A new World Health Organization report details air-pollution rates around the globe. Here are the cleanest cities in the country
Clearlake, CA
Maybe it makes sense that Clearlake — a bucolic town in northern California — has one of the few school boards in the U.S. with a Green Party member. The air in this community of 15,000 people is about as pure as it gets in the U.S. — and stands in stark contrast to the smog valley of southern California. Ironically, the actual Clear Lake itself is heavily contaminated with mercury, thanks to a nearby abandoned mine. But I guess you can't have everything.
Farmington, N.M.
Like other towns in New Mexico, Farmington enjoys some of the cleanest air in the nation. But here's the irony — not far from this city of 45,000 is the San Juan Generating Station, a 40-year-old coal plant that's been under pressure from the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce its pollution. Farmington may be fine, but nearby Navajo communities bear the brunt of the pollutants.
Jackson, Wyo.
I'm not sure it's actually a law, but the more rich people you find concentrated in an area, the less likely it is that they'll be breathing bad air. So it is with the gorgeous resort town of Jackson, the gateway to Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone and of course the ski slopes of Jackson Hole. I mean, the Federal Reserve does an annual symposium/retreat in Jackson every summer. I don't think they'd do that in Bakersfield, Calif.
Clearlake, CA
Maybe it makes sense that Clearlake — a bucolic town in northern California — has one of the few school boards in the U.S. with a Green Party member. The air in this community of 15,000 people is about as pure as it gets in the U.S. — and stands in stark contrast to the smog valley of southern California. Ironically, the actual Clear Lake itself is heavily contaminated with mercury, thanks to a nearby abandoned mine. But I guess you can't have everything.
Santa Fe, N.M.-
If there's a poster city in America for clean air and western living, it's Santa Fe. The New Mexico capital regularly tops quality-of-life lists, and the environment is a major part of it. (Well, that and the opera house.) "It's one of the things we love about living in Santa Fe," Mayor David Cross told the Associated Press after the WHO rankings came out. And in the intra–New Mexico rivalry, the town just beats out Albuquerque.
Cheyenne, Wyo.The capital of Wyoming is famous for its mountain vistas and clean air, which puts it high on the WHO's list. But take care, citizens of Cheyenne — there may be trouble on the horizon. Drilling and fracking for natural gas has led to increased air pollution in parts of western Wyoming — in some places, rivaling the smog of Los Angeles. Cheyenne has remained mostly untouched so far, but gas drilling has a way of spreading.
If there's a poster city in America for clean air and western living, it's Santa Fe. The New Mexico capital regularly tops quality-of-life lists, and the environment is a major part of it. (Well, that and the opera house.) "It's one of the things we love about living in Santa Fe," Mayor David Cross told the Associated Press after the WHO rankings came out. And in the intra–New Mexico rivalry, the town just beats out Albuquerque.Cheyenne, Wyo.The capital of Wyoming is famous for its mountain vistas and clean air, which puts it high on the WHO's list. But take care, citizens of Cheyenne — there may be trouble on the horizon. Drilling and fracking for natural gas has led to increased air pollution in parts of western Wyoming — in some places, rivaling the smog of Los Angeles. Cheyenne has remained mostly untouched so far, but gas drilling has a way of spreading.
Kahului-Wailuku, Hawaii
The island of Maui is the paradise of paradise, and its air quality is no different. The more than 25,000 people who live in the Kahului-Wailuku area are blessed with warm temperatures and cloudless skies most of the year, in addition to the clean air. That's due in part to the fact that Maui's volcanoes — unlike those on the big island of Hawaii nearby — are dormant, so there's no risk of volcanic fog, or "vog."
Dickinson, N.D.
Sometimes all you really need to do to have decent air is not have lots of people. That's certainly the case in North Dakota, which has fewer than 10 people per sq. mi. As North Dakota cities go, Dickinson is on the large side, with over 15,000 people — still not enough to besmirch the air. But there may be problems in the future — federal and state officials are fighting over hazy air in nearby Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Farmington, N.M.
Like other towns in New Mexico, Farmington enjoys some of the cleanest air in the nation. But here's the irony — not far from this city of 45,000 is the San Juan Generating Station, a 40-year-old coal plant that's been under pressure from the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce its pollution. Farmington may be fine, but nearby Navajo communities bear the brunt of the pollutants. Jackson, Wyo.
I'm not sure it's actually a law, but the more rich people you find concentrated in an area, the less likely it is that they'll be breathing bad air. So it is with the gorgeous resort town of Jackson, the gateway to Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone and of course the ski slopes of Jackson Hole. I mean, the Federal Reserve does an annual symposium/retreat in Jackson every summer. I don't think they'd do that in Bakersfield, Calif.
Pocatello, Idaho
Pocatello, IdahoThe air must have been pristine back when covered wagons stopped in what would become the city of Pocatello along the old Oregon Trail. The environment — or at least the air — hasn't changed a whole lot since. This Idaho city of 54,000 is an asthmatic's dream and one of the best places in the U.S. to run a small business.
Silver City, N.M.
If it's not clear by now, it should be: if you want smog-free air and lungs clear of bronchitis, move to New Mexico. And the environment in Silver City has probably gotten better over time — it began as a mining tent city back in the late 1800s, and let's just say those settlements did not have much in the way of environmental regulations. It makes sense that after the silver ran out, Silver City became a haven for tuberculosis patients. The desert air will do you good.
Silver City, N.M.
If it's not clear by now, it should be: if you want smog-free air and lungs clear of bronchitis, move to New Mexico. And the environment in Silver City has probably gotten better over time — it began as a mining tent city back in the late 1800s, and let's just say those settlements did not have much in the way of environmental regulations. It makes sense that after the silver ran out, Silver City became a haven for tuberculosis patients. The desert air will do you good.
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