiked inside people’s homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some households had installed sensors indoors to track air quality levels. Researchers at the University of California Berkeley studied the data from 1,400 sensors in San Francisco and Los Angeles and found that \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/09/07/1034895514/sheltering-inside-may-not-protect-you-from-the-dangers-of-wildfire-smoke\">even indoors, air pollution tripled during the fires\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lesson: just going inside isn’t enough. Invisible particles in smoke, known as particulate matter or PM 2.5, can seep in through doors and cracks in windows. In older homes and substandard housing, the infiltration can be even worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, researchers found the households that took action fared much better. Those that closed their windows, had air purifiers or ran central air conditioners had lower levels of indoor pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Covid-19 pandemic has made portable indoor air purifiers a much more common item, but when smoke fills the skies, it can be tough to find one in a store. So, plans to build more affordable DIY air purifiers have proliferated online where \u003ca href=\"https://aghealth.ucdavis.edu/news/corsi-rosenthal-box-diy-box-fan-air-filter-covid-19-and-wildfire-smoke\">all someone needs is a box fan, some air filters and duct tape\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>2. Create a plan for what to do with kids\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A haze of gray smoke in the sky usually means one thing for families: a scramble for childcare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/live-updates/air-quality-wildfires-canada-smoke#new-york-city-schools-canceled-all-outdoor-activities-for-the-day\">Many schools close\u003c/a> when air quality reaches hazardous levels, but policies can be patchwork and haphazard. While an elementary school might close for the day, nearby preschools or aftercare programs might remain open.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For school administrators, the decision can be fraught. Many working parents have no other options for where to send their kids. And knowing when to keep kids indoors can be tough for families, based on the official \u003ca href=\"https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/\">air quality index\u003c/a> or AQI. While children are considered a “sensitive” group, there’s not much guidance about whether a \u003ca href=\"https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/\">yellow or orange air alert\u003c/a> is enough to keep kids under lockdown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Children are \u003ca href=\"http://childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/parenting/parenting-articles/wildfire-smoke/\">particularly vulnerable to the effects of wildfire smoke\u003c/a>. They’re more active, have developing lungs and take in more air than adults do relative to their body size. The decision to close school is up to each local district, but just a few years ago, there weren’t many health resources to inform those decisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As wildfire smoke became more severe in California, state officials released an index with more specific \u003ca href=\"https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ep/documents/airqualityguidance.pdf\">advice for schools about activities (PDF)\u003c/a>, like what to do about P.E., recess and sports events. (In the state’s version, it doesn’t mention exact air quality index numbers, though many school districts have consulted local air quality officials and created guidelines, \u003ca href=\"https://www.shastacounty.gov/sites/default/files/fileattachments/air_quality/page/2400/aq-levels-guidelines.pdf\">like this version (PDF)\u003c/a> from Shasta County Office of Education.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Creating smoke response plans ahead of time, with community input, is key for schools, according to Eric Wittmershaus, director of communications for the Sonoma County Office of Education. On the West Coast, “smoke days” are becoming the new “snow days.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things we tell school officials to balance is whether the students will be safer and healthier if they’re in their school building, which may have a better HVAC system than what the students have at home,” Wittmershaus says. “It’s going to be a fact of life we struggle with.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>3. The most vulnerable communities of people need direct help\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Some of those most susceptible to the health impacts of wildfire smoke are the least able to protect themselves. Recent episodes of smoke on the West Coast have revealed how some populations are falling through the cracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many people don’t realize they need to protect themselves from smoke, unlike other extreme weather events. The elderly or those with health problems might struggle to get the tools and solutions to filter the air at home. Those who lack housing have no way to escape being exposed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We see individuals with access to fewer resources, who may live in substandard housing, who may desire to reduce their exposure but who are unable to do so,” says Gabrielle Wong-Parodi, assistant professor in the department of earth system science at Stanford University, who has studied how communities responded to smoke in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, \u003ca href=\"https://earth.stanford.edu/news/how-do-people-respond-wildfire-smoke\">not many people are checking the air quality index\u003c/a> on a regular basis and changing their behavior, her research found. Instead, seeing how other people react to smoke is the bigger motivator.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lesson: make sure the message is coming from those in the local community, like community groups, senior centers or faith groups. Providing masks, air filters and resources to groups on the ground can help ensure it reaches those who need it most.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=3+lessons+from+the+Western+U.S.+for+dealing+with+wildfire+smoke+&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1983001/3-lessons-from-the-western-u-s-for-dealing-with-wildfire-smoke",
"authors": [
"byline_science_1983001"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_524",
"science_4877",
"science_194",
"science_3463",
"science_113",
"science_3693"
],
"featImg": "science_1983002",
"label": "source_science_1983001"
},
"science_1982494": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1982494",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1982494",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1682716511000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1682716511,
"format": "standard",
"title": "California's Air Board Votes to Scale Down Fleets of Diesel Trucks",
"headTitle": "California’s Air Board Votes to Scale Down Fleets of Diesel Trucks | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>The California Air Resources Board approved an ambitious plan today to phase out its diesel truck fleets, from semi-trucks to delivery vans and garbage trucks, despite the opposition of industry groups who said the plan would be near impossible for them to enact.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is the air board’s latest regulation geared at cleaning up toxic air quality and fighting climate change, and comes a day after the same body passed \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/04/27/1172639598/california-emission-rules-trains-pollution\">first-in-the-nation regulations on diesel trains\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s powerful air regulators have been California’s spearpoint in the fight against climate change in recent years, as they’ve charted an ambitious path to siphon down the state’s use of planet-warming fossil fuels over the next two decades, including banning the sale of new gasoline cars after 2035 and forcing the electrification of most of the state’s transportation sector, the largest contributor of carbon emissions in California.[aside postID=science_1982474 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS64748_GettyImages-94155923-qut-1020x680.jpg']Gideon Kracov, a board member and environmental lawyer from Los Angeles, framed the clean-fleet policy as an ambitious capstone for an agency that has passed no shortage of first-in-the-nation climate rules, calling it the “end of the beginning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Board Chair Liane Randolph said in a statement that California has the technology to build a zero-emission future now and called the new regulations a “reasonable” and “innovative” approach to “clean up the vehicles on our roads and ensure that Californians have the clean air that they want and deserve.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While these 1.8 million trucks represent a tiny fraction of vehicles on the road at just 6%, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/ca-clean-trucks-report.pdf\">they are responsible for more than a quarter of the transportation sector’s greenhouse gas pollution (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/advanced-clean-fleets\">The state’s new regulations are meant to accelerate the use of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks\u003c/a> in California within the next two decades and will require the electrification by 2035 of highly polluting drayage trucks, which transport shipping containers from ports and rail yards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Board member Tania Pacheco-Werner, who is co-director of a health policy institute at Fresno State, framed the policy as an issue of environmental justice.[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Tania Pacheco-Werner, California Air Resources Board member\"]‘Even the air is unequal … Wealthier communities have more resources, green space and built environment to protect them from the harmful impacts of dirty trucks.’[/pullquote]“Even the air is unequal,” she said. “Wealthier communities have more resources, green space and built environment to protect them from the harmful impacts of dirty trucks. Others do not. And we see it in differences in emergency visits and hospitalizations due to respiratory issues for people who live closer to freeways and truck traffic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the policy will improve their lives “first and foremost, and we should all be very proud of that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During board hearings that spanned two days, industry groups and government agencies fiercely pushed back on the policies, arguing they are too onerous and would drive up costs for Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chris Shimoda, senior vice president of government affairs for the California Trucking Association, told KQED that the state doesn’t have enough charging infrastructure for electric trucks, particularly public charging stations, adding that “nearly 100% of our membership says [the rules] cannot be accomplished.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jim Verburg of the Western States Petroleum Association \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/04/california-phases-out-diesel-trucks/\">told the board\u003c/a> that if businesses couldn’t comply it would “compromise the delivery of essential goods and services to Californians or compromise the state’s economy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 632,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 13
},
"modified": 1704846028,
"excerpt": "The ambitious plan would phase out the state's diesel truck fleets, from semi-trucks to delivery vans and garbage trucks.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The ambitious plan would phase out the state's diesel truck fleets, from semi-trucks to delivery vans and garbage trucks.",
"title": "California's Air Board Votes to Scale Down Fleets of Diesel Trucks | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "California's Air Board Votes to Scale Down Fleets of Diesel Trucks",
"datePublished": "2023-04-28T14:15:11-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T16:20:28-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "californias-air-board-votes-to-scale-down-fleets-of-diesel-trucks",
"status": "publish",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Climate Change",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1982494/californias-air-board-votes-to-scale-down-fleets-of-diesel-trucks",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The California Air Resources Board approved an ambitious plan today to phase out its diesel truck fleets, from semi-trucks to delivery vans and garbage trucks, despite the opposition of industry groups who said the plan would be near impossible for them to enact.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is the air board’s latest regulation geared at cleaning up toxic air quality and fighting climate change, and comes a day after the same body passed \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/04/27/1172639598/california-emission-rules-trains-pollution\">first-in-the-nation regulations on diesel trains\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s powerful air regulators have been California’s spearpoint in the fight against climate change in recent years, as they’ve charted an ambitious path to siphon down the state’s use of planet-warming fossil fuels over the next two decades, including banning the sale of new gasoline cars after 2035 and forcing the electrification of most of the state’s transportation sector, the largest contributor of carbon emissions in California.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "science_1982474",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2023/04/RS64748_GettyImages-94155923-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Gideon Kracov, a board member and environmental lawyer from Los Angeles, framed the clean-fleet policy as an ambitious capstone for an agency that has passed no shortage of first-in-the-nation climate rules, calling it the “end of the beginning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Board Chair Liane Randolph said in a statement that California has the technology to build a zero-emission future now and called the new regulations a “reasonable” and “innovative” approach to “clean up the vehicles on our roads and ensure that Californians have the clean air that they want and deserve.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While these 1.8 million trucks represent a tiny fraction of vehicles on the road at just 6%, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/ca-clean-trucks-report.pdf\">they are responsible for more than a quarter of the transportation sector’s greenhouse gas pollution (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/advanced-clean-fleets\">The state’s new regulations are meant to accelerate the use of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks\u003c/a> in California within the next two decades and will require the electrification by 2035 of highly polluting drayage trucks, which transport shipping containers from ports and rail yards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Board member Tania Pacheco-Werner, who is co-director of a health policy institute at Fresno State, framed the policy as an issue of environmental justice.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘Even the air is unequal … Wealthier communities have more resources, green space and built environment to protect them from the harmful impacts of dirty trucks.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"size": "medium",
"citation": "Tania Pacheco-Werner, California Air Resources Board member",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Even the air is unequal,” she said. “Wealthier communities have more resources, green space and built environment to protect them from the harmful impacts of dirty trucks. Others do not. And we see it in differences in emergency visits and hospitalizations due to respiratory issues for people who live closer to freeways and truck traffic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the policy will improve their lives “first and foremost, and we should all be very proud of that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During board hearings that spanned two days, industry groups and government agencies fiercely pushed back on the policies, arguing they are too onerous and would drive up costs for Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chris Shimoda, senior vice president of government affairs for the California Trucking Association, told KQED that the state doesn’t have enough charging infrastructure for electric trucks, particularly public charging stations, adding that “nearly 100% of our membership says [the rules] cannot be accomplished.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jim Verburg of the Western States Petroleum Association \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/04/california-phases-out-diesel-trucks/\">told the board\u003c/a> that if businesses couldn’t comply it would “compromise the delivery of essential goods and services to Californians or compromise the state’s economy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1982494/californias-air-board-votes-to-scale-down-fleets-of-diesel-trucks",
"authors": [
"11608"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_33",
"science_39",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_524",
"science_4093",
"science_1627",
"science_194"
],
"featImg": "science_1982500",
"label": "source_science_1982494"
},
"science_1982474": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1982474",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1982474",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1682593244000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1682593244,
"format": "standard",
"title": "California Poised to Phase Out Its Fleets of Diesel Trucks",
