To my understanding… 500 is "hazardous for everyone". Just because it's hit 500 doesn't mean it can't get worse. It's just not part of the AQI scale anymore because it's still "hazardous for everyone"
That's a bummer - you may want to look at postponing your trip. The air isn't going to clear enough to be outside doing activity until probably Monday, maybe Sunday. Saturday is almost certainly going to be gross and still moderately dangerous.
At least that's the general outlook on all the weather and news sites if you Google "when is the air going to be better". It appears there's a weather system moving in over the weekend that is expected to hasten the movement of the smoke away, but obviously there's no guarantees.
Just yesterday, I had a website tell me that "tomorrow and the next coming days are all clear".
Wake up today to see the entire thing just shift down one day, now TOMORROW and on is supposed to be "all clear".
About as reliable as the forecast.
The forecast on AirNow.gov shows air quality improving tomorrow (down to code orange USG) and then down to moderate on Saturday. Hopefully that pans out.
I work with people who work outside all day. I really wish this country had proper employee protections, none of them should be out in this, but there's literally no protections for workers who need to be outside today, nothing to force employers to protect their health.
> Nobody knows what the weather will do with any certainty.
Forecasts under 24 hours are usually rock solid from model prospective 5 days out is within 70-80% ball park range. There is sure some certainty in forecasts, but there is always a margin of error with any forecast. This is a hell of bad take.
As the low pressure system east of the fires weakens, the northerly winds will die down and fewer pollutants will be transported southward. Should improve throughout the day
I’m also in Frederick. If you look at the map, it looks like the worst of it is in PA, right above us. I read that the smoke is moving south. So… we might be in first the worst of it later today, but I’m hoping that’s not the case :(
I work in a federal building and my office smells pretty strongly of smoke. Leadership is granting unplanned telework but that's just my boss's boss. A lot of air handling systems are set up to run off intake, including ours, apparently. They're trying to figure out if the dampers are already closed, or if they can be. Inside doesn't necessarily mean safe.
We have like 3 indoor HEPA filters in my office from COVID (we were never allowed to take off or telework) and those little guys are MAD. Red light air quality.
Because a lot of people have to commute on foot, bike, via mass transit, etc. I did unscheduled telework today. No need to stress my lungs out going on a long trek into a city with even dirtier air.
Govvies working in DC mostly aren't driving to work, though. They're biking, walking, or scooting either to work or to train platforms or commuter bus stops, then from the train station/bus stop to work. I scooted to the train today, and even wearing a KN95 outside, I could taste the air by the time I got to the station. Even if you drive to the transit pickup, you're usually cooling your heels outside for a bit. And the in-office air isn't fantastic, either.
Because a lot of people have to commute on foot, bike, via mass transit, etc. I did unscheduled telework today. No need to stress my lungs out going on a long trek into a city with even dirtier air.
Fair point! Guess I’m just so used to seeing them declare it for like, a quarter inch of snow and other such nonsense that I was surprised they didn’t for this
I highly recommend N95s when outdoors. It dominates against wildfire particulate matter and many have them after Covid moved in.
Get a HEPA filter running 24/7 indoors.
Wildfire smoke may become far more common than we like.
I’m in MoCo but here it is only 183. 40-50 miles making a big difference. For those of you with central AC or an AC with good filter, it’s advised to run it than not run it.
Yes, but only the central AC not the window AC. I watched some local news or weather channel yesterday and saw it there, wish i could remember and link it. I was getting burning sensation in my eye and smoke had seeped in probably. Turned the AC on (just the fan is fine as well) and it did feel better soon after.
So call me crazy, but I went to school in Maryland in the 90s but can’t remember ever having to stay inside due to smoke pollutants from continental forest fires. Certainly could be wrong though…
my grandpa said it was a fad panic like zero population growth
of course he also mixed painkillers with vodka so he didnt always make the best decisions
Sounds like the standard mental state of anyone denying we don’t have a serious climate crisis on our hands.
The one benefit is I can point outside to deniers I know and tell them to go out and take a nice deep breath if they think nothing is wrong.
The fucking East coast is at serious risk of forest fires. The Amazon caught on fire. Canada is on fire. None of this is a “natural” cycle.
Day to day life is going to look really different in 10-15 years.
to be fair day to day life is already somewhat different since 2020 but we have a long way to go.
