taalib-din uqdah never expected to be an environmental activist — not in his wildest dreams. he was the kid who loved going to gas stations just to “stick my head out the back of the window and smell the gasoline.”

nowadays, uqdah is no fan of petrol — especially in public transit. the 70-year-old business owner, community activist, and washington, d.c., native is spearheading efforts to overhaul the renovation of the washington metropolitan area transit authority’s (wmata) northern bus garage in ward 4 of the city. in january, those efforts paid off when wmata announced that the northern bus garage will reopen with an all-electric bus fleet in 2027 — the first entirely electric, zero-emission garage in the city.

the commitment to an all-electric bus fleet represents a culmination of years of advocacy and community organizing. when wmata announced the renovation in 2018, the agency’s fleet management plan included buses running on compressed natural gas, standard diesel, “clean diesel” and hybrid fuels.
wmata considered all but standard diesel to be “clean fuel,” but even hybrid fuels contribute to the climate crisis. battery-powered electric buses provide more sustainable benefits by eliminating the use of fossil fuels, improving air quality, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and lowering noise pollution.

the bus renovation debate

located on a large lot between d.c.’s sixteenth street heights and petworth neighborhoods, the northern bus garage — also known as the northern bus barn — is surrounded by residential homes and retail businesses on 14th street. the facility has been operational since 1906, first as a barn for electric streetcars and later for traditional buses.

by 2018, the bus garage was in need of repair. rather than locate a new lot, wmata chose to renovate the garage for convenience and proximity to a high ridership corridor. they planned to demolish everything but the garage’s historic facade on 14th street and construct a mixed-use development to house over 200 buses and about 50,000 square feet of space for commercial space. the garage was set to include infrastructure for 175 electric buses — but wmata didn’t have these buses, or any plan to make the switch to electric.

many community members weren’t sold on the plan. some wanted the bus garage gone completely. some wanted it redeveloped into a grocery store or affordable housing. others wanted it to house electric buses. residents living near the garage brought up noise pollution and health concerns, such as asthma, which they say trace back to the diesel fumes of the buses.

uqdah, who has lived near the bus garage since 1984, immediately took interest in the project. he saw it as an important factor in the community’s quality of life, and he created the northern bus barn neighbors to organize community members against wmata’s plan to bring gas and diesel buses back to the garage. red signs began popping up in residents’ yards proclaiming, “no! bus diesel fumes”

diesel in the air

uqdah was especially concerned about diesel particulate matter, a part of exhaust that contains gas and soot particles, and nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel-powered vehicles. air pollution from diesel exhaust has long been linked to adverse health effects including asthma, neuroinflammation, cardiovascular disease and lung cancer, even in particle-filtered exhaust. in 2012, the world health organization classified diesel engine exhaust as “carcinogenic to humans” for causing an increased risk of lung cancer.

new research shows that exposure to diesel exhaust for even brief periods of time may cause cognitive impairment as well by disrupting the connectivity between brain regions.

and the impacts of air pollution disproportionately affect minority communities. in d.c. — which the american lung association gave a “c” rating for particle pollution last year — black residents are 126% more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than white residents as of 2021. 

ward 4 councilmember janeese lewis george cited this disparity in her remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony for the northern bus garage in january.

“when we talk about reducing diesel fumes in our neighborhoods, we know that it is both an environmental justice issue and a racial justice issue,” the councilmember said. in ward 4, the area lewis george represents, about 45% of the population is black.

uqdah and other community members have expressed their views in public meetings with wmata since 2019, with nearly 100 people sending messages to the wmata board about bus electrification at one meeting in october of 2020. many of those messages urged wmata not to reopen the garage unless the bus fleet would be fully electrified, often noting health concerns.

“i live in this neighborhood. my children have asthma. adding more diesel buses is a huge threat to our health and the environmental pollution is a terrible, terrible thing,” said resident blythe emigholz of sixteenth street heights. 

“we are very concerned. we’ve been making our voices clear at meetings, but it seems like there’s no response to the environmental concerns that have been voiced by these neighbors.”

a greener future

councilmember lewis george became involved in the advocacy as she was knocking doors on the 2020 campaign trail, hearing similar stories from countless ward 4 residents. once elected, she began pushing for bus electrification on the d.c. city council.

wmata got on board in june 2021, approving a plan to shift to a zero-emission electric bus fleet over the next 20 years. their aim was to replace the existing gas and diesel buses by 2045 in accordance with the 2018 clean energy d.c. act – the northern bus garage was set to house 150 of these electric buses. it was a step in the right direction, but many in the community were not satisfied with the far-off date. 

“two and a half decades is far too long to wait for public transit that aligns with our region’s sustainability goals and the urgent reality of climate change,” said lewis george.

city officials and community members continued negotiating, and in january 2023, wmata announced that the northern bus garage fleet would be entirely electric by 2027 — 18 years sooner than the initial date. the garage will feature rooftop solar panels that are expected to generate 726,000 kwh/year, electric vehicle charging stations for parking, and a leed platinum rating.

at the groundbreaking ceremony on january 25, councilmember lewis george acknowledged the efforts of community activists like uqdah and thanked them for pushing the initiative through. 

“an all zero-emission bus garage is a monumental step towards a sustainable future as we confront the urgent reality of climate change in our city, in our country, and across the world,” said lewis george. 

“this northern bus barn will make wmata, as it always has been, and dc, as it always has been… a national leader in providing green public transit that does right by our communities and by our planet.”

the electrification of the bus garage is just one piece in a community revitalization project that uqdah hopes will bring more business and affordable housing to the sixteenth street heights and ward 4 communities.

“it just makes no sense that a heavy industrial facility was able to be constructed seemingly overnight because of the connections and the clout that they had within the city and the state,” romo said in a may interview. “and here we are [four years later] feeling those direct impacts across from a park that is an open green space and a community center.”

romo serves as the executive director of the mckinley park environmental organization neighbors for environmental justice (n4ej). the group formed after the construction of the facility for asphalt mixing company mat asphalt, at 2055 w. pershing road.