"headTitle": "California Poised to Phase Out Its Fleets of Diesel Trucks | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Nuñez Park in San Bernardino boasts a baseball field, swimming pool and playground where the littlest of humans climb, swing and slide. Sometimes, Ma Carmen Gonzalez, who’s lived in the community for 18 years, will stand at its corner and take in the scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What she hears, however, are the groans of diesel truck engines, laboring past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent day, she counted 45 big rigs rumbling by in less than 30 minutes. Those trucks, which largely run on diesel, help contribute to \u003ca href=\"https://www.lung.org/research/sota/city-rankings/states/california/san-bernardino\">San Bernardino’s failing grade for air quality\u003c/a>, according to the American Lung Association. It is some of the worst in the nation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a lot of problems with asthma, cancer, allergies,” said Gonzalez, who is an organizer with the People’s Collective for Environmental Justice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why she’s advocating for \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/advanced-clean-fleets\">proposed regulation to accelerate the transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks\u003c/a> in the state within the next two decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Air Resources Board will vote on the plan this week, which would phase out diesel truck fleets, from Amazon delivery vans to garbage trucks to big rigs, in an effort to clean up toxic air quality and fight climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Trucks only represent 6% of vehicles on the road, but represent a disproportionate amount of emissions,” said Sydney Vergis, who worked on the rules for CARB as a division chief. The agency estimates that the regulation, if passed, would save the state $26.5 billion in health costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The truck regulation would:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Require highly polluting drayage trucks, which transport shipping containers from ports and rail yards, to be 100% zero-emission by 2035.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Mandate that municipalities and state agencies electrify their fleets of trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles, either by having 50% of their new purchases be electric after 2024 and 100% after 2027, or by gradually increasing the percentage of electric vehicles in their fleets until they are completely zero-emission by 2042.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Also:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Federal and large commercial fleets (defined as comprising more than 50 trucks or generating more than $50 million in annual revenue) can choose to either buy only zero-emission vehicles after 2024 or gradually transition, reaching 100% by 2042.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The rules would require manufacturers to sell only zero-emission trucks by 2036.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The requirements would not apply to smaller companies.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>California’s more than \u003ca href=\"https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/52C8CwpkPvsR7wDyiVmCsN?domain=ucsusa.org\">1.8 million commercial trucks are responsible for more than a quarter of its greenhouse gas pollution from transportation (PDF)\u003c/a>, more than 60% of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and more than 55% of fine particulate pollution from vehicles, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists; this pollution, known as PM 2.5, harms both heart and lung health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal builds on the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/advanced-clean-trucks-fact-sheet\">Advanced Clean Trucks rule\u003c/a>, which requires that truck makers gradually increase the percentage of electric trucks they sell in California in the coming years. California passed that regulation in 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sam Wilson, senior vehicles analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists, said passage of the proposed rule would be a win — not only for the environment, but for health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Benefits would be “largely concentrated in disproportionately impacted communities, which is really where we need to be focusing our work,” Wilson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Chris Shimoda, senior vice president of government affairs for the California Trucking Association, has concerns. He’s worried there will be insufficient charging infrastructure for electric trucks, particularly public charging stations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shimoda said he’s worked with CARB for more than 10 years on various regulations, but “I have never had a rule proposed by the Air Board that nearly 100% of our membership says cannot be accomplished.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bob Ramorino, president of Roadstar Trucking in Hayward, says he’s supportive of the goals of the regulation, but “the timeline is very, very difficult to achieve.” He’s particularly concerned there will not be enough power to meet the demand for charging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gonzalez of San Bernardino would like even more and stronger regulation. “My community suffers the ravages of discrimination,” she said. “We see other very beautiful places and cities that don’t have trucks, that don’t have nearby warehouses. But we do, and this is reflected in our health.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 728,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 19
},
"modified": 1704846031,
"excerpt": "The plan would accelerate the transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks in the state within the next two decades.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The plan would accelerate the transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks in the state within the next two decades.",
"title": "California Poised to Phase Out Its Fleets of Diesel Trucks | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "California Poised to Phase Out Its Fleets of Diesel Trucks",
"datePublished": "2023-04-27T04:00:44-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T16:20:31-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "california-poised-to-phase-out-its-fleets-of-diesel-trucks",
"status": "publish",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"sticky": false,
"source": "Climate Change",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1982474/california-poised-to-phase-out-its-fleets-of-diesel-trucks",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Nuñez Park in San Bernardino boasts a baseball field, swimming pool and playground where the littlest of humans climb, swing and slide. Sometimes, Ma Carmen Gonzalez, who’s lived in the community for 18 years, will stand at its corner and take in the scene.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What she hears, however, are the groans of diesel truck engines, laboring past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent day, she counted 45 big rigs rumbling by in less than 30 minutes. Those trucks, which largely run on diesel, help contribute to \u003ca href=\"https://www.lung.org/research/sota/city-rankings/states/california/san-bernardino\">San Bernardino’s failing grade for air quality\u003c/a>, according to the American Lung Association. It is some of the worst in the nation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a lot of problems with asthma, cancer, allergies,” said Gonzalez, who is an organizer with the People’s Collective for Environmental Justice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why she’s advocating for \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/advanced-clean-fleets\">proposed regulation to accelerate the transition to zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks\u003c/a> in the state within the next two decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Air Resources Board will vote on the plan this week, which would phase out diesel truck fleets, from Amazon delivery vans to garbage trucks to big rigs, in an effort to clean up toxic air quality and fight climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Trucks only represent 6% of vehicles on the road, but represent a disproportionate amount of emissions,” said Sydney Vergis, who worked on the rules for CARB as a division chief. The agency estimates that the regulation, if passed, would save the state $26.5 billion in health costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The truck regulation would:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Require highly polluting drayage trucks, which transport shipping containers from ports and rail yards, to be 100% zero-emission by 2035.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Mandate that municipalities and state agencies electrify their fleets of trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles, either by having 50% of their new purchases be electric after 2024 and 100% after 2027, or by gradually increasing the percentage of electric vehicles in their fleets until they are completely zero-emission by 2042.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Also:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Federal and large commercial fleets (defined as comprising more than 50 trucks or generating more than $50 million in annual revenue) can choose to either buy only zero-emission vehicles after 2024 or gradually transition, reaching 100% by 2042.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The rules would require manufacturers to sell only zero-emission trucks by 2036.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The requirements would not apply to smaller companies.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>California’s more than \u003ca href=\"https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/52C8CwpkPvsR7wDyiVmCsN?domain=ucsusa.org\">1.8 million commercial trucks are responsible for more than a quarter of its greenhouse gas pollution from transportation (PDF)\u003c/a>, more than 60% of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and more than 55% of fine particulate pollution from vehicles, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists; this pollution, known as PM 2.5, harms both heart and lung health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal builds on the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/advanced-clean-trucks-fact-sheet\">Advanced Clean Trucks rule\u003c/a>, which requires that truck makers gradually increase the percentage of electric trucks they sell in California in the coming years. California passed that regulation in 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sam Wilson, senior vehicles analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists, said passage of the proposed rule would be a win — not only for the environment, but for health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Benefits would be “largely concentrated in disproportionately impacted communities, which is really where we need to be focusing our work,” Wilson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Chris Shimoda, senior vice president of government affairs for the California Trucking Association, has concerns. He’s worried there will be insufficient charging infrastructure for electric trucks, particularly public charging stations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shimoda said he’s worked with CARB for more than 10 years on various regulations, but “I have never had a rule proposed by the Air Board that nearly 100% of our membership says cannot be accomplished.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bob Ramorino, president of Roadstar Trucking in Hayward, says he’s supportive of the goals of the regulation, but “the timeline is very, very difficult to achieve.” He’s particularly concerned there will not be enough power to meet the demand for charging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gonzalez of San Bernardino would like even more and stronger regulation. “My community suffers the ravages of discrimination,” she said. “We see other very beautiful places and cities that don’t have trucks, that don’t have nearby warehouses. But we do, and this is reflected in our health.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1982474/california-poised-to-phase-out-its-fleets-of-diesel-trucks",
"authors": [
"8648"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_39",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_524",
"science_5178",
"science_4093",
"science_354",
"science_4417"
],
"featImg": "science_1982475",
"label": "source_science_1982474"
},
"science_1982166": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1982166",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1982166",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1680872451000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1680872451,
"format": "standard",
"title": "Here's Why Wildfire Experts Are Worried About an EPA Plan for Cleaner Air",
"headTitle": "Here’s Why Wildfire Experts Are Worried About an EPA Plan for Cleaner Air | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Few laws have been as successful, or saved the United States as much money, as the \u003ca href=\"https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL30853\">Clean Air Act (PDF)\u003c/a>. First enacted in 1955, the act was a response to alarming disasters like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5922205/\">Donora Smog\u003c/a> of 1948 in Western Pennsylvania and 1952’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-london-20615186\">Great Smog of London\u003c/a>, where thick dirty air from factories and vehicles enveloped communities for days and caused widespread deaths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Congress intended for the act to be frequently reevaluated and, if necessary, updated. The Environmental Protection Agency sets legal limits for how much pollution air districts are allowed to let into the air. Currently, the EPA is proposing tightening the standard for tiny particulates floating in the air, originating from motors, engines and fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Updating and tightening the standard is very popular among public health professionals, air regulators and the environmental justice community, who point to a mountain of evidence that this pollution takes lives early.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/2023-03-28%20AGO%20Coalition%20-%20PM%20NAAQS%20Comment%20Letter.pdf\">with 17 other attorneys general, also supports limit tightening (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many in the environmental justice community, concerned about the disproportionate air pollution burden that many lower-income communities and communities of color live with, would like to see standards tightened even further. In California, that’s especially true in the San Joaquin Valley and the South Coast Air Basin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We should have had lowered standards years ago. It’s a relief to see it now being proposed,” said Genevieve Amsalem, research and policy director at the Central California Environmental Justice Network. “Any time that you lower that standard, you’re going to be saving lives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She considers bad air the region’s biggest environmental public health threat, one that especially affects communities of color.[pullquote size='medium' align='left' citation=\"Genevieve Amsalem, research and policy director, Central California Environmental Justice Network\"]‘Everyone knows a parent who has brought their baby, or their 2-year-old, into the ER because they couldn’t breathe. You know, the baby’s turning blue. It’s a story you hear across generations.’[/pullquote]“Everyone knows a parent who has brought their baby, or their 2-year-old, into the ER because they couldn’t breathe. You know, the baby’s turning blue,” Amsalem said. “It’s a story you hear across generations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Data backs up this impression: Counties in the San Joaquin Valley consistently have among the \u003ca href=\"https://californiahealthline.org/news/dirty-air-and-disasters-sending-kids-to-the-er-for-asthma/\">worst rates of childhood asthma\u003c/a> in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there are worries among the fire science community that the EPA’s proposed rule could have its opposite intended effect. They worry it may leave the state with ultimately worse air in the long run by stifling the use of prescribed fire. The ultimate outcome will affect everyone living in California and beyond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Wildfire is really challenging the paradigm that is at the core of the Clean Air Act — that emissions can be controlled,” said Michael Wara, an energy and climate scholar at Stanford University in \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA1wg9yzGxM&t=32s\">a presentation to students and researchers\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Wildfire emissions are not being successfully controlled. They’re growing,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Clean Air Act was written during a time when smokestack air pollution was the key problem standing in the way of healthy air, and the U.S. Forest Service could seemingly put any wildfire out by \u003ca href=\"https://foresthistory.org/research-explore/us-forest-service-history/policy-and-law/fire-u-s-forest-service/u-s-forest-service-fire-suppression/#:~:text=In%201935%2C%20the%20Forest%20Service,eliminate%20fire%20from%20the%20landscape.\">10 a.m. the next day\u003c/a>. All over the country, wildfires bent more or less easily to the will of firefighters, and the big sources of pollution could be regulated at the emission’s source. But that was a different climate reality.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Clean air keeps people out of hospitals\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Today, with \u003ca href=\"https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44840/4\">emissions from the worst pollutants down by more than 70% (PDF)\u003c/a>, the EPA estimates \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/benefits-and-costs-clean-air-act-1990-2020-second-prospective-study#:~:text=In%202020%2C%20the%20Clean%20Air,reductions%20in%20ambient%20particulate%20matter\">the Clean Air Act saves 230,000 lives annually\u003c/a> and hundreds of thousands more from asthma, bronchitis and heart attacks. Public health experts estimate the benefits of all these lives saved and hospital visits avoided into the \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/benefits-and-costs-clean-air-act-1970-1990-study-design-and-summary-results\">many trillions of dollars\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wildfires are now a major producer of both carbon emissions and tiny specks of sooty pollutants known as PM 2.5. A 2022 study from the National Center for Atmospheric Research found that \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-29623-8\">wildfire pollution was beginning to reverse decades of clean air gains\u003c/a>. (Researchers at Stanford in 2020 had \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/content/qt5134m9d8/qt5134m9d8.pdf?t=qpc4ro\">similar findings [PDF]\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The EPA’s plan would update its standard for PM 2.5.[aside label=\"Related Stories\" tag=\"air-quality\"]Shorthand for “particulate matter of 2.5 microns in size or less,” PM 2.5 is a class of pollutants based on dimensions rather than origin or chemical makeup. It would take about 30 of them lined up to cross the width of a human hair. It’s their size that’s the key problem: It allows them to get deep into the lungs and even cross into the bloodstream, causing heart and respiratory problems. In short, it’s a terrible pollutant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Public comment on the proposal closed late last month, and the EPA is now deciding whether and how to implement revisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The EPA estimates \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/epa-researchers-contribute-american-thoracic-society-workshop-report-wildland-fire\">a third of the PM 2.5 we breathe in this country is from wildfires\u003c/a>. For those in the West during wildfire season, it can be 90%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if wildfire trends continue and worsen, as climate models suggest they will, then we’ve seen nothing yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To avoid the worst outcomes, Wara of Stanford points to the need to dramatically increase the use of prescribed fire in pyro-adapted landscapes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some of the best hopes that we have for reducing public health impacts from wildfire and [general] impacts from wildfire have to do with substituting prescribed fire emission for high-intensity wildfire emission,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The rub: Wildfire smoke vs. prescribed fire smoke\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The EPA enforces its clean air standards. If air districts do not achieve these clean-air goals, then the EPA can take over air permitting within a district and even impose a ban on new federal highway grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, EPA officials recognize that sometimes air districts are out of compliance through no fault of their own. In this case, they are allowed to file for an “exceptional event.” In this bureaucratic process, the “event” is linked to the cause of pollution going over the legal limit. It is meant for events that are unforeseeable and are unlikely to occur in the same location again, like a volcanic explosion. If the link can be made, then emissions from that event can be subtracted from the total, and the air district is no longer in trouble with the EPA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To use an analogy, if you couldn’t pay off your credit card bill some month because you had an unforeseen emergency expense, this would be the process by which you might convince the credit card company to waive that charge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1970817\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1970817\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial view shows neighborhoods enshrouded in smoke as the Bobcat Fire advances toward foothill cities and new evacuation order go into effect on September 13, 2020 in Monrovia, California.