The west side of Salt Lake Valley in Utah is facing significant air quality issues, with Salt Lake County receiving an F grade from the American Lung Association for high ozone days. The area also frequently experiences some of the worst hot spots for air quality in the state. This problem is exacerbated by the presence of polluting industries, which disproportionately affect the west side due to the legacy of redlining practices. In addition, as the Great Salt Lake continues to shrink, toxic dust from the dry lake bed is being blown towards the west side of the valley.
The Salt Lake Tribune and KUER are collecting 100 first-person audio stories from residents of West Valley City, Taylorsville, Magna, Kearns, West Jordan, and the west side of Salt Lake City as part of the Reaching for Air project. The stories will be placed on an air quality map in order to combine data with human experience and better understand the impact of air pollution on the area. If you live on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley, you are encouraged to share your experiences and relationship with air quality in order to contribute to this important project.
Read more and share your experiences at kuer.org.