neighborhoods with the worst air quality

""There are wealthy neighborhoods where the map is really surprising," Bloomberg told reporters yesterday at the climate summit conference in Copenhagen. He predicted when New Yorkers see the survey, "They're going to say, 'Wait a second, it's not as clean as we thought.'"

Bullshit.

Let's get a grip here. New York City's air has never been cleaner since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. These eco-freaks are trying to hold us to hyper-extreme standards that are impossible to obtain unless Manhattan returns to a 100% agrarian lifestyle.

Reality check. Manhattan today: http://multifamilyinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/manhattan-skyline.jpg

Manhattan 1951: http://gothamist.com/attachments/arts_jen/phprpa02AAM.jpg

I've wondered what percentage of children who live here develop asthma as compared to those who live in NYC suburbs. My guess is that there's quite a differential. If you walk along the streets of the East 60's where the cars come off the 59th Street Bridge or walk along 2nd Avenue in that area, it's very congested. Not surprised to read what was said in this article.

What is the sorce of the high level pollutants?
How does it compare to Alpine NJ?
What type of pollution?
This is classic under reporting.

lobster,
if this is of interest try reading about ED.
ED is Endocrine Disrupters. These untested new chemicales have worked their way into your city, your home, even your overies or testies (which ever the case may be). They pose a real danger to all of us and are now the leading causes of things like asthma and prehaps autism.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/17/science/17puberty.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5088&en=ed072921988bcaee&ex=1318737600&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/opinion/06kristof.html?scp=3&sq=Endocrine%20Disruptors&st=nyt

And an excellent overview of endocrine disruption and the related causes:
http://www.endocrinedisruption.com/home.php

This, pound for pound, is about the most dangerous componet in our enviorment today.
It is a crime perpetrated against humanity for the sole purpose of immediate finacial enrichment of a few at the expense of a species (humans).

factogold, I've been saying this for years.

Some of the most dangerous endocrine disruptors are the chemicals in our food: hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup (which just this week has been proven by researchers in Britain to cause Type II diabetes in children), bovine growth hormone, antibiotics, pesticides, and artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Thanks falcogold and Matt, some light reading material for me while I'm preparing dinner now. I'm afraid to mention what I'm making because I'm sure there's some bad chemical in something I'm using.

thank you matt.
Bovine growth hormone is one of my great peeves. FYI, all products made from milk created in the presence of Bovine growth hormone have been banned from all European countries. The concentration of growth hormone in a gallon of milk is equivalent to all the growth hormone your body is going to make this decade. human growth hormone is identical to it's bovine counterpart. Growth hormone tell cell when to turn on their growth function. Keep in mind that cancer is essentially a cell with the growth button stuck in the on position. Our good friends at Monsanto have convinced our sleepy legislators that the human digestive system will neutralize the hormone. This was done not via scientific analysis and demonstration but rather, via the use of lobbyist and golf junkets. Our long term health has been sold down the river for the price of a few hotel rooms, golf t-times, alcohol and back slapping. By the way that river is filled with PCBs which General Electric swore would never be a health hazard.

FIGHT THE POWER

Falco: You would enjoy a lot of the "food" books - Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, ...", Michael Pollan's Omnivore, etc... Foer has jumped on the bandwagon too.

We eat too much meat and the meat we eat and the dairy we consume is produced with little regard to health of the animals and the humans who consume.

We need collectively to eat as little meat as possible, and make sure that the meat we do consume is raised under humane and healthy conditions - none of this nasty growth hormone, antibiotic stuff (the cesspools associated with pig-rearing, I can't even think about).

Vegetables - try to consume as little out-of-season stuff as possible. For me, this means eating as many NY apples as possible in the winter, ditto root vegetables. I eat greenhouse stuff sparingly. Unfortunately, I have 1 kid who loves her grapes and bananas. But we're good otherwise.

NYC - but a friend just told me the other day that tofu, which I slways thought was a totally healthy food, is sometimes labeled as "genetically modified", so now, even tofu is suspect.

The impact of bovine growth hormones in milk products were fairly well publized, but much of what you mention above is not. Very good information for all of us to know. nyc10023, what is wrong with eating bananas, if I can ask? I thought they were good for potassium intake.

ph41 - it's the soybeans that go into the tofu that are GM.

Lobster: I'm trying to eat as little in the way of tropical fruits as possible due to the env. cost of
transporting the stuff. Ditto out-of-season grapes grown in S. America, berries, etc. Root vegetables
keep very well over the winter (as do cabbages - I make a great cabbage stirfry). For greens, I'm buying
a lot of Satur Farms produce (I hear it's grown on LI in greenhouses, maybe a little more friendly to env. than irrigation-fed vegetables from CA?)

We are lucky to be living close to some of the finest agricultural lands in the world that isn't overly
(to my knowledge) taxing to the environment. Beef, dairy, lamb, poultry all available from upstate NY.
It's 3-4x as much as regular supermarket stuff, but we find ourselves not eating that much meat/poultry
anyway. A little goes a long way depending on what you make.