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An aerial view shows neighborhoods in Monrovia enshrouded in smoke from the Bobcat Fire on Sept. 13, 2020. \u003ccite>(David McNew/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It is a long, technically involved process. A California Air Resources Board (CARB) \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2021-11/2020_Northern_California_EE_Full_Demo_Final.pdf\">exceptional events filing (PDF)\u003c/a> for ozone concentrations during the Northern California wildfires of 2020 runs 228 pages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The problem, as seen by many in the wildfire science community, is that while this process essentially means air districts are not on the hook for wildfire smoke, they are on the hook for prescribed fire smoke. And prescribed fire — the most affordable, effective inoculation against future wildfires — has never been used as a basis for an exceptional event in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But fire scientists and those in fire agencies worry this new rule will stifle the state and federal plans to expand the use of prescribed fire as a core strategy to stem out-of-control wildfires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve got to start doing larger prescribed burns if we want to make a difference to what is actually happening on our landscape,” said Scott Stephens, fire science professor at UC Berkeley. “That just means there’s going to be more smoke.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pro-prescribed-fire groups, including the National Association of Forest Service Retirees, have \u003ca href=\"https://nafsr.org/advocacy/2023/031023%20NAFSR%20response%20to%20EPA%20PM2.5%20rule%20change.pdf\">submitted comments detailing their concern (PDF)\u003c/a> that the proposed rule “will reduce the Nation’s ability to implement strategies intended to reduce unwanted wildfire effects on communities and wildlands, including barriers to increasing the pace and scale of prescribed burning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1976585\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1998px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1976585\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f.jpg\" alt=\"A firefighter lights a prescribed burn in Humboldt County to reduce the underbrush without killing trees.\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1499\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Prescribed burns, like this one in Humboldt County, reduce the underbrush without destroying trees. \u003ccite>(Lenya Quinn-Davidson/NPR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A large group of fire specialists, including professors, cultural burners and ecologists, wrote in a comment letter to the EPA that its plan “would put the EPA on the wrong side of policies and actions planned by federal, state, local and Tribal entities to address the wildfire crisis and ultimately, to reduce harmful PM2.5 emissions and impacts by reducing wildfire smoke.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Smoke from prescribed fires is less intense and less damaging than smoke from wildfires. Many scientists view it as \u003ca href=\"https://www.lung.org/policy-advocacy/healthy-air-campaign/prescribed-fire-report#:~:text=Prescribed%20burns%20can%20be%20used,supporting%20ecosystem%20health%20and%20resiliency.\">a protective trade-off\u003c/a> — some pollution now in exchange for greater fire safety (and less pollution) in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Air districts supportive, with qualifications\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Both the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/carb-statement-us-epa-proposal-strengthen-health-based-standards-fine-particulate-matter\">California Air Resources Board\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/communications-and-outreach/publications/news-releases/2023/pmnaaqs_230105_2023_001-pdf.pdf?la=en\">Bay Area Air Quality Management District (PDF)\u003c/a> have submitted comments supporting a tightening of the PM 2.5 standard. In interviews with KQED, regulators from both organizations also expressed support for prescribed burning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Charles Knoderer, meteorologist at BAAQMD, said that the air district views prescribed burning as a partner and ally in lowering the risk of wildfires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can control when they’re doing the burning and we can minimize the amount of smoke that’s released,” he said. “Wildfires will put out a ton more smoke, and at that point there’s really no controlling it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neither Bay Area nor California air regulators seem to share the worries of the fire community that the EPA will hamper the increased use of prescribed fire, however.[pullquote size='medium' align='left' citation=\"Charles Knoderer, meteorologist, Bay Area Air Quality Management District\"]‘We can control when they’re doing the burning and we can minimize the amount of smoke that’s released. Wildfires will put out a ton more smoke, and at that point there’s really no controlling it.’[/pullquote]Edie Chang, deputy executive officer at CARB, said her agency has heard from the prescribed-fire community and has brought up the issue in comments to the EPA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re trying to see how we can streamline or make suggestions for how EPA might modify their policies or their guidance to help us be able to balance the increased use of prescribed fire that we need for forest management, for managing and reducing the catastrophic wildfires that we experience in California,” said Chang.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She expressed hope that the rule’s implementation phase, which it now heads into, would be the time for nitty-gritty details to be worked out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even though they can be expunged from the data, residents are still feeling [the effects of wildfire] very much so,” said Amsalem, of the Central California Environmental Justice Network. She hopes agencies will work out this issue, she said, “because we do need to do more prescribed burning to reduce the catastrophic events.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>EPA’s proposed workaround leaves burners skeptical\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The EPA also seems aware of these concerns. In its proposed rule, it says it acknowledges stakeholder concerns about the importance of prescribed fire and intends to work with stakeholders to address these issues. It also says \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-08/documents/ee_prescribed_fire_final_guidance_-_august_2019.pdf\">prescribed fires have the potential to qualify for exceptional events (PDF)\u003c/a>, which could encourage their continued and expanded use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, this has environmental lawyers very concerned. Sara Clark of the law firm Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger works with nonprofit organizations and supports prescribed fire and Indigenous cultural burners. She thinks the EPA’s reasoning as written might not hold up under a judge’s evaluation.[aside label=\"More Stories\" tag=\"prescribed-burning\"]“[The EPA] does a lot of linguistic acrobatics to try and clarify how a prescribed fire is … not reasonably preventable or controllable. But it’s called a ‘controlled burn,’” said Clark. “I’m concerned about the legal underpinnings there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She also believes that the time and technical expertise needed to file for an exceptional event exemption would make air regulators wary of using it. Extensive documentation and analysis is needed to submit for an exceptional events determination from CARB or the EPA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A recent Government Accountability Office report echoes these concerns. The report says \u003ca href=\"https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-104723.pdf\">the EPA could do a better job working with other agencies to reduce impacts from wildfires (PDF)\u003c/a>, including making it easier to conduct prescribed fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stakeholders interviewed by the GAO said that state and local agencies aren’t likely to use the exceptional events provision for prescribed burns because “the agencies would not likely approve prescribed burns that could cause National Ambient Air Quality Standards exceedances in the first place.” And they said that “exceptional event demonstrations are technically complicated and resource intensive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Put another way, it’s more likely that prescribed burns would never happen if air regulators thought they might have to file for an exceptional event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is also legally uncharted, or nearly uncharted, territory. \u003ca href=\"https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-104723.pdf\">The EPA has received only one exceptional events demonstration for a prescribed burn (PDF)\u003c/a> — too much ozone was associated with prescribed burns in the Flint Hills of Kansas in December 2012. But since then, no tribal, state or local agency has submitted an exceptional event demonstration for a prescribed burn, according to EPA officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Should wildfires be considered exceptional?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The EPA’s proposed rule is based in part on the recommendations of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, a collection of public health experts. In their \u003ca href=\"https://www.lawandenvironment.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/03/casac-review-of-the-epas-policy-assessment-for-the-reconsideration-of-the-national-ambient-air-quality-standards-for-particulate-matter-external-review-draft-october-2021.pdf?utm_source=mondaq&utm_medium=syndication&utm_content=inarticlelink&utm_campaign=article\">letter sent last spring to EPA administrator Michael Regan (PDF)\u003c/a>, they questioned whether even wildfires ought to be routinely considered exceptional events, considering they are the result of human-caused climate change, fire suppression and forest management policies and, often, problems with equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In some parts of the country, wildfires are no longer ‘exceptional’ The dramatic increase in wildfires over the last decade is not natural,” the authors write, pointing to forest management, climate change and utility power lines. “These are (in theory) at least partially controllable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In UC Berkeley’s Stephens’ view, the rule as proposed is an unacceptable passing of the buck.[pullquote size='medium' align='left' citation=\"Scott Stephens, fire science professor, UC Berkeley\"]‘If you do proactive work like prescribed burning, you have to justify it through a rule that is onerous. But if a wildfire is occurring, causing damage to people, burning down homes, no one’s accountable. I just don’t see how that can work.’[/pullquote]“If you do proactive work like prescribed burning, you have to justify it through a rule that is onerous,” he said. “But if a wildfire is occurring, causing damage to people, burning down homes, no one’s accountable. I just don’t see how that can work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of course, for those affected by the worst air quality in the state, pollution is damaging whether it’s from a diesel engine, a prescribed fire or a catastrophic wildfire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most people interviewed for this story said they hope that as the EPA decides how to implement the rule over the course of this year, it will find a route that both protects public health from human-made sources like smokestacks and tailpipes and encourages proactive wildfire protection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The key decision is going to be what happens in the U.S. EPA, PM 2.5 rulemaking. It’s really going to set the course for what is allowed or not allowed on the part of air districts over the next five to 10 years,” said Stanford’s Wara. He hopes for a path that can support both priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But if we just act as if it’s the year 2000 or sometime in the 1990s or even 1970 and the U.S. Forest Service reigned supreme over wildfire in the West?” he said. “We are not going to get this outcome.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 2766,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 53
},
"modified": 1704846055,
"excerpt": "The EPA is planning to tighten standards within the Clean Air Act, but a difference in how wildfire and prescribed fire smoke are accounted for could lead to perverse incentives.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The EPA is planning to tighten standards within the Clean Air Act, but a difference in how wildfire and prescribed fire smoke are accounted for could lead to perverse incentives.",
"title": "Here's Why Wildfire Experts Are Worried About an EPA Plan for Cleaner Air | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Here's Why Wildfire Experts Are Worried About an EPA Plan for Cleaner Air",
"datePublished": "2023-04-07T06:00:51-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T16:20:55-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "the-epa-wants-cleaner-air-but-fire-experts-worry-new-rule-risks-making-it-worse",
"status": "publish",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"sticky": false,
"subhead": "The EPA is planning to tighten standards within the Clean Air Act, but a difference in how wildfire and prescribed fire smoke is accounted for could lead to perverse incentives.",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/science/1982166/the-epa-wants-cleaner-air-but-fire-experts-worry-new-rule-risks-making-it-worse",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Few laws have been as successful, or saved the United States as much money, as the \u003ca href=\"https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL30853\">Clean Air Act (PDF)\u003c/a>. First enacted in 1955, the act was a response to alarming disasters like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5922205/\">Donora Smog\u003c/a> of 1948 in Western Pennsylvania and 1952’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-london-20615186\">Great Smog of London\u003c/a>, where thick dirty air from factories and vehicles enveloped communities for days and caused widespread deaths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Congress intended for the act to be frequently reevaluated and, if necessary, updated. The Environmental Protection Agency sets legal limits for how much pollution air districts are allowed to let into the air. Currently, the EPA is proposing tightening the standard for tiny particulates floating in the air, originating from motors, engines and fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Updating and tightening the standard is very popular among public health professionals, air regulators and the environmental justice community, who point to a mountain of evidence that this pollution takes lives early.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/2023-03-28%20AGO%20Coalition%20-%20PM%20NAAQS%20Comment%20Letter.pdf\">with 17 other attorneys general, also supports limit tightening (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many in the environmental justice community, concerned about the disproportionate air pollution burden that many lower-income communities and communities of color live with, would like to see standards tightened even further. In California, that’s especially true in the San Joaquin Valley and the South Coast Air Basin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We should have had lowered standards years ago. It’s a relief to see it now being proposed,” said Genevieve Amsalem, research and policy director at the Central California Environmental Justice Network. “Any time that you lower that standard, you’re going to be saving lives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She considers bad air the region’s biggest environmental public health threat, one that especially affects communities of color.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘Everyone knows a parent who has brought their baby, or their 2-year-old, into the ER because they couldn’t breathe. You know, the baby’s turning blue. It’s a story you hear across generations.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "left",
"citation": "Genevieve Amsalem, research and policy director, Central California Environmental Justice Network",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Everyone knows a parent who has brought their baby, or their 2-year-old, into the ER because they couldn’t breathe. You know, the baby’s turning blue,” Amsalem said. “It’s a story you hear across generations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Data backs up this impression: Counties in the San Joaquin Valley consistently have among the \u003ca href=\"https://californiahealthline.org/news/dirty-air-and-disasters-sending-kids-to-the-er-for-asthma/\">worst rates of childhood asthma\u003c/a> in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there are worries among the fire science community that the EPA’s proposed rule could have its opposite intended effect. They worry it may leave the state with ultimately worse air in the long run by stifling the use of prescribed fire. The ultimate outcome will affect everyone living in California and beyond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Wildfire is really challenging the paradigm that is at the core of the Clean Air Act — that emissions can be controlled,” said Michael Wara, an energy and climate scholar at Stanford University in \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA1wg9yzGxM&t=32s\">a presentation to students and researchers\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Wildfire emissions are not being successfully controlled. They’re growing,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Clean Air Act was written during a time when smokestack air pollution was the key problem standing in the way of healthy air, and the U.S. Forest Service could seemingly put any wildfire out by \u003ca href=\"https://foresthistory.org/research-explore/us-forest-service-history/policy-and-law/fire-u-s-forest-service/u-s-forest-service-fire-suppression/#:~:text=In%201935%2C%20the%20Forest%20Service,eliminate%20fire%20from%20the%20landscape.\">10 a.m. the next day\u003c/a>. All over the country, wildfires bent more or less easily to the will of firefighters, and the big sources of pollution could be regulated at the emission’s source. But that was a different climate reality.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Clean air keeps people out of hospitals\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Today, with \u003ca href=\"https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44840/4\">emissions from the worst pollutants down by more than 70% (PDF)\u003c/a>, the EPA estimates \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/benefits-and-costs-clean-air-act-1990-2020-second-prospective-study#:~:text=In%202020%2C%20the%20Clean%20Air,reductions%20in%20ambient%20particulate%20matter\">the Clean Air Act saves 230,000 lives annually\u003c/a> and hundreds of thousands more from asthma, bronchitis and heart attacks. Public health experts estimate the benefits of all these lives saved and hospital visits avoided into the \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/benefits-and-costs-clean-air-act-1970-1990-study-design-and-summary-results\">many trillions of dollars\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wildfires are now a major producer of both carbon emissions and tiny specks of sooty pollutants known as PM 2.5. A 2022 study from the National Center for Atmospheric Research found that \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-29623-8\">wildfire pollution was beginning to reverse decades of clean air gains\u003c/a>. (Researchers at Stanford in 2020 had \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/content/qt5134m9d8/qt5134m9d8.pdf?t=qpc4ro\">similar findings [PDF]\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The EPA’s plan would update its standard for PM 2.5.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "Related Stories ",
