Utah has a lot of wildlife and beauty, but some of its cities aren’t particularly clean. LawnStarter ranks Salt Lake City as Utah’s dirtiest city. It is the 70th dirtiest city in the United States and the only one from Utah to reach the list.
Where is Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City is located in northern Utah and serves as the state capital. It is the state’s most populous city, with a population of 200,478 and a metropolitan area of 1.25 million people.
Why is Salt Lake the dirtiest city in Utah?
Salt Lake City is unclean for a variety of causes, the most significant of which is pollution from motor vehicles. Motor vehicles account for around 55% of the city’s emissions, with the remainder coming from a variety of sources. Salt Lake City International Airport, with its numerous jet engines arriving and departing on a daily basis, is one of these sources.
The fact that Salt Lake City is located in a valley contributes to its high pollution levels. In the winter, heated air can settle on top of the valley and effectively ‘cook’ the entire city. The increased warmth causes more particle pollution to accumulate. Residents’ health is jeopardized as particulate pollution and ozone levels increase. Ozone damages the airways, making it difficult to breathe deeply.
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How Does Salt Lake City’s Pollution Problem Affect Health?
As previously stated, high quantities of ozone can cause respiratory difficulties in people, but it can also harm animals. The pollution does not stay in the city; it spreads through the air and affects areas surrounding Salt Lake City as well. Animals are no better protected than humans, and exposure to city pollution can cause respiratory problems. Animals can sense the effects of the city’s air quality from long distances.
When the air quality is really bad, the city will issue warnings to minimize outside time. These cautions are applicable to both humans and dogs. While air pollution has a detrimental impact, the loss of outdoor time induced by pollution leads to bad health and mood.