I try to buy "local" milk from the green market. The "Organic Valley" & "Horizon" stuff I think comes
from the Midwest. Ronnybrook isn't bad, I think they are upstate. I am irritated that there aren't more
local sources of flavored yoghurt. If I buy eggs from the supermarket as opposed to the Knoll Crest stall,
I try to look for closest possible production (maybe PA or NJ).

This is one reason we should have congestion pricing and tolls on all bridges that lead to Manhattan. Oh yeah, it would help if apartment dwellers would lower the heat (burn less oil) when they're not in their apartment (I do). Guess they don't view heat as an expense because it's included in the rent.

many rural areas have substantially higher asthma /allergy cases and worse air quality than NYC
This is very surprising in a way, but it comes from temperature inversions and the use of a variety of pesticides and such in that environment
You are not immune to exposure very easily
Also, buying local is not always good. The transportation cost/carbon footprint may not be lower than the energy costs for heating greenhouses at night
there is no free lunch as they say

However, if you skip meat, you will indeed contribute dramatically to reduction in water, fertilizer and energy use. So, be a vegetarian and you have helped -- each animal pound for pound consumes 10x the resources that a vegetable does. I am not a veg fanatic -- just trying to give you the clean dope.

Fish -- there is a major issue with mercury etc. so sorry to be depressing about all this

Yeah, it's a luxury to eat leafy salads in the winter. Maybe we should keep a few pots of salad greens on sunny window sills. I don't know if there is a way to fix radiator-type heating systems so that some apts aren't boiling hot while others are cold.

actually, 10023, joedavis is absolutely correct. buying local isn't always the greenest option, although it almost universally is in or near season. i have been thinking about starting up herb pots again. in Seattle i had about 20-30 around the perimeter of the apartment, all with northwestern light, it was lovely, the apartment had original built-ins running the length of the living room.

fish/shellfish aren't all developed equally joe. some are fine, some are ok once in awhile, some should be avoided almost always by many people. sadly my daughter likes large fish and bottomfeeders, monkfish, halibut. but there are others, like sole, that work as well.

have heard from interesting things about this company.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2009/02/13/news/doc4995010ea95be621488729.txt

cc, that's the type of thing i'd like to see a lot more of in this country. agriculture (aqua here) is something we do or could do very well, and there will be a tremendous demand for it. there is absolutely no reason that many fish/shellfish, which are expensive to harvest naturally, can't be produced in an environment that ensures consumer safety and still is economically viable (and replicates natural sources, hopefully we won't repeat our mistakes with mass-produced beef and poultry). that doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to clean up our rivers and lakes, but in the meantime it provides a great source of food for many.

more talk, no action. an unemployed woman who makes no attempt to contribute to society other than complaining on a message board. no attempt to do anything

aboutready
14 minutes ago
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report abuse
.... sadly my daughter likes large fish and bottomfeeders, monkfish, halibut. but there are others, like sole, that work as well."

I can not believe the latest piece of trivia I know about aboutready's daughter. Sexual and medical history, diet, and how long her mother will control her after her death. Unbelievable

speaking of unemployed women....think of how we could save the world if we all switched to breast milk only. straight-up "Grapes of Wrath" style. keep it local. ;)

uwsmom, how are things? was it a girl or a boy? somehow i missed the news, but it has to have happened, no? i've been distracted, but please don't tell me that i've congratulated you already and forgotten it (not a small impossibility the last few weeks, which have been crazy)!! best of everything, and make sure you make some time for yourself. happy holidays with your newest addition!

Yes - girl and she's doing great :). Happy Holidays to you as well!

Thanks!

"We need collectively to eat as little meat as possible"

Actually, we don't.

I was under strict orders by two doctors (one a holistic D.O.) to cease my vegan diet ASAP after they traced several seemingly unrelated health problems to a massive nutrition deficiency brought on by the "unnatural" diet I was on.

Humans -- particularly adult MALE humans in the prime of their lives, working stressful jobs, living in cities -- need certain proteins, amino acids, and trace minerals that are only found in animal meat. Like it or not, we are OMNIVORES -- our bodies were meant to, and need to, consume meat.

as possible seems to be the operative thought here.

matt, i think the vast majority of americans eat far more meat than they need for optimal health. i agree, humans have evolved into creatures whose dietary needs are best met with a certain amount of animal protein consumption. but it is indisputable that americans do not eat enough whole grains, fruits and vegetables. for most swapping at least half of current meat consumption for those alternatives would be far healthier.

I'm certainly not advocating a vegan diet. But people in general eat far too much meat.

'People in general eat too much' Period.

"'People in general eat too much' Period."

Again, not true.

What people in this country are "eating too much" of is food that's loaded with chemicals and other poisons.

What is not true?

Too much 'chemicals and other poisons' might kill you. However, with one in four Americans being obese, it's safe to say that people in general are eating too much.

This link has a nice animated map which shows the United States obesity prevalence from 1985 through 2008.

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html#State

"Too much 'chemicals and other poisons' might kill you. However, with one in four Americans being obese, it's safe to say that people in general are eating too much."