“there were zero public meetings or public notice of any kind from any of our elected officials or regulatory agencies: not our alderman, not the illinois epa, not the chicago department of public health,” according to n4ej’s website.

the work of n4ej and other environmental justice groups aim to challenge business-as-usual chicago politics that push heavy industry into neighborhoods of color, often within the city’s industrial corridors. victories on this front are increasing yet locally focused in recent years, but systemic change may be on the horizon.

enough is enough

a two-year investigation from the federal department of housing and urban development (hud) concluded in july, ruling that the city violated residents’ civil rights by deliberately placing heavy industry facilities in industrial corridors largely concentrated in the city’s predominantly black and latino neighborhoods. 

in a july 19 letter to chicago mayor lori lightfoot, hud threatened to withhold its community development block grant to the city (amounting to $375 million) if it does not change unlawful planning and land-use policies. 

the hud ruling and the opportunity for realignment of power in the city council where several aldermen have resigned could have an impact on city council and mayoral races in chicago’s municipal election on feb. 28, 2023. 

hud initially launched the investigation in october 2020 after three neighborhood-based environmental organizations filed a complaint against the city regarding this industrial relocation. the complaint was sparked by outcry over a proposed move of metal-scrapping facility general iron from predominantly white lincoln park to the heavily black and latino southeast side.

gina ramirez, board president of the environmental justice organization southeast environmental task force (setf), emphasized the importance of the block grant funding—which supports public health and social programs for low-income communities.

“it would be horrible if the city is that stubborn to lose funding that impacts the people that need it the most,” ramirez said.

the lightfoot administration was initially defensive, calling hud’s accusations “absolutely absurd” and signaling that it would take the matter to court. however, hud said in an oct. 20 statement that the two sides have opened up negotiations over potential reforms. the lightfoot administration did not respond to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit or the negotiations. 

setf was one of the organizations that filed the initial complaint. ramirez said that one of the demands that setf will bring to the negotiating table is the establishment of a bill implementing compliance history as a factor in granting facility permits.

“if you have a record, it’s really hard to get a job. but when you’re in industry and have a record [of polluting], the city is like, ‘we don’t care, you can still get a new permit and operate wherever,’” ramirez said. 

a broader trend

for chicago’s low-income communities, the complaint and hud ruling represent the culmination of decades of environmental mistreatment. the city also reported in 2020 that an estimated 5% of all premature deaths in the city come from conditions attributable to breathing pm2.5 pollution. pm (particulate matter) refers to microscopic droplets of solid or liquid pollution that humans breathe in as it sifts through the air; pm2.5 is particularly harmful because it’s small enough to reach deeper into the respiratory tract and even the bloodstream (in contrast to the larger pm10, for example) to inflict bodily damage and disease.

as the proposed home for general iron’s new facility, ramirez’s native southeast side neighborhood was the centerpiece to the three-year fight against the metal shredding-plant. 

this fight included a monthlong hunger strike launched in february 2021 that included a local cps teacher, environmental advocates and politicians—such as ald. byron sigcho-lopez (25th). sigcho-lopez’s ward is nowhere near the southeast side, but he empathized with the community’s struggles based on similar conditions of mistreatment in his neighborhood of pilsen, a vibrant latino community in the nearby south side.

“i have close friends and people i live with who have died because of cancer or who are dealing with respiratory illnesses or asthma. i have kids that i’ve personally taught or coached who are dealing with these effects. so, i certainly empathize with their situation,” sigcho-lopez said.

sigcho-lopez explained how the health impacts felt by neighborhoods like pilsen, the southeast side and mckinley park are detrimental, especially to at-risk groups like seniors and children.

“the cognitive development effects that this dirty industry and pollution can have on our kids will permanently live with them and their future… we can not condemn entire generations because of the inaction and complicity of city government,” sigcho-lopez said.

the lightfoot administration did eventually block the final general iron permit in february, signaling a victory for neighborhoods like ramirez’s. rmg, the parent company, has challenged this denial in a lawsuit, complaining that it was “political.”

to romo, the city has taken advantage of neighborhoods that have characteristics making them less able to fight new polluters.

“once you identify what those characteristics are, you find less education, language barriers, essential workers working multiple jobs or working for heavy industries. so i think that the system by design continues to target these vulnerable communities,” romo said.

chicago’s politics, pollution, and perpetrators 

sigcho-lopez is one of 50 aldermen on chicago’s city council, who each represent different wards of the city. david teeghman, political chair of the environmental political action committee sierra club, explained how, to him, the council is set up for unaccountability.

“we still do have a political system in chicago where you have 50 wards with basically 50 different political fiefdoms,” teeghman said in a may interview. “if the alderman approves something in their ward, most other aldermen are not going to have anything to say about it.”

romo said much of the blame for mat asphalt falls on mckinley park’s former ald. george cardenas (12th). cardenas, who was also city council’s chair of the environmental protection and energy committee, approved the plant despite public backlash before (and after) its construction.

cardenas resigned nov. 30 as the 12th ward’s alderman in preparations to fill the unopposed 1st district seat on the cook county board of review. he could not be reached for comment.

in 2021, mat asphalt accumulated the highest number of air pollution complaints of any address in chicago. however, matt baron, a mat asphalt media representative, said that the facility is treated as a scapegoat and actually upholds a high standard of environmental friendliness. he provided documents showing that many of the odor complaints directed at mat asphalt were filed on days when it was closed.

“they don’t want to listen to a narrative that does not align with their narrative. a complaint is a complaint—it’s not proof of a problem, it’s proof of someone making a phone call,” baron said.

“there’s two other asphalt plants not that far away—what are the data points on their emissions?” he added. “we continually are urging organizations and challenging the media to ask those entities what the results of their studies are; we’ve been transparent about ours and they haven’t about theirs.”

baron said that mat asphalt spent an extra $580,000 to install non-required environmental technology including on-site sweeper and water trucks, a rooftop over its waste storage area and three condensing units.

“there’s been these decades and decades of environmental injustice, and we’re the new kid on the block with the most advanced and environmentally sound technology and we don’t get any credit for that,” baron said.

according to teeghman, power shifts in the city council could have major implications for the city’s environmental future. sierra club has expanded its political endorsement program to include these city council races for the upcoming chicago municipal elections.

to scope out candidates for the first step of their endorsement process, the group created a questionnaire with the help of local environmental organizations that they’ve sent to incumbent aldermen running for reelection.

teeghman said that romo helped sculpt several questions on the questionnaire, including the one about a cumulative impact ordinance. such an ordinance would require the city to take into account the community and existing environmental burdens when considering permits for new facilities. 

sigcho-lopez advocated for this ordinance in the city council’s nov. 7 vote on the city budget, but could not get a “firm commitment” on its implementation. he voted against the budget because of its lack of funds for reinstating a chicago department of the environment cut by former mayor rahm emanuel.

sigcho-lopez said he hopes voters will elect candidates who represent the interests of communities being damaged by environmental injustice.

