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On Earth Day, COVID-19 provides short term lessons on long term problems

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Most likely you've seen the before and after satellite images from NASA showing China and parts of the United States with air quality dramatically improved because of stay-at-home orders and directives.

Watch the video above to see some particularly dramatic examples.

Unfortunately, Utah has not experienced the benefits to a great extent.

Ozone and particulate pollution, the biggest problems along the Wasatch Front, in the Cache Valley and the Uintah Basin are not normally problematic in March and April, so there's not a significant difference in 2019 and 2020 levels.

Despite that, fewer people driving does mean less carbon spewing into the air contributing to climate change.

Further, an entire population of workers is proving they can be productive at home, making it a sensible option during the summer ozone and winter particulate seasons.