SALT LAKE CITY — For a third day in a row, Salt Lake City is listed in the top 50 most polluted major cities.
According to IQAir, Salt Lake City is the 48th most polluted city with an air quality index (AQI) of 75, putting the city firmly in the Moderate category.
IQAir says that of the 62 million people who died in 2021, air pollution was the main risk factor for more than 8 million of those deaths. Outdoor particulate matter pollution was ranked as the 5th risk factor, with 4.7 million deaths.
Watch: University of Utah professor launches new air quality app to keep residents informed
REAL-TIME AIR QUALITY: Click here to see air quality readings for your neighborhood with AirView
During this current inversion, there are some ways to lessen our everyday contribution to the bad air quality.
Dr. Denitza Blagev, a pulmonary and critical care physician at Intermountain Health, said the pollution Utahns are seeing in the skies comes from the pollution emitted locally.
Utah State University’s Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Extension reports that on-road vehicles emit 39% of the state’s annual human-produced air pollution.
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“So, being mindful in terms of our driving, not having any wood burning like wood burning fireplaces or anything like that,” she said, “ And these are not the days to be doing that."
In Utah, there are a few options for public transportation. Utah Transit Authority offers the TRAX, bus, and the FrontRunner.
Watch: Tina Giuliano talks with officials about public transit in SLC
Gavin Gustafson, the senior public information officer for UTA, said the FrontRunner offers enough space to get hundreds of people off the road. “This will comfortably fit 150 people there’s three cars on each train, so that’s 450 cars that are not on the road,” he said. “Every little bit counts. So do your part.”
For Ayung Kuath, it’s convenient for him to take the bus or the TRAX. “I love taking the bus, I get my little me time, and it helps out the air as a part 2, so two birds one stone,” he said.
The thick haze that sits on the valley is something he’s seen all the time throughout his 25 years in Utah. But he’s seen how it’s impacted the community. “It’s terrible,” he said. “I feel bad for my little siblings or my nephews because now they don’t get the same experience as I did, you know, like playing outside and such.”
Gustafson said there’s a schedule and fare fees posted online for all of UTA's transportation options, and there are fare-free options as well, like in downtown Salt Lake City.
Riders can buy their tickets online or go to the station in person to buy before getting on the train or bus.