“the candidates are going to try to fool people on election day, and i hope that the residents have the opportunity to elect local officials that represent the best interests of the public and not their wallets,” sigcho-lopez said.

los angeles – the timing has been terrible for california farmworkers in 2020: wilting heat waves, wildfires spewing acrid smoke across the state and the persistent threat of covid-19. this triple threat looms large over the lucrative fall harvest of grapes and almonds, which for some seasonal laborers is the busiest time of year, until november.

kent e. pinkerton, a leading expert in farmworker health, has been worried about such a threat for a decade. the pandemic, which is expected to linger in california for months, could be an invisible killer in the fields.

“it is extremely difficult for those workers to be able to social distance themselves, and so i think it is incredibly important that the workers and those who are supervising the workers take into account some of the things that they can do to protect the workers from potentially becoming infected with coronavirus,” said pinkerton, who is the director of center for health and the environment and a professor at university of california, davis.

farmworkers say they’re vulnerable to the health effects of the novel coronavirus and wildfires, and have little means to seek treatment because many lack health insurance.

“unfortunately, we don’t have insurance, and that is one of the consequences we face as farmworkers. that is why we have to be prepared,” said veronica mota, a farmworker for 20 years and an organizer with united farm workers.

mota spoke about her children, calling them her motivation and inspiration. her daughter, who is in college and voting for the first time, is mota’s reminder to focus on herself.

“during high school, she was really into cross country, and she motivated me to have a will to live,” mota said. “when you live and work in this country, you get stressed and can stop taking care of yourself in a way. but when you look at your daughter and see that she runs and crosses a whole community, you say, ‘wow, if she can do this, so can i.’”

mota has worked in california, oregon and washington, all three affected by wildfires, and has experience picking all types of fruits and vegetables. the challenges of 2020 have created exceptional frustration and fear, she said.

“we feel abandoned and like we have no support. we work honorably, and if it weren’t for the work that we do, there wouldn’t be food on the tables,” mota said.

heat stress and exhaustion are detrimental and life-threatening side effects of hot weather – and often unavoidable. poor air quality harms everyone’s health, and farm work is time sensitive: waiting for skies to clear of smoke could mean a crop rots in the fields. but that type of exposure also can harm lungs and hearts, pinkerton said.

the coronavirus makes battling these threats even harder because keeping a safe distance while harvesting is nearly impossible.

“as advocates and an organization made up of farmworkers and their families,” said irene de barraicua of lideres campesinas, a nonprofit that advocates for the rights of female farmworkers, “we know that they live in very crowded housing, we know that they carpool to work and we know that employers are maybe at times going to do anything they can to make it safer and enforce social distancing and maybe give masks … what they don’t seem to take responsibility for is that once their workers are leaving the workplace they see them gathering in groups or getting in cars together.”

testing positive for coronavirus strips undocumented workers of their income, particularly when they are forced to quarantine with family. without the stimulus check or california coronavirus aid to undocumented immigrants, which was first come, first served, many undocumented workers are left with little assurance. often, for fear of losing work, many workers whose crew may have a small positivity outbreak move to the next farm, de barraicua said.

from 2015 through 2016, 51% of all farmworkers had work authorization, according to the u.s. department of labor. of those 51%, 29% were u.s. citizens, 21% percent were legal permanent residents and 1% had work authorization through some other visa program.

california grew more than a third of the vegetables and two-thirds of fruits and nuts in the country during the 2019 crop year, according to the california department of food and agriculture. the state accounts for more than 13% of the nation’s total agricultural value and is the leading state for cash farm receipts, according to the department.

in many parts of california, it is peak harvest season for the state’s leading crops. from the end of august through november, wine grapes, almonds and other mid-to-late season fruits are ready to harvest. in 2019, california’s top producing commodities were $6.09 billion in almonds and $5.41 billion in grapes, according to the california department of food and agriculture.

although big cities report bigger covid-19 numbers, 98% of american rural counties have reported positive cases and 75% have reported one or more deaths as of sept. 21, according to the national center for farmworker health. in nonmetropolitan areas, there have been 812,853 cases and 18,371 deaths reported as of sept. 22, according to data obtained from johns hopkins university.

fruits, nuts and vegetables are only part of california’s farming industry. one of the most significant coronavirus outbreaks among agricultural workers started on june 29 in livingston, where at least 392 employees tested positive and at least eight died due to the outbreak at the foster farms plant, according to the merced sun-star. due to more than 700 meatpacking and food processing plants experiencing outbreaks in the u.s., beef and pork production have declined by 40% during the summer of 2020, according to the national center for farmworker health.

in arizona, where the yuma area is a major producer of lettuce, the exact number of cases among farmworkers in yuma county is not reported, but “143 positive covid-19 cases in the county have occurred in or near farm labor camps,” according to the national center for farmworker health. overall, yuma county has reported 12,664 cases and 345 deaths as of friday, making it one of the top three counties in arizona for cases. one known outbreak happened on hickman’s family egg farm, in buckeye where five female prison inmates tested positive in june.

the pressure on these workers at the national level is tremendous, with demand for farm labor exceeding the actual number of farm laborers, said elizabeth strater, the director of alternative and digital organizing at united farm workers.