"tag": "air-quality"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Shorthand for “particulate matter of 2.5 microns in size or less,” PM 2.5 is a class of pollutants based on dimensions rather than origin or chemical makeup. It would take about 30 of them lined up to cross the width of a human hair. It’s their size that’s the key problem: It allows them to get deep into the lungs and even cross into the bloodstream, causing heart and respiratory problems. In short, it’s a terrible pollutant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Public comment on the proposal closed late last month, and the EPA is now deciding whether and how to implement revisions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The EPA estimates \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/epa-researchers-contribute-american-thoracic-society-workshop-report-wildland-fire\">a third of the PM 2.5 we breathe in this country is from wildfires\u003c/a>. For those in the West during wildfire season, it can be 90%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if wildfire trends continue and worsen, as climate models suggest they will, then we’ve seen nothing yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To avoid the worst outcomes, Wara of Stanford points to the need to dramatically increase the use of prescribed fire in pyro-adapted landscapes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some of the best hopes that we have for reducing public health impacts from wildfire and [general] impacts from wildfire have to do with substituting prescribed fire emission for high-intensity wildfire emission,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The rub: Wildfire smoke vs. prescribed fire smoke\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The EPA enforces its clean air standards. If air districts do not achieve these clean-air goals, then the EPA can take over air permitting within a district and even impose a ban on new federal highway grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, EPA officials recognize that sometimes air districts are out of compliance through no fault of their own. In this case, they are allowed to file for an “exceptional event.” In this bureaucratic process, the “event” is linked to the cause of pollution going over the legal limit. It is meant for events that are unforeseeable and are unlikely to occur in the same location again, like a volcanic explosion. If the link can be made, then emissions from that event can be subtracted from the total, and the air district is no longer in trouble with the EPA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To use an analogy, if you couldn’t pay off your credit card bill some month because you had an unforeseen emergency expense, this would be the process by which you might convince the credit card company to waive that charge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1970817\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1970817\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial view shows neighborhoods enshrouded in smoke as the Bobcat Fire advances toward foothill cities and new evacuation order go into effect on September 13, 2020 in Monrovia, California.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2020/11/gettyimages-1228496051-11803c34ee7e287ff491ad1597467efb869d819a-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An aerial view shows neighborhoods in Monrovia enshrouded in smoke from the Bobcat Fire on Sept. 13, 2020. \u003ccite>(David McNew/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It is a long, technically involved process. A California Air Resources Board (CARB) \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2021-11/2020_Northern_California_EE_Full_Demo_Final.pdf\">exceptional events filing (PDF)\u003c/a> for ozone concentrations during the Northern California wildfires of 2020 runs 228 pages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The problem, as seen by many in the wildfire science community, is that while this process essentially means air districts are not on the hook for wildfire smoke, they are on the hook for prescribed fire smoke. And prescribed fire — the most affordable, effective inoculation against future wildfires — has never been used as a basis for an exceptional event in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But fire scientists and those in fire agencies worry this new rule will stifle the state and federal plans to expand the use of prescribed fire as a core strategy to stem out-of-control wildfires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve got to start doing larger prescribed burns if we want to make a difference to what is actually happening on our landscape,” said Scott Stephens, fire science professor at UC Berkeley. “That just means there’s going to be more smoke.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pro-prescribed-fire groups, including the National Association of Forest Service Retirees, have \u003ca href=\"https://nafsr.org/advocacy/2023/031023%20NAFSR%20response%20to%20EPA%20PM2.5%20rule%20change.pdf\">submitted comments detailing their concern (PDF)\u003c/a> that the proposed rule “will reduce the Nation’s ability to implement strategies intended to reduce unwanted wildfire effects on communities and wildlands, including barriers to increasing the pace and scale of prescribed burning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1976585\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1998px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1976585\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f.jpg\" alt=\"A firefighter lights a prescribed burn in Humboldt County to reduce the underbrush without killing trees.\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1499\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/winter-oak-woodland-burning-2b67dc9298069f3e95da35a79dcd1b2aa432876f-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Prescribed burns, like this one in Humboldt County, reduce the underbrush without destroying trees. \u003ccite>(Lenya Quinn-Davidson/NPR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A large group of fire specialists, including professors, cultural burners and ecologists, wrote in a comment letter to the EPA that its plan “would put the EPA on the wrong side of policies and actions planned by federal, state, local and Tribal entities to address the wildfire crisis and ultimately, to reduce harmful PM2.5 emissions and impacts by reducing wildfire smoke.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Smoke from prescribed fires is less intense and less damaging than smoke from wildfires. Many scientists view it as \u003ca href=\"https://www.lung.org/policy-advocacy/healthy-air-campaign/prescribed-fire-report#:~:text=Prescribed%20burns%20can%20be%20used,supporting%20ecosystem%20health%20and%20resiliency.\">a protective trade-off\u003c/a> — some pollution now in exchange for greater fire safety (and less pollution) in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Air districts supportive, with qualifications\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Both the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/carb-statement-us-epa-proposal-strengthen-health-based-standards-fine-particulate-matter\">California Air Resources Board\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/communications-and-outreach/publications/news-releases/2023/pmnaaqs_230105_2023_001-pdf.pdf?la=en\">Bay Area Air Quality Management District (PDF)\u003c/a> have submitted comments supporting a tightening of the PM 2.5 standard. In interviews with KQED, regulators from both organizations also expressed support for prescribed burning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Charles Knoderer, meteorologist at BAAQMD, said that the air district views prescribed burning as a partner and ally in lowering the risk of wildfires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can control when they’re doing the burning and we can minimize the amount of smoke that’s released,” he said. “Wildfires will put out a ton more smoke, and at that point there’s really no controlling it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Neither Bay Area nor California air regulators seem to share the worries of the fire community that the EPA will hamper the increased use of prescribed fire, however.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘We can control when they’re doing the burning and we can minimize the amount of smoke that’s released. Wildfires will put out a ton more smoke, and at that point there’s really no controlling it.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "left",
"citation": "Charles Knoderer, meteorologist, Bay Area Air Quality Management District",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Edie Chang, deputy executive officer at CARB, said her agency has heard from the prescribed-fire community and has brought up the issue in comments to the EPA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re trying to see how we can streamline or make suggestions for how EPA might modify their policies or their guidance to help us be able to balance the increased use of prescribed fire that we need for forest management, for managing and reducing the catastrophic wildfires that we experience in California,” said Chang.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She expressed hope that the rule’s implementation phase, which it now heads into, would be the time for nitty-gritty details to be worked out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Even though they can be expunged from the data, residents are still feeling [the effects of wildfire] very much so,” said Amsalem, of the Central California Environmental Justice Network. She hopes agencies will work out this issue, she said, “because we do need to do more prescribed burning to reduce the catastrophic events.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>EPA’s proposed workaround leaves burners skeptical\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The EPA also seems aware of these concerns. In its proposed rule, it says it acknowledges stakeholder concerns about the importance of prescribed fire and intends to work with stakeholders to address these issues. It also says \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-08/documents/ee_prescribed_fire_final_guidance_-_august_2019.pdf\">prescribed fires have the potential to qualify for exceptional events (PDF)\u003c/a>, which could encourage their continued and expanded use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, this has environmental lawyers very concerned. Sara Clark of the law firm Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger works with nonprofit organizations and supports prescribed fire and Indigenous cultural burners. She thinks the EPA’s reasoning as written might not hold up under a judge’s evaluation.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "More Stories ",
"tag": "prescribed-burning"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“[The EPA] does a lot of linguistic acrobatics to try and clarify how a prescribed fire is … not reasonably preventable or controllable. But it’s called a ‘controlled burn,’” said Clark. “I’m concerned about the legal underpinnings there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She also believes that the time and technical expertise needed to file for an exceptional event exemption would make air regulators wary of using it. Extensive documentation and analysis is needed to submit for an exceptional events determination from CARB or the EPA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A recent Government Accountability Office report echoes these concerns. The report says \u003ca href=\"https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-104723.pdf\">the EPA could do a better job working with other agencies to reduce impacts from wildfires (PDF)\u003c/a>, including making it easier to conduct prescribed fires.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stakeholders interviewed by the GAO said that state and local agencies aren’t likely to use the exceptional events provision for prescribed burns because “the agencies would not likely approve prescribed burns that could cause National Ambient Air Quality Standards exceedances in the first place.” And they said that “exceptional event demonstrations are technically complicated and resource intensive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Put another way, it’s more likely that prescribed burns would never happen if air regulators thought they might have to file for an exceptional event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It is also legally uncharted, or nearly uncharted, territory. \u003ca href=\"https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-104723.pdf\">The EPA has received only one exceptional events demonstration for a prescribed burn (PDF)\u003c/a> — too much ozone was associated with prescribed burns in the Flint Hills of Kansas in December 2012. But since then, no tribal, state or local agency has submitted an exceptional event demonstration for a prescribed burn, according to EPA officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Should wildfires be considered exceptional?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The EPA’s proposed rule is based in part on the recommendations of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, a collection of public health experts. In their \u003ca href=\"https://www.lawandenvironment.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/03/casac-review-of-the-epas-policy-assessment-for-the-reconsideration-of-the-national-ambient-air-quality-standards-for-particulate-matter-external-review-draft-october-2021.pdf?utm_source=mondaq&utm_medium=syndication&utm_content=inarticlelink&utm_campaign=article\">letter sent last spring to EPA administrator Michael Regan (PDF)\u003c/a>, they questioned whether even wildfires ought to be routinely considered exceptional events, considering they are the result of human-caused climate change, fire suppression and forest management policies and, often, problems with equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In some parts of the country, wildfires are no longer ‘exceptional’ The dramatic increase in wildfires over the last decade is not natural,” the authors write, pointing to forest management, climate change and utility power lines. “These are (in theory) at least partially controllable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In UC Berkeley’s Stephens’ view, the rule as proposed is an unacceptable passing of the buck.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘If you do proactive work like prescribed burning, you have to justify it through a rule that is onerous. But if a wildfire is occurring, causing damage to people, burning down homes, no one’s accountable. I just don’t see how that can work.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "left",
"citation": "Scott Stephens, fire science professor, UC Berkeley",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“If you do proactive work like prescribed burning, you have to justify it through a rule that is onerous,” he said. “But if a wildfire is occurring, causing damage to people, burning down homes, no one’s accountable. I just don’t see how that can work.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of course, for those affected by the worst air quality in the state, pollution is damaging whether it’s from a diesel engine, a prescribed fire or a catastrophic wildfire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most people interviewed for this story said they hope that as the EPA decides how to implement the rule over the course of this year, it will find a route that both protects public health from human-made sources like smokestacks and tailpipes and encourages proactive wildfire protection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The key decision is going to be what happens in the U.S. EPA, PM 2.5 rulemaking. It’s really going to set the course for what is allowed or not allowed on the part of air districts over the next five to 10 years,” said Stanford’s Wara. He hopes for a path that can support both priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But if we just act as if it’s the year 2000 or sometime in the 1990s or even 1970 and the U.S. Forest Service reigned supreme over wildfire in the West?” he said. “We are not going to get this outcome.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1982166/the-epa-wants-cleaner-air-but-fire-experts-worry-new-rule-risks-making-it-worse",
"authors": [
"11088"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_39",
"science_40",
"science_4450",
"science_3730"
],
"tags": [
"science_524",
"science_2080",
"science_4414",
"science_959",
"science_113"
],
"featImg": "science_1982200",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1976747": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1976747",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1976747",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1631516492000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "science"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1631516492,
"format": "audio",
"title": "What the Air Quality Index Actually Means",
