Comments on: The Real Dirt On Clean Air

By: Mickey D

Mickey D — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:36:20 +0000

Boise Idaho: Small City, Big Air Problem

The sad truth is that the government in our state continues to choose money over health. Exactly what type of businesses will stay away if they can’t pollute freely?? Certainly not the kind we want.

I see the results of failed government whenever I ride my bike in the foothills. I’d like to put a Boise web-cam about half way between here and Bogus Basin, so everyone could enjoy the yellow and black plume that drifts into the valley practically every day.

And it is not only the cars, You can find the stats on the web on several websites. Check out this study from BSU

http://media.www.arbiteronline.com/media/storage/paper890/news/2006/09/18/News/Boise.Bogged.Down.In.Smog-2281234.shtml

By: ericn1300

ericn1300 — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:32:09 +0000

There is no such thing as a “zero emissions vehicle”, the emissions are just relocated. If the entire population of Boise started driving electric cars we would need to build a coal or nuclear power plant somewhere near just to meet the needs.

And don’t even get me started again on the “hybrids”, which aren’t. http://www.boiseweekly.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A2154

By: Mr. Logic

Mr. Logic — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:26:42 +0000

If I got this right, we stopped putting CFCs in aerosol cans because it put a HOLE in the ozone layer.

Couldn’t we LOGICALLYsolve the ozone problem with a bunch of old cans of hairspray?

By: Top Air Purifier Reviews - Ron

Top Air Purifier Reviews - Ron — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:58:25 +0000

Unfortunately we live in a world where it’s far and few between that truly care about the air we breath. The only thing I recommend to my friends and family is to get an air purifier and place it in their work and home. Those are the two only places that can be controlled.

By: Clancy

Clancy — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:52:16 +0000

Our driving habits have as much to do with pollution as growth and our vehicles. Trips under two miles are good contenders for bike or foot transportation. Gas mowers and other small engine powered equipment are big violators. The other item that affects clean air in the TV during the winter months-traction sand.

By: dog

dog — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:44:12 +0000

Lately I have witnessed a number of older deisel pickups riding around Boise belching out black smoke on purpose! One had a giant chrome exhaust pipe comming up through the P/U bed behind the cab. Looked like he was mighty proud of that. They are usually driven with a bunch of young guys sporting a NASCAR look and they look around grinnng as they lay a black smoke screen. One had 2C plates the other E plates. Bet they are burning cheap fuel oil in those rigs or farm subsidy fuel. As usual no cops in sight. The cops probably dig it like they do the deafening exhaust notes from some harley riders.

By: Gordon

Gordon — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:22:00 +0000

Drive-by testing would definitely be an improvement.
I’ve talked with several guys who run the current testers; some say that for every 1,000 or so cars they test, they find maybe one that’s out of compliance. A few said they’ve never found one.
So, $1,000 or so drivers get to drive to the testing station, waste a little time and spend some money for nothing!

Another quirk:
My wife’s Miata failed the test one year; computer rejected it because of error number somethingorother. Looked up the error number; it meant a taillight was out. Whatthehell does that have to do with polluting the air? So, had to drive somewhere and get a bulb, put it in, drive to a tester — passed fine. Just a few extra miles of polluting and adding to traffic because of the way the pollution-checker thing works. Dumb.

By: Tom Anderson

Tom Anderson — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:16:59 +0000

There are some ‘spectacular’ polluters in the valley who should really be shut down.

Winter before last, during a ‘no wind inversion’, I started gagging on a horrible smell and thought something nearby was on fire and ran outside to a wall of nasty smelling smoke.

After checking into the problem, I came to find out that an automotive mechanic shop nearby saves all of their waste motor oil from auto oil changes. They then burn the oil in an old oil burning furnace to heat the place. The cloud of smoke they produce is horrible.

The shop was on 37th St, just about 3 doors to the North of Clay St., toward the Boise River, in Garden City.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:50:49 +0000

Problem with testing all cars is the fact that only a small percentage of cars cause the majority of the problems. And then the law is so screwed up you hit a threshold of bills and they let you continue to drive your POS car anyway.

Solution is to buy up the old crappy cars and turn them into what they really are…scrap metal. Pre 1987 cars are all carbureted and are always a problem. Modern cars are fuel injected and much cleaner for the most part.

Another solution would be to impound cars when the driver is cited for DWP and no insurance. The impound fees would get rid of a lot of junkers on the road as they would not be worth the impound fee’s. Make the offense a civil matter and stop filling the jails with people who are not really criminals. It may even boost a move to public transportation in the process.

By: bikeboy

bikeboy — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:48:24 +0000

Good comments, Mr. Guardian.

“If you can smell it, it is a pollutant.” On Sunday evening, we stepped out of a building in south Boise and could clearly smell the sugar factory, 18 or so miles upwind in Nampa. (We were obviously also “smelling” the Canyon County vehicles, but their smell isn’t quite so distinctive.)

Unfortunately, I see the vehicle emissions testing more as “revenue enhancer” than as “pollution reducer.” I explain why here: http://idspud.blogspot.com/2008/03/smog-police-making-difference.html You are right – “rolling” testing of all vehicles would likely be more effective, and WAY cheaper.