“given the context of the labor shortage, this time of year in california, especially when you are talking about high sensitivity or high investment crops like wine grapes, there is a tremendous amount of pressure on everybody’s part to get those crops in, regardless of what the air quality is like,” strater said.

many undocumented workers are afraid to be deemed essential workers, especially in counties hit hard by the coronavirus and wildfires. de barraicua said many of the undocumented workers she speaks with were scared to work for fear of having to show a police officer an essential worker letter from their employer.

lideres campesinas listed education surrounding the virus as one of the organization’s main concerns in its letter to the governor in april. this concern now extends to education about fires, heatwaves and smoke exposure. language and cultural differences often are barriers to health information, which is concerning because undocumented farmworkers typically are more vulnerable to poor health resulting from lack of access to care, de barraicua said.

mota, as someone who advocates for the rights of farmworkers and organizes events to spread awareness, said united farm workers has done everything possible to distribute the appropriate protective equipment and educate laborers on the best ways to stay safe.

the high levels of wildfire smoke along the west coast typically contain carbon based particles, and toxic materials or irritants might be in the smoke from the destruction of buildings and dwellings. pinkerton said all smoke can be “an irritant and potentially injurious to the lung.” eye and throat irritation, coughing and sneezing are symptoms related to particulate matter exposure.

properly fitted n95 masks offer the highest degree of protection against inhalation of the particles, pinkerton said. the maximum recommended use of n95 masks is eight to 12 hours, and they should not be worn for multiple work shifts, according to the centers for disease control and prevention.

labored breathing is a side effect of those wearing properly fitted n95 masks, and as the mask clogs with particles over time, it may become even more difficult to breathe, pinkerton said. he and other experts recommend work to be reduced to shorter time periods, and that it’s done in a nonstrenuous way.

mota said many farmworkers are not offered the proper equipment to do their jobs safely.

“because i work under a union job, it’s the union that brings those resources to the farmworkers, like me, to help us be protected in the work conditions we are in.”

the reuse of masks presents a significant risk of contact transmission from touching the surface of the contaminated respirator and can add additional discomfort to the worker when worn for too long, the cdc said.

the california department of food and agriculture directs farmworkers unable to obtain personal protective equipment to contact their county office of emergency services branch to provide information on lack of supplies.

mota, who has appeared in a campaign advertisement and has had a couple of encounters with california sen. kamala harris, who’s now the democratic vice presidential candidate, said farmworkers have received a lot of support from her.

“she focuses on the well-being of the farmworkers,” mota said.

mota also praised current california gov. gavin newsom’s state relief program to provide $500 to undocumented workers who were not eligible for federal stimulus funds.

strater said that united farm workers and harris emphasize that there is “no worker justice without climate justice.” the impacts of climate change may alter the path of agriculture’s future, including the lives of workers, even though weather has always been a concern.

with climate change there will be differences in agriculture, and among those different outcomes, a shift in the social population of workers may be one of the most intriguing. pinkerton explored the idea that workers might question their future in agricultural work.

“it could be a need to change the type of crop that is being grown, just simply because the weather is different than it has been in the past. there may be concerns about water use through droughts or desertification of lands that also creates some issues with agriculture,”  pinkerton said.

“i think also what we may see is a shift in the social population. the workers … where do they go? where do they find work?”

—

this story originally was posted at cronkite news, and features additional reporting. for more stories, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

phoenix – rows of cardboard boxes containing corpses line the walls of refrigerated storage containers, waiting for charred human remains to be cleared from the incineration chamber to make room for the next body.

the cremations continue through the night in a scene that has unfolded across america as covid-19 deaths have risen to more than 540,000 over the past year.

in arizona, where 16,842 have died in the pandemic, the smoke and the hum of crematoriums working overtime have left some neighbors desperate for relief from the odor and pollution.

arizonans opt for cremation more frequently than the national average, with 67% choosing that option in 2020, according to a july 2020 report from the national funeral directors association.

the national cremation rate reached 56% last year, an increase from 47.9% in 2015, the last reported year. the rise was fueled by the covid-19 death toll and pandemic restrictions, the low cost of cremation services and the flexible timing for funeral arrangements with cremated ashes.

some condo owners in east scottsdale have taken notice of unexpected wafts of smoke and a lingering odor coming from the nearby paradise memorial crematory near 93rd street and shea boulevard.

“the smell was so unbearable that everybody needs to run into their houses,” said retiree marlene dove, who moved there in september. “if you have guests, they have to come in or they put things over their heads and their faces to keep the smell out.”

her complaint is among 20 filed in maricopa county regarding crematorium smoke from feb. 27, 2020, to march 2, 2021. records from maricopa county air quality show the complaints include black or brown smoke and a “horrible odor.” some residents claimed the emissions gave them sore throats.

“i understand that you have to take care of the dead,” dove said. “but i also understand you have to take care of the living.”

last april, maricopa county air quality lifted a regulation prohibiting crematoriums from operating past sunset, giving them more time to cremate the increased number of covid-19 deaths. that lift, which was extended in june and again in december, is in effect through may 31.

according to arizona department of health services data, the state saw surges in covid-19 related deaths during the summer and winter, with a single-day high of 173 deaths reported jan. 18.

the occasional smoke coming from crematorium chimneys is an inevitable byproduct of the cremation process, said james ahearne, coo of messinger mortuaries, the company that oversees paradise memorial crematory.

“every crematory will smoke, if they tell you they don’t, they’re lying,” he said. “it’s just the way it is.”

last year, paradise memorial crematory – one of the largest in the state – cremated 6,868 bodies, an increase from 6,071 in 2019, before the pandemic began. from the start of 2021, paradise memorial already has cremated 1,931 bodies, ahearne said, with much of those coming in january after the holidays. if the trend continues, 2021 could outpace last year.

ahearne said a walk-in freezer used to store bodies at paradise memorial had 60 to 70 bodies backlogged in january, waiting to be cremated.

by 2030, the cremation rate in arizona is expected to reach nearly 80%, the national funeral directors association says.

nationally, the median cost to bury an adult in a traditional ceremony is $7,640, according to the association. in arizona, it’s $6,906.

cremations cost an average of $6,645 nationally, with a cremation casket and urn, and about $5,812 in arizona, according to the association.

there’s also the convenience of cremating now and organizing a service later at a particular destination, said barbara kemmis, executive director of the cremation association of north america.

with travel restrictions and social distancing guidelines in place for many states throughout the pandemic, cremation extends the time frame for grieving families to make decisions for the deceased.

as covid-19 cremations surged across the country, so did neighbor’s complaints about smoke and sore throats.

“that’s completely a danger when they’re overwhelmed and trying to do as many cases a day to return those cremated remains to loved ones,” kemmis said.

issues with smoke coming from paradise memorial crematory are not new but have seemingly worsened throughout the pandemic, said david dubner, 79, who has filed multiple complaints with maricopa county and is dove’s neighbor.