"headTitle": "What the Air Quality Index Actually Means | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp class=\"p1\">Over the past five years, as California wildfires increased in both intensity and scope, fall in the Bay Area has meant skies intermittently shrouded in smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">This season, my morning routine has not only included caffeine and email, but also checking outdoor air quality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The number and color flashing to life on my phone, also known as the Air Quality Index, dictates to some extent how I’ll go through the day. It determines if my kid’s school will be open, how long I can take the dog out, and whether I’ll keep my windows sealed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">So … what actually is the air quality index?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">\u003cb>AQI, Who Am I?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The \u003ca href=\"https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/\">\u003cspan class=\"s1\">Air Quality Index\u003c/span>\u003c/a> (AQI) is the Environmental Protection Agency’s way of representing the amount of pollution in the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The higher the number, the more air pollution, and the worse for your health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The AQI is divided into six color-coded categories, starting with green, which means air quality is healthy enough for everyone to be outdoors. The index then moves through, in increasing order of pollution, yellow, orange, red, purple and maroon. Maroon is equivalent to an AQI of more than 300, indicating a health emergency in which the air is hazardous for everyone to breathe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">Bay Area locations have hit high AQI levels for weeks at a time in recent years, even when they’re more than 100 miles away from a particular wildfire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">Here are some good thresholds to keep in mind:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul class=\"ul1\">\n\u003cli class=\"li1\">\u003cb>An AQI above 100\u003c/b>, categorized as “orange,” means everyone should be mindful of air quality, says Juan Romero, spokesman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. At these levels, the air can be unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with lung disease. It’s important to check in with your doctor and follow their recommendations related to air quality exposure if you’re in one of these groups.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"li1\">\u003cb>An AQI above 150\u003c/b>, designated “red,” means everyone should limit outdoor activities.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"li1\">\u003cb>An AQI above 200\u003c/b>, or “purple,” is the point at which the air district suggests all people stay inside.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How is AQI measured? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Air Quality Index is calculated through measuring six major pollutants: ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and two sizes of particulate matter, known as PM2.5 and the slightly larger PM10. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The major sources of air pollution in the Bay Area are \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sparetheair.org/about/what-is-spare-the-air\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">ozone and fine particulate matter, or PM2.5\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. PM2.5 is tiny, with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller. For a sense of scale, visualize it would take about 25 of these particles to span the width of the average human hair. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We often see higher concentrations of ozone in the warmer months, typically between April and October. Ozone comes mostly from sources of “smog,” such as emissions from cars, trucks, refineries, construction sites and gas stations. While ozone is produced year-round, it builds up more during the longer, hotter days of summer. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ozone pollution can worsen respiratory irritation and asthma. Some \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19079727/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">studies \u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">link prolonged exposure to ozone to an increased risk of kids developing asthma. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We often see more pollution from PM2.5 in the cooler months of November through February, due to burning firewood. But we also see this pollutant more now during the heart of wildfire season. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This miniscule pollutant can go deep into the lungs and bloodstream and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/protecting-yourself-wildfire-smoke\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">cause lung and heart disease\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s Spare the Air? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The air district converts pollution measurements into the AQI scale, and if concentrations of any of the six pollutants used to measure AQI is expected to exceed 100 somewhere across the Bay Area, it calls a Spare the Air Alert for the entire region. That’s because cutting back on emissions in one location can impact the air miles away. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1976757\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 300px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1976757\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/summer-alert-mode-png.png\" alt=\"Red sign announcing air quality advisory\" width=\"300\" height=\"311\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/summer-alert-mode-png.png 300w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/summer-alert-mode-png-160x166.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An example of an air quality alert, issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. \u003ccite>(courtesy Bay Area Air Quality Management District)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the Spare the Air Alert is called due to ozone, the air quality district will recommend driving less to reduce emissions.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the alert is called due to high concentrations of PM2.5, it becomes illegal to use fireplaces and other wood-burning stoves in the Bay Area. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s also helpful, but not required, to eliminate activities such as lawn mowing, leaf blowing and barbecuing on Spare the Air days.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1976755\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 300px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1976755 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/advisory-mode-png.png\" alt=\"Yellow sign announcing air quality advisory\" width=\"300\" height=\"329\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/advisory-mode-png.png 300w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/advisory-mode-png-160x175.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An example of an air quality advisory, issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. \u003ccite>(courtesy Bay Area Air Quality Management District)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The air quality district also issues air quality advisories, which can be a precursor to an alert. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Advisories\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> are often issued when there’s smoke way up in the air, too high for it to pollute the air we breathe on the ground. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How can folks stay up to date on AQI?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You can check \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1930023/map-heres-your-daily-air-quality-report-for-the-bay-area\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">KQED’s air quality map\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://fire.airnow.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">AirNow Fire and Smoke Map\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which combines government and commercial sensors like those that show up on \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www2.purpleair.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">PurpleAir’s map\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You can also sign up for\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sparetheair.org/connect-with-us/sign-up-for-alerts\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> alerts from the air quality district\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. You can even pick your favorite form of communication: text, phone call, email, or social media. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 900,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 18
},
"modified": 1704846442,
"excerpt": "Over the past five years, as California wildfires increased in both intensity and scope, Bay Area skies have intermittently filled with smoke, causing residents to routinely check the air quality index. Here's a guide to understanding what the index means. ",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Over the past five years, as California wildfires increased in both intensity and scope, Bay Area skies have intermittently filled with smoke, causing residents to routinely check the air quality index. Here's a guide to understanding what the index means. ",
"title": "What the Air Quality Index Actually Means | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "What the Air Quality Index Actually Means",
"datePublished": "2021-09-13T00:01:32-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-09T16:27:22-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "what-the-air-quality-index-actually-means",
"status": "publish",
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-4[…]f-aaef00f5a073/184d5926-325c-47d8-a99f-ada5012c2e7c/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1976747/what-the-air-quality-index-actually-means",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp class=\"p1\">Over the past five years, as California wildfires increased in both intensity and scope, fall in the Bay Area has meant skies intermittently shrouded in smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">This season, my morning routine has not only included caffeine and email, but also checking outdoor air quality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The number and color flashing to life on my phone, also known as the Air Quality Index, dictates to some extent how I’ll go through the day. It determines if my kid’s school will be open, how long I can take the dog out, and whether I’ll keep my windows sealed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">So … what actually is the air quality index?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">\u003cb>AQI, Who Am I?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The \u003ca href=\"https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/\">\u003cspan class=\"s1\">Air Quality Index\u003c/span>\u003c/a> (AQI) is the Environmental Protection Agency’s way of representing the amount of pollution in the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The higher the number, the more air pollution, and the worse for your health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">The AQI is divided into six color-coded categories, starting with green, which means air quality is healthy enough for everyone to be outdoors. The index then moves through, in increasing order of pollution, yellow, orange, red, purple and maroon. Maroon is equivalent to an AQI of more than 300, indicating a health emergency in which the air is hazardous for everyone to breathe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">Bay Area locations have hit high AQI levels for weeks at a time in recent years, even when they’re more than 100 miles away from a particular wildfire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p1\">Here are some good thresholds to keep in mind:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul class=\"ul1\">\n\u003cli class=\"li1\">\u003cb>An AQI above 100\u003c/b>, categorized as “orange,” means everyone should be mindful of air quality, says Juan Romero, spokesman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. At these levels, the air can be unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with lung disease. It’s important to check in with your doctor and follow their recommendations related to air quality exposure if you’re in one of these groups.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"li1\">\u003cb>An AQI above 150\u003c/b>, designated “red,” means everyone should limit outdoor activities.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli class=\"li1\">\u003cb>An AQI above 200\u003c/b>, or “purple,” is the point at which the air district suggests all people stay inside.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How is AQI measured? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Air Quality Index is calculated through measuring six major pollutants: ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and two sizes of particulate matter, known as PM2.5 and the slightly larger PM10. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The major sources of air pollution in the Bay Area are \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sparetheair.org/about/what-is-spare-the-air\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">ozone and fine particulate matter, or PM2.5\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. PM2.5 is tiny, with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller. For a sense of scale, visualize it would take about 25 of these particles to span the width of the average human hair. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We often see higher concentrations of ozone in the warmer months, typically between April and October. Ozone comes mostly from sources of “smog,” such as emissions from cars, trucks, refineries, construction sites and gas stations. While ozone is produced year-round, it builds up more during the longer, hotter days of summer. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ozone pollution can worsen respiratory irritation and asthma. Some \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19079727/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">studies \u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">link prolonged exposure to ozone to an increased risk of kids developing asthma. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">We often see more pollution from PM2.5 in the cooler months of November through February, due to burning firewood. But we also see this pollutant more now during the heart of wildfire season. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">This miniscule pollutant can go deep into the lungs and bloodstream and \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/protecting-yourself-wildfire-smoke\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">cause lung and heart disease\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What’s Spare the Air? \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The air district converts pollution measurements into the AQI scale, and if concentrations of any of the six pollutants used to measure AQI is expected to exceed 100 somewhere across the Bay Area, it calls a Spare the Air Alert for the entire region. That’s because cutting back on emissions in one location can impact the air miles away. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1976757\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 300px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1976757\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/summer-alert-mode-png.png\" alt=\"Red sign announcing air quality advisory\" width=\"300\" height=\"311\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/summer-alert-mode-png.png 300w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/summer-alert-mode-png-160x166.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An example of an air quality alert, issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. \u003ccite>(courtesy Bay Area Air Quality Management District)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the Spare the Air Alert is called due to ozone, the air quality district will recommend driving less to reduce emissions.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the alert is called due to high concentrations of PM2.5, it becomes illegal to use fireplaces and other wood-burning stoves in the Bay Area. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s also helpful, but not required, to eliminate activities such as lawn mowing, leaf blowing and barbecuing on Spare the Air days.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1976755\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 300px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1976755 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/advisory-mode-png.png\" alt=\"Yellow sign announcing air quality advisory\" width=\"300\" height=\"329\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/advisory-mode-png.png 300w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/09/advisory-mode-png-160x175.png 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An example of an air quality advisory, issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. \u003ccite>(courtesy Bay Area Air Quality Management District)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The air quality district also issues air quality advisories, which can be a precursor to an alert. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Advisories\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> are often issued when there’s smoke way up in the air, too high for it to pollute the air we breathe on the ground. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>How can folks stay up to date on AQI?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You can check \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1930023/map-heres-your-daily-air-quality-report-for-the-bay-area\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">KQED’s air quality map\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or the \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://fire.airnow.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">AirNow Fire and Smoke Map\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which combines government and commercial sensors like those that show up on \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www2.purpleair.com/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">PurpleAir’s map\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You can also sign up for\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sparetheair.org/connect-with-us/sign-up-for-alerts\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> alerts from the air quality district\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. You can even pick your favorite form of communication: text, phone call, email, or social media. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1976747/what-the-air-quality-index-actually-means",
"authors": [
"8648"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_524",
"science_4414",
"science_3463",
"science_3693"
],
"featImg": "science_1969556",
"label": "science"
},
"science_1976551": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "science_1976551",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1976551",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1630443030000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-to-get-or-make-a-free-low-cost-air-purifier-for-your-home",
"title": "How to Get — Or Make — a Free Or Low-Cost Air Purifier For Your Home",