No, it's NOT "safe to say that people in general are eating too much."

Studies time and again have shown that overall, obese people actually eat FEWER calories than physically fit and even skinny people.

The disconnect stems from the fact that obesity is a complex disorder with myriad causes, most of which in this country stem from:

-- lack of adequate sleep, which robs the body of the benefit of the natural release of human growth hormone -- the hormone responsible for prompting cell rebuilding and tissue rejuvenation as well as regulating the metabolism -- which is naturally released only during the SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE HOUR of sleep. Further, robbing the body of its necessary 8 hours of sleep (which all adult humans need, regardless of how much they *think* they "need"), prompts the body's natural instinct to produce cortisol -- the stress hormone responsible for inducing weight GAIN by "conserving" as many calories as possible in the form of fat because it thinks it's in "flight" mode from an imminent threat, otherwise why would you be interrupting the necessary sleep cycle?

-- paradoxically, overexertion vis-a-vis punishing workouts when you haven't been getting adequate (8 to 9 hours) of sleep. Again, the body produces even MORE cortisol as a response to the added stress of exertion on top of sleep deprivation because it thinks the body is in imminent safety "crisis".

-- dieting, which most times leads to malnourishment -- another stress factor that the body interprets as being on the "run", thereby releasing -- yep, you guessed it -- more cortisol to hang onto every last calorie in the form of fat during this apparent period of "flight" and "famine".

-- chemicals in our food, which short-circuit our endocrine systems.

"This link has a nice animated map which shows the United States obesity prevalence from 1985 through 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html#State"

This "nice aminated map" proves nothing other than WHERE the obese people are, now HOW they became obese.

so obesity is caused by lack of sleep compounded by too much exercise and dieting?

i thought obesity was caused by building workers looking for christmas tips.

I see columbiacounty is back to playing nice.

wow...its like pushing the button for the elevator---and its right there waiting for you.

"so obesity is caused by lack of sleep compounded by too much exercise and dieting?"

Basically, yes -- combined with our steady and unrelenting diet of unnatural chemicals in our food.

what about the christmas tips?

don't worry about our imaginary friend...lets here more about nutrition.

hear?

matt's explanation is a bit simplistic (although he'd probably agree with me on that one), but he is absolutely correct that the various stressors we impose upon our metabolisms can be killers. lack of sleep IS a well-known contributor, although certainly not the only cause, to obesity.

Matt, whether an obese person eat less than a skinny person does not negate my point that people in general eat too much.

"...the bottom line is – calories count! Weight management is all about balance – balancing the number of calories you consume with the number of calories your body uses or "burns off."

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/causes/index.html

Regardless of the factors that contributed to the amount of calories a person uses, consuming more than the body consume results in obesity. You are of course correct that people should also work on the other factors that contributed to the imbalance.

lack of sleep? is that why i'm craving carbs/baked goods like mario batali???

""...the bottom line is %u2013 calories count! Weight management is all about balance %u2013 balancing the number of calories you consume with the number of calories your body uses or "burns off."
Regardless of the factors that contributed to the amount of calories a person uses, consuming more than the body consume results in obesity. You are of course correct that people should also work on the other factors that contributed to the imbalance."

Actually, it's the CDC that's being overly-simplistic.

It's not just the NUMBER of calories one consumes, but what's IN those calories that makes the most difference.

2000 calories per day of chemical and toxin-laden overprocessed food will do more damage to your system (and prompt weight gain) than 3000 calories per day of nothing but natural, organic foods.

speaking of obesity:
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Most-Emailed-Photos/ss/1756;_ylt=A0wNcnh11C5LpEIABQDlWMcF

Yowzer! that's a lot of real estate. it's sad

Is it really possible for one area to have worst air quality than anohter? after all, AIR MOVES. If there is filthy air in Harlem, it is going to move downtown with the wind and end up downtown.

Pres, if someone let loose a stinky silent one near you at a party, you will probably move away from that spot right? The air will still circulate around the room, but you would probably prefer the air quality at the other side of the room.

sunday, that was awesome.

Sunday
8 minutes ago
ignore this person
report abuse Pres, if someone let loose a stinky silent one near you at a party, you will probably move away from that spot right? The air will still circulate around the room, but you would probably prefer the air quality at the other side of the room.

That's right Sunday, you ARE better than me.

the amount of grain that's grown to feed animals in CAFO's (Confined Animal Feeding Operations) would feed the entire world's hungry population. not to mention the reduction of stress on the environment from all the methane and water needed for the animals, which are inhumanely tortured throughout their miserable lives. one of the scariest things i've read about, though, is what someone mentioned here, GMO's. GMO'd food is so powerful it actually CHANGES YOUR DNA. nothing does that. it is terrifying to me and not currently regulated or addressed by any agency. they do not have to list whether products are GMO'd or not. monsanto is up there on the top of list of most eveil companies in the world.

I totally agree with you glamma.

God did not intend cattle to eat corn -- they're supposed to be eating GRASS.

http://www.businessinsider.com/credit-suisse-the-global-sugar-epidemic-2013-10?op=1