“there’s not just been puffs but pouring smoke, sometimes for up to five, six minutes. (it) covers the whole area,” dubner said.

three years ago, paradise memorial crematory expanded the number of cremation ovens on their premises from three to six, ahearne said, and plans to add another in the next five or six months.

“what we’re trying to do here is cremate as many as we have to for our clients and not smoke at all,” ahearne said. “and unfortunately, sometimes we do.”

throughout the pandemic, said gregg busch, funeral service manager at neptune society in tempe, the increased number of covid-related deaths and cremations has forced staff members to work into the night and put employees at risk of covid-19 infection.

“everybody is shorthanded and everybody is struggling to keep up,” busch said.

“organizations like our own – which focus entirely on cremation – have been overwhelmed by the pandemic,” said busch, who has more than 40 years of experience in the funeral industry. “not only just the number of deaths that have occurred but also in the fact that our staff and our employees have many times become infected, which puts us even farther behind with low staffing.”

this wasn’t the first time crematoriums extended hours of operation to keep up with an increased number of deaths, he said, but “nothing compared to this.”

“it was certainly a difficult time during the h1n1 pandemic,” busch said. “the covid-19 pandemic is much more.”

an estimated 151,700 to 575,400 people worldwide died from the h1n1 “swine flu” pandemic in 2009, its first year of circulation, according to the centers for disease control and prevention.

in about the same time, more than 2.5 million people worldwide have died from covid-19, according to the johns hopkins university of medicine.

dove tries to escape the emissions from paradise memorial crematory by keeping her windows and doors shut – or leaving her complex. she has stopped inviting people to her home, and some of her neighbors refrain from using their patios, she said, because they never know when the “smell is going to hit.”

“we’re not unreasonable people,” dove said. “we just need a break from this once in a while. i mean, it’s just continuously going.”

crematorium emissions depend on the materials burned in the chamber, according to a 2020 canadian study, such as natural gas used to fuel incineration chambers and particulate matter and heavy metals, such as trace amounts of mercury from dental fillings.

the cdc says obesity increases likelihood for severe illness and death from covid-19, and bodies weighing more than 200 pounds generate more smoke than those weighing less, ahearne said. paradise memorial crematory processes heavier bodies in the morning and the lighter ones in the afternoon and evening to limit visible pollution.

“the size of people that are dying of covid are larger people,” he said. “weight has a lot to do with the ability to cremate somebody, and when you can cremate them. when you have a lot of heavier people, you do those first thing in the morning.”

no matter the materials burned, or the weight of the deceased, crematoriums are allowed to release smoke visible up to 20% opacity in the air, according to maricopa county air quality regulations.

the hazardous visible aerosol particles, referred to as particulate matter, that crematoriums emit is of “minimal” concern compared with the pollution caused by vehicle traffic or backyard bonfires, said philip mcneely, director of the air quality department.

the county sets crematorium emission standards and includes regulations to test for machine efficiency, times of operation and allows for 2,500 tons, or 5 million pounds, of total material to be burned within a 12-month period. all complaints are individually investigated by the department, mcneely said.

although rare, accidents and machine malfunctions do happen, ahearne said.

a power outage march 2 interrupted an active cremation at paradise memorial and sent black smoke billowing from the chimney for 5 to 10 minutes while the system shut down, ahearne said.

“that was the worst i’ve seen,” he said. “i’ve been doing this for 50 years and it was just terrible. but once it starts, there’s nothing we can do.”

system malfunctions are not unique to paradise memorial crematory and similar situations have been reported at other crematoriums in the phoenix area.

one funeral director in sun city reported a thermocouple, a sensor used to measure temperature, malfunction and told county investigators that “black smoke was visible for about 10 minutes” during a cremation, according to county records. the thermocouple was replaced and the investigation has been closed.

despite unexpected malfunctions and the increased of cremations, the accompanying emissions still have significantly less of an environmental impact on total air quality than unregulated fires that burn at lower temperatures around 600-900 degrees, said leif abrell, an associate research scientist with the arizona laboratory for emerging contaminants at the university of arizona.

burning trash or wood used in a bonfire increases “the potential for other noncarbon dioxide pollutants” to be released into the atmosphere compared to county regulated, high-temperature burning at crematoriums, abrell said.

“that’s why one person burning trash in their backyard at a low temperature can kind of obliterate a whole bunch of work that’s done by other people (operating) at high temperatures according to regulation,” he said.

although vehicle traffic and backyard fires of of greater concern for county regulators, dove and dubner are waiting for relief from both the pandemic and the smoke wafting from the crematorium chimney.

“you can’t be inside during covid,” dove said, “because you’re not supposed to be in a closed area with people, and you can’t sit outside because sooner or later the smell is going to come up.”

ahearne said the number of cremations is incrementally decreasing, and lasting relief may be on the horizon as vaccines reach more arizonans and fewer people test positive for covid-19.

“hopefully this pandemic thing will calm down and get back to kind of normal,” he said.

—

this story originally was published on cronkite news. for more stories, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

how can we know if it’s safe to breathe the very air that surrounds us?

2020 has taught us that some of our deepest problems are the ones we can’t see. through interdisciplinary efforts on behalf of the center for science communication (csc) at colorado state university, we’ve begun to understand how we can protect ourselves from one of those invisible issues.

the up-and-coming center, housed in the greater department of journalism and media communication, has goals, action plans, and tools in place to combat these issues, just as the following studies portray. it’s truly revolutionary, in that such an assortment of individuals can unite efforts to better understand an aspect of our world. the csc seeks to connect stakeholders across campus in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities to improve the science communication process. it’s a stimulating democratic approach—the csc; a center for the people, by the people—to science, which will pay dividends to research for years to come.

enter zoey rosen, the dark-haired and bright-eyed scholar, who holds a bachelor’s degree in atmospheric science (a unique combination of meteorology and physics), and a master’s degree in public communication and technology from colorado state university. she is currently in year two of her ph.d. in public communication and technology, with a focus on weather. rosen is part of the social-science side of the equation to the csc’s overall mission of effectively increasing awareness of science—communicating to general audiences how air-quality research is important through a nasa-funded program: the citizen-enabled aerosol measurements for satellites (ceams) project. headed by john volckens, mechanical engineering professor and principal investigator, the ceams team combines diverse academic backgrounds to tackle issues of air quality.