"publishDate": 1630443030,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "How to Get — Or Make — a Free Or Low-Cost Air Purifier For Your Home | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Bay Area residents have navigated hazardous smoke each year since 2017. At this point, “smoke days” are expected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year is no exception. Wildfires are burning across Northern California, producing noxious air that covers large swaths of the state, forcing people to evacuate or spend weeks inside to spare their lungs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/KQEDscience/status/1432805403394519040?s=20\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1975710/how-to-keep-indoor-air-clean-during-a-wildfire\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> keep that indoor air clean\u003c/a>, it’s crucial to limit additional contaminants, like gas from stoves, fumes from scented candles, and outdoor air that may sneak in through leaky windows or exhaust fans. It’s also important to clean that indoor air. The best way to do this is with an air purifier or, if you have in-home air filtration, \u003ca href=\"https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2018/11/14/qa-how-to-protect-yourself-and-your-family-from-wildfire-smoke/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">upgrading the filters you use in your system\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But preparation — including acquiring air purifiers — is expensive and largely left up to individuals, says Amee Raval, policy and research director at the environmental justice organization \u003ca href=\"https://apen4ej.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Asian Pacific Environmental Network\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are very few programs run by state and local governments to help people secure air purifiers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re told every year, that preparedness means going out and spending hundreds of dollars on air purifiers,” Raval said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These individual approaches are based on how much money you have and worsen the divide between people who have the means to spend hundreds of dollars on equipment and people who don’t,” Raval said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now the government and county run approaches are largely failing us,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until we address the root causes of these extreme fires (a century of fire suppression and warming temperatures driven by burning fossil fuels to start), individuals, community groups and governments must adapt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We asked counties, government agencies, and community-based organizations about programs that provide free or discounted assistance to help people attain cleaner indoor air when the smoke hits. Here’s what we found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#localgov\">Resources run by local government\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#community\">Resources run by community organizations\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#air\">How to make your own air purifier\u003cbr>\n\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#diy\">Tips for using your DIY air purifier\u003cbr>\n\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Where are the programs?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Counties and state agencies point to the\u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s\u003c/a> new \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/news-and-events/page-resources/2021-news/082621-cafp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Clean Air Filtration Program\u003c/a>. The district will spend $350,000 to provide 3,000 portable air purifiers to mostly people with respiratory illnesses. The program will prioritize low-income areas and residents, and install larger air purifiers at homeless shelters and cooling centers. The regulator’s goal is to distribute all air purifiers before the end of this fire season, and to expand the program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">California Air Resources Board\u003c/a> doesn’t offer free air filters but intends to spend \u003ca style=\"color: #41a62a\" href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/wildfire-smoke-clean-air-center-grant/about\">$5 million\u003c/a> to help communities upgrade ventilation systems and purchase portable air cleaners for cooling centers this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While this is a start, the scope of these programs are limited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1976556\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1976556\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1-800x800.jpg\" alt=\"A Roots Community Health Program flyer advertises a program in which it partners with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. One aspect of this program involves receiving a free air purifier for your home.\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Roots Community Health Program flyer advertises an air filter partner program with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Julia Hatton, CEO at \u003ca href=\"https://risingsunopp.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rising Sun Center for Opportunity\u003c/a>, a workforce development organization that helps people make their homes more climate resilient, says there are a lot of programs that will measure air quality in local communities. “But they don’t necessarily offer any solutions for the residents of those communities,” Hatton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She says many conversations around air quality are focused on installing air quality monitors in homes, “which is great. But if someone finds out their indoor air quality is really bad and they don’t have the ability to address that issue or leave the house, you’re not really contributing to a solution.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hatton says distributing air purifiers could be straightforward for programs like hers, which regularly provide other energy upgrades and could include air purifiers in their services. Funding, she says, is another story. She’d like to see financial support come from the entities responsible for sparking some of the state’s wildfires, like PG&E, or local or state air districts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The nonprofit organization, \u003ca href=\"https://aea.us.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Association for Energy Affordability,\u003c/a> also focuses on energy efficiency and healthy housing, centering their work in low-income communities. Andy Brooks is senior director of the West Coast office and agrees more programs are needed to secure air purifiers for communities around the Bay Area, “everyone in my space talks about it all the time,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A reason there are not more programs providing air purifiers or other filtration, he says, is that a lot of funding for housing improvements comes from utilities and must be tied to energy efficiency. Air purifiers do not fall into that category.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brooks says collaboration between the Bay Area’s air district and organizations like his could address both energy and carbon use in residences, as well as health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Counties reported few resources for people seeking free or discounted air purifiers, apart from the air district’s program. Several suggested people seek a respite from poor indoor air quality by going to public centers with strong air systems. But during a pandemic, community centers can be a hard sell, and put people at more risk of exposure to COVID-19.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Clean air respite centers, or cooling centers, are largely being underutilized,” Raval said. “And that’s because the solutions aren’t being designed with the leadership and partnership of community residents and advocates in mind.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Raval says working with community groups will help better get the word out and build trust in centers like these, which are a good way to serve the community as a whole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State and local counties do have some initiatives addressing cleaning up air in people’s homes, such as weatherization programs for people with low or fixed incomes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While “weatherizing” a home includes things like installing carbon monoxide filters and water-saving devices, it also involves improvements that will keep dangerous particulates out of your house, says Michael Kent, hazardous materials ombudsman at \u003ca href=\"https://cchealth.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Contra Costa Health Services\u003c/a>. Improvements like sealing cracks, replacing damaged windows, and putting weatherstripping around drafty windows or doors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.csd.ca.gov/Pages/Assistance-HomeEnergyEfficiency.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Department of Community Services and Development\u003c/a> also has \u003ca href=\"https://www.csd.ca.gov/Pages/FindServicesInYourArea.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">weatherization programs\u003c/a>, including the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), and the state cap-and-trade funded Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIWP). All \u003ca href=\"https://www.csd.ca.gov/programs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">three programs\u003c/a> are available for low-income households at no cost.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Resources run by local government\u003cbr>\n\u003ca id=\"localgov\">\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/news-and-events/page-resources/2021-news/082621-cafp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Clean Air Filtration Program\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Supply:\u003c/strong> 3,000 air purifiers for Bay Area counties, plus larger purifiers for shelters and emergency centers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Who’s it for: \u003c/strong>Medi-Cal patients and undocumented people without Medi-Cal. Most people who will qualify must have “moderate to severe” or “poorly controlled” asthma and be enrolled in the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/communications-and-outreach/publications/fact-sheets/asthma-mitigation-FAQ_final_080521r_web%20pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Asthma Mitigation Project\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>How to access:\u003c/strong> Email the air district: airfilters@baaqmd.gov. Note: the process could take several weeks, according to partner organizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Resources run by community organizations\u003ca id=\"community\">\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Several community-based organizations are building or providing materials and training for people to make their own air purifiers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1968863/helping-kids-protect-themselves-from-dirty-air-one-diy-filter-at-a-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">out of a box fan and filter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of them is the East Oakland-based community organization \u003ca href=\"http://www.homiesempowerment.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Homies Empowerment\u003c/a>. The nonprofit already provides free food, toiletries, diapers and other basics at their \u003ca href=\"http://www.homiesempowerment.com/freedom-store.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">FREEdom Store\u003c/a>. In September of last year, customers said they were struggling to breathe. So the Homies Empowerment team added air purifiers to their offerings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We took matters into our own hands and we did it do-it-yourself, DIY, style,” one of the group’s founders, César Cruz, said. The organization raised money to purchase a hundred fans and air filters. “They went like hotcakes,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, the group is partnering with \u003ca href=\"https://www.acemakerspace.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ace Makerspace\u003c/a>, to bring the community 500 DIY air purifier kits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Community-based organizations providing air purifiers:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003ca href=\"http://www.homiesempowerment.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>Homies Empowerment\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Supply:\u003c/strong> 500 DIY air purifier kits, with instructions in various languages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Who’s it for:\u003c/strong> “You can be from anywhere,” Cruz said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>How to access:\u003c/strong> Air purifier kits will be at the FREEdom Store, 7631 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94605. The store is open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003ca href=\"https://northfoca.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>North Fair Oaks Community Alliance\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Supply:\u003c/strong> 40 DIY air purifier kits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Who’s it for:\u003c/strong> Priority for residents of North Fair Oaks in San Mateo County, a community of roughly 4,200 households.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">North Fair Oaks Community Alliance President Ever Rodriguez said “ideally, we would like to open it up to the surrounding communities. If more resources are available, we will be happy to continue giving those out to our surrounding neighbors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>How to access:\u003c/strong> Contact \u003ca href=\"https://northfoca.org/contact/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">North Fair Oaks Community Alliance\u003c/a> directly. Purifier kits available in September.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.brightlinedefense.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>Brightline Defense\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Supply:\u003c/strong> 20 DIY air purifiers, and workshops on assemblage and use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Who’s it for:\u003c/strong> SRO tenants anywhere in San Francisco, with a focus on SRO tenant leaders from Central City SRO Collaborative. The DIY purifiers are intended to be shared between tenants, as SRO rooms are small, and air can be cleaned relatively quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>How to access:\u003c/strong> Contact Brightline Defense directly.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>How to make your own air purifier\u003ca id=\"air\">\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Not able to access an air purifier through any of the narrow means above? No problem. You can make your own:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Materials:\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003col>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>A new, 20″ box fan (the cord should come out of the bottom, not the center)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A 20″ x 20″ MERV 12 or 13 furnace/HVAC filter\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Heavy-duty tape (clear plastic or duct tape)\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Steps:\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003col>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>Place the MERV filter on the back of the fan (the filter can be put on the front too, but can stress the motor).\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Make sure the filter is facing the correct direction for air to flow through.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Tape around the edges, making a seal between the box fan and the filter.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Cost: roughly $40\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The makeshift devices are “not rocket science,” but are effective, said \u003ca href=\"https://cires.colorado.edu/council-fellows/jose-luis-jimenez\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jose-Luis Jimenez\u003c/a>, a chemistry professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. He’s been looking into how \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/how-to-diy-an-air-purifier/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Do-It-Yourself purifiers\u003c/a> can help filter air from both COVID-19 and wildfire smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132317305498?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">peer-reviewed study\u003c/a> out of Singapore, which found similar DIY air filters removing around 75% of particulate matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The purifiers in that study pulled air from outside, something doctors and scientists recommend avoiding when thick wildfire smoke infiltrates indoors. Instead, they say, it’s better to keep the windows closed and to focus on cleaning the air that’s already in your home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also more effective to clean the air in a limited area, says \u003ca href=\"https://wcec.ucdavis.edu/about/directory/theresa-pistochini/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Theresa Pistochini\u003c/a>, engineering manager at the \u003ca href=\"https://wcec.ucdavis.edu/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You want a smaller, enclosed space,” she said. “Like a bedroom that you’re trying to drop the smoke levels in. When [the smoke] was really bad, a couple of us were sleeping in one room, so we could manage to filter better,” she said, referring to her experience during the 2018 Camp Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Tips for your DIY filter\u003c/strong>\u003ca id=\"diy\">\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>Use a MERV 12 or 13 filter. HEPA filters are stronger but their thickness could cause the box fan to overheat or fail. Placing the filter on the back of the fan reduces the filtration a little, but is recommended over placing the filter on the front, which can tax the motor more.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli> Purchase box fans at a local hardware store or larger retailer. If filters are harder to find, try \u003ca href=\"https://filterbuy.com/air-filters/20x20x2/?gclid=CjwKCAjw8cCGBhB6EiwAgORey__i0-xU7wUDMz_YAqv2_KD_kQ8pcodn1qMap6cebT5jyA8vnJ_A1xoC_5MQAvD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Filter Buy\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.target.com/p/aerostar-ac-furnace-air-filter-health-merv-13-box-of-6/-/A-80014134?preselect=80014135#lnk=sametab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Target\u003c/a>, or \u003ca href=\"https://www.homedepot.com/p/BestAir-20-x-20-x-1-Pleated-Air-Filter-FPR-10-MERV-13-B1-2020-13-6/314412067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Home Depot\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli data-stringify-indent=\"0\" data-stringify-border=\"0\">Don’t leave the DIY purifier unattended, it could become a fire hazard.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli data-stringify-indent=\"0\" data-stringify-border=\"0\">Place the DIY purifier in the middle of the room at a height midway between the floor and the ceiling.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli data-stringify-indent=\"0\" data-stringify-border=\"0\">DIY air purifiers are a short-term solution, for a few months or “until it’s visibly obstructed with smoke or dirt” Pistochini said.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/jrodriguez\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez\u003c/a> contributed reporting to this post.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Bay Area air regulators offer free purifiers for wildfire smoke. Here's how to qualify, or make a DIY filter at home.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1725577034,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 39,
"wordCount": 2030
},
"headData": {
"title": "How to Get — Or Make — a Free Or Low-Cost Air Purifier For Your Home | KQED",
"description": "Bay Area air regulators offer free purifiers for wildfire smoke. Here's how to qualify, or make a DIY filter at home.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How to Get — Or Make — a Free Or Low-Cost Air Purifier For Your Home",
"datePublished": "2021-08-31T13:50:30-07:00",
