Chasing Clean Air

Yikes! Marin Residents Burn Wood Despite Spare the Air Days

I went woodsmoke sleuthing in West Marin County on a Burn Ban Day, December 18, 2011 because I got many letters from Marin residents, saying they're frustrated and sick when neighbors burn wood (sometimes chemically-treated) and air quality control authorities appear to do, well not enough enforcement for residents' needs. 

It appears West Marin towns such as Woodacre and Forest Knolls have more wood-smoke problems than towns like San Rafael where it's less wet and cold. Novato, an area in the past I've received letters regarding wood-smoke violations, I was told improved.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) widely publicizes wood-burning bans on Spare The Air Days, and supposedly BAAQMD enforces these bans with hefty fines to violators.

Frustrated neighbors in West Marin County, California wrote they need more help, asking me to shine a brighter "light" on the wood-smoke problem.

So I took a walk on the smokey-side:

In West Marin on a burn ban day (SPARE THE AIR!), after only a couple of blocks of walking, I found 3 houses burning wood. Wafting smoke was so bad that despite feeling healthy and bouncy in my initial steps, a headache crept between my temples and I slowed to a--Get me indoors!--as I unwittingly inhaled gobs of fine particulate matter.

And it wasn't just smoke.

It was stinky, chemical-smelling, smoke. The stuff of potential migraines for those who tend toward headaches.

Because I felt weaker and headachy after breathing the sort of smoke that is known to cause disease over time, I left the area.

EPA Is Calling On You To Help Clean The Air

You can get involved to help EPA set higher air quality standards when it comes to industrial boilers and incinerators. It's always something. And turns out millions of Americans live near out-dated, dirtier than necessary, incinerators. But we can tell the EPA that YES! we want better equipment installed that will insure less toxic air swirls into our atmosphere and lungs.

We can give these businesses three years to comply with better equipment/controls. Sounds like job creation and better human health, if you ask me.

And to get the full EPA scoop, everything you need to know in order to speak up for cleaner air, click here.

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