“ceams is a citizen-science project,” says rosen. “we are trying to see if the act of measuring air quality influences how we understand and think about the air from a day-to-day standpoint.”

according to the ceams blog, which has been managed by rosen along with other ceams researchers, citizen science is the collaborative effort wherein volunteers help researchers collect scientific data. in many ways, citizen-science captures the goals of the csc: bringing together academic experts, industry professionals, staff, students, and citizens to better coordinate science communication. scientists at csu have designed a machine that is sent to volunteers for setup in their backyards, dubbed the amod (aerosol mass and optical depth) sampler. see the diagram below for more information.

why and how is ceams analyzing this data? carefully, jokes rosen. “we study how the air-quality measurements change over time, compare measurements at different locations, and assess how the existence of different types of particles can impact our health,” rosen said.

rosen illustrates how this can be tricky. imagine when you were an elementary student, playing with magnets in science class. you might have been amazed when paperclips rapidly stuck to the poles, or transfixed by how two equal polar ends of magnets would simply refuse to connect. that science was understandable, tangible…visible!

“can we apply that same sort of hands-on learning to adults in communities? that’s what we’re trying to do,” rosen said. “because most of the time, we can’t see if the air quality bad or not. we have no concept of how this actually affects us—it’s just air!”

what we can’t see can hurt us

when i see snow outside, my instincts tell me to tread lightly; i don’t want to slip. but i can’t see air, so how am i supposed to know when it’s bad? according to the world health organization, air pollution is one of the leading causes of death across the globe. it worsens underlying cardiovascular and respiratory problems and has a host of short-term exposure effects when exacerbated by events like wildfires. according to the epa, the overall health effects from pollution lay on a spectrum, where the least significant effects are associated with large particle exposure for a minimal amount of time, and the direst effects are jointly associated with fine particles and longer exposures. this spectrum consists of relatively minor coughing and phlegm build-up effects, to bronchitis and asthma, finally progressing to heart failure, stroke, and premature death.

these statistics are courtesy of the world health organization.

• 23% — all estimated global deaths per year (per a 2012 who study) can be attributed to unhealthy environmental standards.
• 6.5 million — the amount of deaths that air pollution claims annually.
• 91% — the total amount of the world’s population that lives in places that exceed air-quality guidelines.

‘if people don’t understand, then what’s the point of your science?’

rosen explains how the importance of incorporating social sciences—or the human element, as she calls it—is extremely important in making sure that society understands an issue in science. increased engagement with amod devices not only provides feedback about air-quality across the nation, but indicates a profound devotion to science.  

“we ask questions at periodic stages throughout the deployment. if you’re measuring air quality for 8-10 weeks, then we give you a questionnaire before you start, one about 4 or 5 weeks in, and then one when you’re done and send your machine back,” says rosen.

anthropomorphizing—or ‘humanizing’—the situation itself has provided more opportunity for social science to analyze public motivations to contribute.

“we’ve found that participants get kind of connected to their boxes” (the amod devices). “when these boxes don’t work, it bothers them deeply,” chuckled marilee long, co-investigator within the ceams study, and health and science communication expert for the csc. “in fact, zoey and i are studying how citizens anthropomorphize the box.”

long and rosen are interested in assigning names, interaction opportunities, and even ‘wake-up-procedures’ into these amod boxes—altogether creating a more human experience for volunteers. imagine your amod-upgraded morning routine: you brush your teeth, eat a bowl of cereal, and get ready for work, as paul, your friendly patio amod, concisely tells you all the pertinent information about the air. long predicts that this human element would promote a huge uptick in motivation to learn, to record data findings, and altogether understand air quality.

the csc: highlighting the importance of social science

but ceams’ efforts aren’t alone in these studies; long and ashley anderson, both members of the csc and instructors within the jmc department, join this broad effort to teach, strategize, and improve the science communication process through a multitude of studies.

“social science is really hard to do well, because people are complex,” long paused, acknowledging the tricky power in that complexity. “it’s challenging to get people to give you their unadulterated thoughts. but when they do, it not only improves our understanding of a study—it motivates those citizen-sciences to want to learn more.”

those unadulterated thoughts are pivotal to researchers like long and anderson, as they serve to provide authentic insights into how society views public health problems. recently, the csc has examined organizational framework approaches to implementing citizen science, as described by anderson and long’s involvement with volckens and the walter scott, jr. college of engineering. 

“the project is in a bit of a holding pattern due to the pandemic, but it’s an integral part of the larger set of projects going on in the center for science communication,” anderson said. the project, an implementation of air pollution monitors called upas (ultrasonic personal air samplers, courtesy of volckens’ company access sensor technologies), is key in understanding the effect airborne chemicals have on at-risk individuals, such as firefighters. 

with amod devices dispersed to willing volunteers throughout the nation by ceams, upas technology providing accessible air pollution sensors to literally inform individuals the quality of air they’re breathing, and social scientists examining attitudes and motivations to contribute every step of the way—the csc has clearly gathered all components of academia necessary for a comprehensive analysis of air quality. these efforts summarize a greater goal of the true mission of the csc—coordinating a diverse collection of personalities, backgrounds, and interests into one body. the csc acknowledges that science can be challenging to understand, especially so with misinformation, social media, and, well, statistics—lots of statistics.

jaime jacobsen, jmc assistant professor and emmy award-winning filmmaker (specializing in science documentaries), heads this center and its goals of pursuing research-driven strategies for understanding and improving the science communication process. she explains the value in turning charts, numbers, and data into concrete information that’s easy to understand. 

“as science communicators, we are uniquely positioned to use narrative storytelling, visual metaphors, and analogies, which stem out of the latest research surrounding the science of science communication, to help inform and inspire the public to engage in the pressing issues of the day.  i’m thrilled that the csc will take a lead role on spearheading innovative collaborations across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities at csu in order to further this goal.” 

air quality, science communication; it’s a marathon, not a sprint

if science communication can foster more awareness about air quality…then would humanity begin to start making decisions for the betterment of their health? that’s the hope, argues long.