"dateModified": "2024-09-05T15:57:14-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"source": "Wildfire Smoke",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/science/1976551/how-to-get-or-make-a-free-low-cost-air-purifier-for-your-home",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Bay Area residents have navigated hazardous smoke each year since 2017. At this point, “smoke days” are expected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year is no exception. Wildfires are burning across Northern California, producing noxious air that covers large swaths of the state, forcing people to evacuate or spend weeks inside to spare their lungs.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "singleTwitterStatus",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"id": "1432805403394519040"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>To\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1975710/how-to-keep-indoor-air-clean-during-a-wildfire\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> keep that indoor air clean\u003c/a>, it’s crucial to limit additional contaminants, like gas from stoves, fumes from scented candles, and outdoor air that may sneak in through leaky windows or exhaust fans. It’s also important to clean that indoor air. The best way to do this is with an air purifier or, if you have in-home air filtration, \u003ca href=\"https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2018/11/14/qa-how-to-protect-yourself-and-your-family-from-wildfire-smoke/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">upgrading the filters you use in your system\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But preparation — including acquiring air purifiers — is expensive and largely left up to individuals, says Amee Raval, policy and research director at the environmental justice organization \u003ca href=\"https://apen4ej.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Asian Pacific Environmental Network\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are very few programs run by state and local governments to help people secure air purifiers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re told every year, that preparedness means going out and spending hundreds of dollars on air purifiers,” Raval said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These individual approaches are based on how much money you have and worsen the divide between people who have the means to spend hundreds of dollars on equipment and people who don’t,” Raval said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now the government and county run approaches are largely failing us,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until we address the root causes of these extreme fires (a century of fire suppression and warming temperatures driven by burning fossil fuels to start), individuals, community groups and governments must adapt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We asked counties, government agencies, and community-based organizations about programs that provide free or discounted assistance to help people attain cleaner indoor air when the smoke hits. Here’s what we found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#localgov\">Resources run by local government\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#community\">Resources run by community organizations\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#air\">How to make your own air purifier\u003cbr>\n\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#diy\">Tips for using your DIY air purifier\u003cbr>\n\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Where are the programs?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Counties and state agencies point to the\u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s\u003c/a> new \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/news-and-events/page-resources/2021-news/082621-cafp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Clean Air Filtration Program\u003c/a>. The district will spend $350,000 to provide 3,000 portable air purifiers to mostly people with respiratory illnesses. The program will prioritize low-income areas and residents, and install larger air purifiers at homeless shelters and cooling centers. The regulator’s goal is to distribute all air purifiers before the end of this fire season, and to expand the program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">California Air Resources Board\u003c/a> doesn’t offer free air filters but intends to spend \u003ca style=\"color: #41a62a\" href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/wildfire-smoke-clean-air-center-grant/about\">$5 million\u003c/a> to help communities upgrade ventilation systems and purchase portable air cleaners for cooling centers this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While this is a start, the scope of these programs are limited.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1976556\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1976556\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1-800x800.jpg\" alt=\"A Roots Community Health Program flyer advertises a program in which it partners with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. One aspect of this program involves receiving a free air purifier for your home.\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1-1020x1020.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2021/08/BreatheOaklandFlyer-1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Roots Community Health Program flyer advertises an air filter partner program with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Julia Hatton, CEO at \u003ca href=\"https://risingsunopp.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rising Sun Center for Opportunity\u003c/a>, a workforce development organization that helps people make their homes more climate resilient, says there are a lot of programs that will measure air quality in local communities. “But they don’t necessarily offer any solutions for the residents of those communities,” Hatton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She says many conversations around air quality are focused on installing air quality monitors in homes, “which is great. But if someone finds out their indoor air quality is really bad and they don’t have the ability to address that issue or leave the house, you’re not really contributing to a solution.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hatton says distributing air purifiers could be straightforward for programs like hers, which regularly provide other energy upgrades and could include air purifiers in their services. Funding, she says, is another story. She’d like to see financial support come from the entities responsible for sparking some of the state’s wildfires, like PG&E, or local or state air districts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The nonprofit organization, \u003ca href=\"https://aea.us.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Association for Energy Affordability,\u003c/a> also focuses on energy efficiency and healthy housing, centering their work in low-income communities. Andy Brooks is senior director of the West Coast office and agrees more programs are needed to secure air purifiers for communities around the Bay Area, “everyone in my space talks about it all the time,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A reason there are not more programs providing air purifiers or other filtration, he says, is that a lot of funding for housing improvements comes from utilities and must be tied to energy efficiency. Air purifiers do not fall into that category.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brooks says collaboration between the Bay Area’s air district and organizations like his could address both energy and carbon use in residences, as well as health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Counties reported few resources for people seeking free or discounted air purifiers, apart from the air district’s program. Several suggested people seek a respite from poor indoor air quality by going to public centers with strong air systems. But during a pandemic, community centers can be a hard sell, and put people at more risk of exposure to COVID-19.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Clean air respite centers, or cooling centers, are largely being underutilized,” Raval said. “And that’s because the solutions aren’t being designed with the leadership and partnership of community residents and advocates in mind.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Raval says working with community groups will help better get the word out and build trust in centers like these, which are a good way to serve the community as a whole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State and local counties do have some initiatives addressing cleaning up air in people’s homes, such as weatherization programs for people with low or fixed incomes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While “weatherizing” a home includes things like installing carbon monoxide filters and water-saving devices, it also involves improvements that will keep dangerous particulates out of your house, says Michael Kent, hazardous materials ombudsman at \u003ca href=\"https://cchealth.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Contra Costa Health Services\u003c/a>. Improvements like sealing cracks, replacing damaged windows, and putting weatherstripping around drafty windows or doors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.csd.ca.gov/Pages/Assistance-HomeEnergyEfficiency.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Department of Community Services and Development\u003c/a> also has \u003ca href=\"https://www.csd.ca.gov/Pages/FindServicesInYourArea.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">weatherization programs\u003c/a>, including the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), and the state cap-and-trade funded Low-Income Weatherization Program (LIWP). All \u003ca href=\"https://www.csd.ca.gov/programs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">three programs\u003c/a> are available for low-income households at no cost.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Resources run by local government\u003cbr>\n\u003ca id=\"localgov\">\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/news-and-events/page-resources/2021-news/082621-cafp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Clean Air Filtration Program\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Supply:\u003c/strong> 3,000 air purifiers for Bay Area counties, plus larger purifiers for shelters and emergency centers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Who’s it for: \u003c/strong>Medi-Cal patients and undocumented people without Medi-Cal. Most people who will qualify must have “moderate to severe” or “poorly controlled” asthma and be enrolled in the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/communications-and-outreach/publications/fact-sheets/asthma-mitigation-FAQ_final_080521r_web%20pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Asthma Mitigation Project\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>How to access:\u003c/strong> Email the air district: airfilters@baaqmd.gov. Note: the process could take several weeks, according to partner organizations.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Resources run by community organizations\u003ca id=\"community\">\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Several community-based organizations are building or providing materials and training for people to make their own air purifiers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1968863/helping-kids-protect-themselves-from-dirty-air-one-diy-filter-at-a-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">out of a box fan and filter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of them is the East Oakland-based community organization \u003ca href=\"http://www.homiesempowerment.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Homies Empowerment\u003c/a>. The nonprofit already provides free food, toiletries, diapers and other basics at their \u003ca href=\"http://www.homiesempowerment.com/freedom-store.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">FREEdom Store\u003c/a>. In September of last year, customers said they were struggling to breathe. So the Homies Empowerment team added air purifiers to their offerings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We took matters into our own hands and we did it do-it-yourself, DIY, style,” one of the group’s founders, César Cruz, said. The organization raised money to purchase a hundred fans and air filters. “They went like hotcakes,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, the group is partnering with \u003ca href=\"https://www.acemakerspace.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ace Makerspace\u003c/a>, to bring the community 500 DIY air purifier kits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Community-based organizations providing air purifiers:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003ca href=\"http://www.homiesempowerment.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>Homies Empowerment\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Supply:\u003c/strong> 500 DIY air purifier kits, with instructions in various languages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Who’s it for:\u003c/strong> “You can be from anywhere,” Cruz said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>How to access:\u003c/strong> Air purifier kits will be at the FREEdom Store, 7631 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94605. The store is open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003ca href=\"https://northfoca.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>North Fair Oaks Community Alliance\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Supply:\u003c/strong> 40 DIY air purifier kits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Who’s it for:\u003c/strong> Priority for residents of North Fair Oaks in San Mateo County, a community of roughly 4,200 households.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">North Fair Oaks Community Alliance President Ever Rodriguez said “ideally, we would like to open it up to the surrounding communities. If more resources are available, we will be happy to continue giving those out to our surrounding neighbors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>How to access:\u003c/strong> Contact \u003ca href=\"https://northfoca.org/contact/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">North Fair Oaks Community Alliance\u003c/a> directly. Purifier kits available in September.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.brightlinedefense.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cstrong>Brightline Defense\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Supply:\u003c/strong> 20 DIY air purifiers, and workshops on assemblage and use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>Who’s it for:\u003c/strong> SRO tenants anywhere in San Francisco, with a focus on SRO tenant leaders from Central City SRO Collaborative. The DIY purifiers are intended to be shared between tenants, as SRO rooms are small, and air can be cleaned relatively quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">\u003cstrong>How to access:\u003c/strong> Contact Brightline Defense directly.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>How to make your own air purifier\u003ca id=\"air\">\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Not able to access an air purifier through any of the narrow means above? No problem. You can make your own:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Materials:\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003col>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>A new, 20″ box fan (the cord should come out of the bottom, not the center)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A 20″ x 20″ MERV 12 or 13 furnace/HVAC filter\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Heavy-duty tape (clear plastic or duct tape)\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Steps:\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003col>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>Place the MERV filter on the back of the fan (the filter can be put on the front too, but can stress the motor).\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Make sure the filter is facing the correct direction for air to flow through.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Tape around the edges, making a seal between the box fan and the filter.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Cost: roughly $40\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The makeshift devices are “not rocket science,” but are effective, said \u003ca href=\"https://cires.colorado.edu/council-fellows/jose-luis-jimenez\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jose-Luis Jimenez\u003c/a>, a chemistry professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. He’s been looking into how \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/how-to-diy-an-air-purifier/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Do-It-Yourself purifiers\u003c/a> can help filter air from both COVID-19 and wildfire smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132317305498?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">peer-reviewed study\u003c/a> out of Singapore, which found similar DIY air filters removing around 75% of particulate matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The purifiers in that study pulled air from outside, something doctors and scientists recommend avoiding when thick wildfire smoke infiltrates indoors. Instead, they say, it’s better to keep the windows closed and to focus on cleaning the air that’s already in your home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also more effective to clean the air in a limited area, says \u003ca href=\"https://wcec.ucdavis.edu/about/directory/theresa-pistochini/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Theresa Pistochini\u003c/a>, engineering manager at the \u003ca href=\"https://wcec.ucdavis.edu/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You want a smaller, enclosed space,” she said. “Like a bedroom that you’re trying to drop the smoke levels in. When [the smoke] was really bad, a couple of us were sleeping in one room, so we could manage to filter better,” she said, referring to her experience during the 2018 Camp Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Tips for your DIY filter\u003c/strong>\u003ca id=\"diy\">\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>Use a MERV 12 or 13 filter. HEPA filters are stronger but their thickness could cause the box fan to overheat or fail. Placing the filter on the back of the fan reduces the filtration a little, but is recommended over placing the filter on the front, which can tax the motor more.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli> Purchase box fans at a local hardware store or larger retailer. If filters are harder to find, try \u003ca href=\"https://filterbuy.com/air-filters/20x20x2/?gclid=CjwKCAjw8cCGBhB6EiwAgORey__i0-xU7wUDMz_YAqv2_KD_kQ8pcodn1qMap6cebT5jyA8vnJ_A1xoC_5MQAvD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Filter Buy\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.target.com/p/aerostar-ac-furnace-air-filter-health-merv-13-box-of-6/-/A-80014134?preselect=80014135#lnk=sametab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Target\u003c/a>, or \u003ca href=\"https://www.homedepot.com/p/BestAir-20-x-20-x-1-Pleated-Air-Filter-FPR-10-MERV-13-B1-2020-13-6/314412067\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Home Depot\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli data-stringify-indent=\"0\" data-stringify-border=\"0\">Don’t leave the DIY purifier unattended, it could become a fire hazard.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli data-stringify-indent=\"0\" data-stringify-border=\"0\">Place the DIY purifier in the middle of the room at a height midway between the floor and the ceiling.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli data-stringify-indent=\"0\" data-stringify-border=\"0\">DIY air purifiers are a short-term solution, for a few months or “until it’s visibly obstructed with smoke or dirt” Pistochini said.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/jrodriguez\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez\u003c/a> contributed reporting to this post.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/science/1976551/how-to-get-or-make-a-free-low-cost-air-purifier-for-your-home",
"authors": [
"8648",
"11708"
],
"categories": [
"science_31",
"science_35",
"science_40",
"science_4450"
],
"tags": [
"science_524",
"science_194",
"science_3693"
],
"featImg": "science_1976561",
"label": "source_science_1976551"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026PresidentialReducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/science?tag=air-quality": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 0,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 39,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"science_2001777",
"science_1930023",
"science_1999358",
"science_1998274",
"science_1995349",
"science_1984299",
"science_1983001",
"science_1982494",
"science_1982474",
"science_1982166",
"science_1976747",
"science_1976551"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science_tag_air-quality": {
"isLoading": true
},
"science_524": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_524",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "524",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "air quality",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "air quality Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 530,
"slug": "air-quality",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/air-quality"
},