“it’s similar in a way to smoking. a single cigarette is not good for you—similarly, a single day of bad air is not good for you. would that single day cause problems for you?” long pauses, peering out at the smoke-filled skies for a moment. “no, probably not…but it’s the cumulative effect that is directly impacting our health. people must start thinking about better times to exercise or opting to stay indoors when aqi measurements are too high.”

those cumulative effects described by long might best capture the role the csc plays in public education on air quality, as well as other public health problems. as long as the csc continues consistent teaching, mentoring, training, and outreach efforts amongst its studies, society will undoubtedly reap motivational and educational benefits.

looking onward, researchers like long, anderson, rosen, and countless others working in tandem with the csc will continue their motives to understand and communicate the invisible, until we collectively progress toward less pollution-related death, less environmental tragedies like the ongoing wildfires, and perhaps most importantly—a greater appreciation for science.

researchers mengyao li, susana ferreria, and travis smith examined data between 1993 and 2010 on temperature and on self-reported mental health obtained from a state based health survey system under the center for disease control and prevention. cooler days were found to reduce the probability of reporting bad mental health days whereas hotter days, mostly after ten consecutive days, increased this probability. the probability of frequent mental distress (more than 14 days of bad mental health for the past month) was even higher during these hotter days. 

three years prior to these findings, a study published in environmental health perspectives concluded that exposure to air pollution was also related to poor mental health. long-term exposure to particulate matter (pm 2.5) was associated with depression and anxiety, and short-term exposure to pm 2.5 was associated with suicide. pm 2.5 are fine inhalable particles that can be emitted directly from sources, such as construction sites and unpaved roads, or through complex chemical reactions of pollutants emitted from power plants and automobiles. 

the release of new research on temperature and mental health is a concerning addition to the psychological health effects humans could face from air pollution. understanding these implications, li and the other researchers suggested future studies examine how community-level factors impact the mental effects of climate change. 

“i think it’s necessary to know how community-level factors like neighborhood environment, social cohesion, and also individual adaptation actions like use of air conditioning or migration, whether those things would help mitigate the effect of temperature on individual mental health,” li said. 

at local levels, air pollution is often worse in lower income areas, where industrial facilities or highways serve as point sources, increasing exposure. speaking on both temperature and air pollution, li said, “the two factors combined together would pose extra pressure on people that have more exposure in those communities.”

as poorer and less developed communities will ultimately bear the mental burdens of increased air pollution combined with hotter days, it is clear that climate change is not the great equalizer. this health disparity will grow as increased temperatures will only exacerbate the mental health decline of exposed communities. 

at a local level, air pollution varies throughout the district of columbia and is generally higher in the seventh and eight wards which are historically low-income and often minority neighborhoods. this inequality is left unaddressed because the environmental protection agency aggregates air quality data from their six high-cost monitoring stations, labeling the district with the same pollution levels despite drastic differences between communities.

fresh air d.c., a student-run and community focused research project about air quality at george washington university, seeks to create the first and only community level network of low-cost air quality monitors. these monitors would serve to fill the gaps in pollution level data throughout the district’s wards. aitana mendiguren, a student working on community outreach for the project, said, “we mainly want to educate and empower community members of wards seven and eight who are exposed to higher local levels of air pollution. using our sensors they will be able to actually monitor their community-levels with real data.”

while fresh air d.c. stresses the physical health effects of air pollution, the recently discovered associations between mental health and global warming only further support the necessity for their efforts. “people living in these wards need the hands-on tools to understand how their health is a risk,” mediguren said. 

at harvard university’s t.h. chan school of public health, researchers analyzed data on pm 2.5 levels and covid-19 deaths. this extensive information came from 3,000 u.s. counties, including up to 98% of the u.s. population, and covered data through april 4. researchers found a 15% higher covid-19 death rate in counties that averaged one microgram per cubic meter more of pm 2.5 in the air.

as the world faces a respiratory virus, it is important to understand that our lungs might not be as strong as we think.

fine particulate matter are tiny chemical particles or droplets in the air that are two and one-half micrometers or less in width. human visibility is limited to particles larger than 40 micrometers. this matter exists in materials like organic dust, airborne bacteria, construction dust, and coal particles from power plants. 

when inhaled, particulate matter carries toxic chemicals into the respiratory tract, and accumulates in the lungs while also damaging other parts of the body, according to a 2016 study published in the journal of thoracic disease.

kelly jones, a registered nurse with a doctorate in nursing science, is an expert at the national socio-environmental synthesis center researching the effects of neighborhood conditions related to health outcomes. she describes the human lungs as branch-like structures with built-in mechanisms to keep out foreign invaders. the larger particles are subjected to our bodies’ natural defenses such as coughing and sneezing.

meanwhile, “these tiny tiny little particles, especially the 2.5 particles, make it all the way down into the lungs, lining the tissue and blocking the ability for gas exchange and lung movement,” jones said. ultrafine particles, 0.1 micrometer or less, can mimic oxygen molecules, entering into our bloodstream. the chemical reactive compounds found in ultrafine particles then impair the contraction of blood vessels causing clotting.

outside of cities, large amounts of fine particulate matter exist in certain desert conditions such as the sahara. “as far as man-made particles that we could actually control, definitely in urban spaces in more densely populated areas, there’s going to be more particulate matter overall. but with the exception that there are some natural systems where there is also fine matter,” said jones.  

it’s especially hard to imagine your lungs being coated with fine grains of sand in the sahara desert.  

beth gardiner, journalist and the author of the book “choked: life and breath in the age of air pollution” said, “we know that air pollution is contributing to greatly increased rates of a whole long list of health problems from heart attacks and strokes to all kinds of respiratory problems, many types of cancer, dementia, alzheimer’s, parkinson’s disease, diabetes, the list just goes on and on.”

the harvard paper estimated if manhattan lowered its average particulate matter levels by only one microgram per cubic meter over the past 20 years, the area would likely have had 248 fewer outbreak deaths by early april. the researchers of the study wrote, “results underscore the importance of continuing to enforce existing air pollution regulations to protect human health both during and after the covid-19 crisis.”

a later study published in the journal science of the total environment examined the relationship between long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide, a chemical found in pm 2.5, and coronavirus fatalities. mapping the distribution of nitrogen dioxide across regions in italy, spain, france, and germany, scientist yaron ogden compared pollution levels to regional covid-19 mortalities. ogden’s results indicated that 78% of coronavirus fatalities were located in the five regions with the highest nitrogen dioxide concentrations. 

supporting harvard’s findings, this research stated, “long-term exposure to this pollutant may be one of the most important contributors to fatality caused by the covid-19 virus in these regions and maybe across the whole world.”

the center for disease control and prevention released new data on racial disparities in coronavirus deaths noting much higher mortalities in black communities compared to states as a whole. at local levels, air pollution is often worse in lower-income areas, where industrial facilities or highways serve as point sources, increasing exposure. 