"source_science_2001777": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_2001777",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "News",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1930023": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1930023",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Air Quality",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1999358": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1999358",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "News",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1998274": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1998274",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "News",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1995349": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1995349",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Food",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/food",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1984299": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1984299",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "NPR",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/news/affiliate/npr",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1983001": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1983001",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "NPR",
"link": "https://www.npr.org",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1982494": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1982494",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Climate Change",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1982474": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1982474",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Climate Change",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_science_1976551": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_science_1976551",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Wildfire Smoke",
"isLoading": false
},
"science_35": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_35",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "35",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Environment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Environment Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 37,
"slug": "environment",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/environment"
},
"science_39": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_39",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "39",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 41,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/health"
},
"science_40": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_40",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "40",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 42,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/news"
},
"science_4450": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4450",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4450",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4450,
"slug": "science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/science"
},
"science_856": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_856",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "856",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "bay area",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "bay area Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 862,
"slug": "bay-area",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/bay-area"
},
"science_374": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_374",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "374",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "cancer",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "cancer Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 380,
"slug": "cancer",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/cancer"
},
"science_5193": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5193",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5193",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Chevron",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Chevron Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5193,
"slug": "chevron",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/chevron"
},
"science_354": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_354",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "354",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "emissions",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "emissions Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 360,
"slug": "emissions",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/emissions"
},
"science_4414": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4414",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4414",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4414,
"slug": "featured-science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/featured-science"
},
"science_5181": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5181",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5181",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5181,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/health"
},
"science_4277": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4277",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4277",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Public health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Public health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4277,
"slug": "public-health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/public-health"
},
"science_553": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_553",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "553",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "refinery",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "refinery Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 559,
"slug": "refinery",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/refinery"
},
"science_1455": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1455",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1455",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "richmond",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "richmond Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1464,
"slug": "richmond",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/richmond"
},
"science_309": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_309",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "309",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 314,
"slug": "science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/science"
},
"science_5220": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5220",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5220",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "East Bay",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "East Bay Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5220,
"slug": "east-bay",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/east-bay"
},
"science_5226": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5226",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5226",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5226,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/health"
},
"science_5212": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5212",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5212",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5212,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/news"
},
"science_31": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_31",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "31",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Climate Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33,
"slug": "climate",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/climate"
},
"science_3730": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3730",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3730",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Wildfires",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Wildfires Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3730,
"slug": "wildfires",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/wildfires"
},
"science_505": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_505",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "505",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "air pollution",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "air pollution Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 511,
"slug": "air-pollution",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/air-pollution"
},
"science_4992": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4992",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4992",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "audience-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "audience-news Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4992,
"slug": "audience-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/audience-news"
},
"science_3820": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3820",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3820",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "camp fire",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "camp fire Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3820,
"slug": "camp-fire",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/camp-fire"
},
"science_3463": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3463",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3463",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "smoke",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "smoke Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3463,
"slug": "smoke",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/smoke"
},
"science_113": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_113",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "113",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "wildfire",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "wildfire Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 117,
"slug": "wildfire",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wildfire"
},
"science_5342": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5342",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5342",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "wildfirefeature",
"slug": "wildfirefeature",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "wildfirefeature Archives | KQED Science",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5342,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wildfirefeature"
},
"science_5347": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5347",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5347",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "wildfires",
"slug": "wildfires",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "wildfires Archives | KQED Science",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5347,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wildfires"
},
"science_4550": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4550",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4550",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Local",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Local Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4550,
"slug": "local",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/local"
},
"science_5178": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5178",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5178",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5178,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/california"
},
"science_194": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_194",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "194",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "climate change",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "climate change Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 198,
"slug": "climate-change",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/climate-change"
},
"science_192": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_192",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "192",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "environment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "environment Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 196,
"slug": "environment-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/environment-2"
},
"science_5217": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5217",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5217",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5217,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/california"
},
"science_5229": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5229",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5229",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Climate",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Climate Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5229,
"slug": "climate",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/climate"
},
"science_3103": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3103",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3103",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "microplastics",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "microplastics Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3103,
"slug": "microplastics",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/microplastics"
},
"science_1189": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1189",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1189",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "plastic",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "plastic Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1198,
"slug": "plastic",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/plastic"
},
"science_554": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_554",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "554",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "pollution",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "pollution Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 560,
"slug": "pollution",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/pollution"
},
"science_269": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_269",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "269",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "recycling",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "recycling Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 273,
"slug": "recycling",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/recycling"
},
"science_5338": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5338",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5338",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Sonoma County",
"slug": "sonoma-county",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Sonoma County Archives | KQED Science",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5338,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/sonoma-county"
},
"science_33": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_33",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "33",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Energy",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Energy Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 35,
"slug": "energy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/energy"
},
"science_36": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_36",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "36",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Food",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Food Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 38,
"slug": "food",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/category/food"
},
"science_953": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_953",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "953",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "gas",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "gas Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 960,
"slug": "gas",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/gas"
},
"science_5216": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_5216",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "5216",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Science",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Science Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 5216,
"slug": "science",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/interest/science"
},
"science_959": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_959",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "959",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "prescribed burning",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "prescribed burning Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 966,
"slug": "prescribed-burning",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/prescribed-burning"
},
"science_4877": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4877",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4877",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California Wildfire",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Wildfire Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4877,
"slug": "california-wildfire",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/california-wildfire"
},
"science_3693": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_3693",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "3693",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "wildfire smoke",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "wildfire smoke Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3693,
"slug": "wildfire-smoke",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/wildfire-smoke"
},
"science_4093": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4093",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4093",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "CARB",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "CARB Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4093,
"slug": "carb",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/carb"
},
"science_1627": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_1627",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "1627",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "carbon emissions",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "carbon emissions Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1636,
"slug": "carbon-emissions",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/carbon-emissions"
},
"science_4417": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_4417",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "4417",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-news Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4417,
"slug": "featured-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/featured-news"
},
"science_2080": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "science_2080",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "science",
"id": "2080",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "EPA",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "EPA Archives | KQED Science",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2091,
"slug": "epa",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/science/tag/epa"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
},
"requestOutcomesReducer": {
"notFound": []
},
"navPromosReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": true,
"promos": {
"news": {
"name": "2026 Voter Guide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"imageURL": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Nav-News-Nov2026ElectionCoverage@2x-7bd4aad4.png",
"description": "Get informed in minutes with our Voter Guide for California’s November 3 election."
},
"podcasts-radio": {},
"video-tv": {},
"events": {},
"support": {}
}
}
}