“it’s quite likely that air pollution exposure plays a role,” gardiner said, “because we know that because of structural racism, environmental racism, and the way pollution facilities get cited, and housing systems work, we know that african americans are exposed to much higher levels of air pollution than white americans.”
 

new delhi is the mecca of indian civilization and is by far the highest populated city in india. their location makes them a target every year when the neighboring farmers burn their fields in order to prepare them for the next harvest. 

the byproduct of this process is smoke that follows the wind, a large amount of this pollution is blown into the city of new delhi and becomes trapped by the surrounding topography. 

the two pollutants combine and make what is known as smog, much thicker air pollution that stubbornly refuses to leave the city. 

as a result, people are left with respiratory issues, lowered lung and heart capacity alongside everyday disturbances such as lowered visibility and obstruction of daily commutes. 

the only way for the smog to be cleared is for rains to clear them out, leaving citizens at the mercy of the weather.

phoenix – for some metro phoenix residents, the steady drumbeat of fourth of july fireworks were replaced with the high-pitched whine of electric motors as hundreds of drones took to the sky.

for the second fourth in a row, carefree sponsored a swarm of drones bearing led lights in lieu of a more traditional fireworks display. the display was at civana, which is a spa and resort in carefree.

there are several reasons to rely on drones, not the least of which is the risk of fire.

“we wouldn’t be able to do fireworks up in the dry desert like it is now,” mayor les peterson said. “we’re in the throes of year 20 of what could be a 30- to 50-year drought. so there’s no prospect, literally, of us being able to utilize fireworks in the foreseeable future.”

but that’s not the only local consideration driving interest in drone shows.

“up in (the) carefree, cave creek, north scottsdale area, a lot of people have horses, dogs, et cetera, and fireworks scares a lot of the animals,” peterson said. “we’ll have people call us and say, ‘our horses broke out, they were so spooked by fireworks.’

“another one is veterans. we’ve had veterans groups call us and say, ‘for someone with ptsd who’s been in a battlefield situation, the fireworks brings back all kinds of memories.’”

although the drone show is more expensive that traditional pyrotechnics, the mayor said, “they are immensely safer, and both easier on the environment and easier on animals.”

firefly drone shows of detroit put on civana’s fourth of july show. ryan sigmon, the company’s co-founder, said drone shows are the future, but not just because they can go where fireworks can’t. drone displays are more customizable than fireworks, he said.

“a lot of our clients love to do different formations or designs that fit their brand or their story that they’re trying to tell in the sky,” sigmon said. “it’s tough to compare it directly to fireworks because it’s such a different experience.”

the cost of a drone show depends on the production’s size, which can vary from 100 to 300 drones. sigmon wouldn’t give an exact cost but he said the price increases based on the level of customization.

“when we launched the company, our goal was never to revolutionize fireworks or compete against fireworks,” he said. “we definitely saw that there were some environmental aspects to what we did that were a bonus, especially where it comes to places like arizona.”

sigmon said the drone shows are a new form of media, “a new form of nighttime entertainment that has so much creative freedom… that really inspired us and motivated us to work towards this dream.”

——

republished with permission. see the original piece at cronkite news. for more stories from cronkite news, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org. follow them on twitter.

acid rain was first discovered by a scientist from england, but his work was not recognized until later on when connections were made between pollution and acid rain in canada, europe, north america, and australia. it can have impacts on ecosystems such as causing nutrients to be taken out of soil, eroding rock surfaces, and causing bodies of water to become more acidic. these impacts can be seen in the adirondacks, with the source of acid rain being coal-fueled power plants in the midwest.

the impacts that acid rain can have can be devastating to the surrounding ecosystems. air pollution has nitrogen oxides in it, which when combined with rain can easily enter bodies of water. when this happens, the nitrogen oxides can increase the rate at which aquatic plants reproduce. this can result in eutrophication, which is when other aquatic life, such as fish, suffocate and die off due to a lack of oxygen in the water. on land, acid rain has similar impacts. acid rain can alter the chemistry of forest soils, making them either more or less acidic. this change in soil chemistry can lead to different nutrients in the soil becoming more and less abundant. plant species depend on particular levels of nutrients, which must remain within a certain range for the plant to survive. the components in acid rain enter the soil when it falls, and disrupt the balance of nutrients, and can cause plant species to die off. acid rain can also impact rock surfaces. any kind of exposed rock surface can be eroded away by acid rain. this can have an impact on the structure of mountains, by weakening the exposed rock and altering its shape, as well as increasing the potential for landslides and rock falls. other rock surfaces such as gravestones and statues can be altered by acid rain as well.

the adirondacks were once greatly impacted by acid rain. in the 1970s, the scientists who made the connection between pollution and acid rain grasped the attention of governments, policymakers, the media, and the public. these groups of people realized the importance of this issue, and took action to further protect the environment from acid rain. these actions led to the creation of the first air pollution regulations ever created in the united states. these regulations called for the reduction of the emission of the chemical compounds that are the main components of acid rain. europe, australia, and other eastern countries were soon to follow in their air pollution regulation efforts.

since these new air pollution regulations were put in place, there has been a drastic change worldwide in the quality of the environments that were once severely impacted by acid rain. in the adirondacks alone, ecosystems both in the water and on land have greatly improved. waters have become less acidic and fish species that were once subjected to eutrophication have begun to recover and repopulate. plant species such as the sugar maple, which is iconic to the northeastern united states, have also made a recovery because of pollution regulation efforts.

places all around the world are being impacted by so much more than just acid rain. the adirondack park is only one example of a place being able to recover from something that once had such a negative impact. it has been proven time and time again that taking action, and being persistent, is an effective way for an issue to be resolved. it is up to us to speak up for what we think is wrong so we can be a part of the solution.