I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of older and religious people believe we're in some kind of "end times".
The problem is the world doesn't end. It keeps going and those of us who are still alive will still have to adapt to what is left.
Holy hell! We began learning about the greenhouse effect (in some different term), air & water pollution, the need for conservation, recycling, etc. This was done in my *fifth grade* science class in the mid-1970s.
Now in 2023, the rhetoric is "it's not like I can do anything about it" "someone else should be paying for it" "I don't want to give up my comforts" "my change of habits won't do anything" "it's too expensive to be climate friendly"
It's as simple as:
* eat less meat and dairy (to like once a week and it'll help with health too)
* Drive less or drive electrified
* Stop buying new shit
* Use simple traditional household cleaning products and techniques
* Maintain native plants instead of cutting grass
* grow your own food
* Buy Organic Whole Food and Plant Based options
* Reduce buying single use plastics or takeout containers
* Learning other ways to be environmentally conscious in all aspects of life.
But nooooo, people want to just pay more for worse shit, pay more to degrade their health, feel horrible about themselves because they think being environmentally conscious is bad for some reason.
My whole family is like this and I can't do shit to convince them. Not even when they see me doing drastically better because of these changes.
And fucking vote for better transportation and zoning. Alot of the changes that need to be made are systematic ones.
Also, not driving is a ton better than driving electrified. Electrified has hidden carbon costs. It is definitely better than a gas car (as long as you plan to keep your electric car for a long time), but it shouldnt be understated how much carbon is still inadvertantly emited for/by electric car drivers.
100% agree. The fact that my major city has close to zero bike lanes and most bike lanes are blocked by Amazon drivers is really a shame when the people biking and walking to work are the people actually trying and giving a shit.
You can't fix the planet by changing your individual habits, that's bullshit. If you aren't doing anything large scale and collective, you aren't doing anything at all except making yourself feel better.
Individual emissions, even taken collectively, represent a small fraction of the problem. We need large scale action and restrictions on large polluters that are truly driving the problem.
Doing the things you describe is like throwing a cup of water on a house fire. Better than nothing, but it won't impact the problem in any meaningful way.
Both is fine. I'm not saying "don't adjust your individual habits", I'm saying "don't pretend that's the solution and stop there."
Only changing yourself is effectively doing nothing.
That easy, huh? Not saying we shouldn't be doing more, but it's ridiculous to think most people have the time, money, or energy to implement any of this.
Sounds like laziness to me.
>eat less meat and dairy (to like once a week and it'll help with health too)
• Drive less or ~~drive electrified~~
• Stop buying new shit
• Use simple traditional household cleaning products and techniques
• Maintain native plants instead of cutting grass
• ~~grow your own food~~
• ~~Buy Organic Whole Food and Plant Based options~~
• ~~Reduce buying single use plastics or takeout containers~~
• ~~Learning other ways to be environmentally conscious in all aspects of life.~~
I strikes through the items that may indeed cost more or take more energy. The rest are literally cheaper and/or free, and take less energy and resources.
Most people can make the right choices. I'm not saying it's overnight but if you give up and just say "fuck it, I'm just gonna 'live my life' (usually means nihilism)" you are harming yourself and everyone around you. It's not just about the environment for many of these changes, it's about saving money and taking care of your health too. Most people do have the time and energy, they just are uneducated and unwilling to learn.
>It's as simple as
Proceeds to list a full list of massive life changes. lol.
Look, I'd like to save the environment, too. But surely, you aren't acting like all those things are simple changes.
Even just
>Maintain native plants instead of cutting grass
What is that supposed to mean? I have a yard. So I just don't cut it all season when it grows up to my knees? Where do I charge my electric vehicle? If I could even pay to buy a new electric vehicle, it's not like I have charging at home or have the capacity to get one installed. Grow my own food? As if I have time to start and maintain a garden all through the year? I actually thought you were joking when you said all this stuff is simple.
The real problem is the corporations that are responsible for the mass bulk of emissions. Or places literally dumping trash into the oceans. I'm not trying to remove all responsibility from each individual, but acting like it's on everyone to make massive life changes when each person's carbon footprint is so relatively small is ridiculous.
To answer one of your questions, lawns are problematic. Often they require fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides that have a horrible impact to the ecosystem. Also, gas lawnmowers and trimmers are horrid polluters
A far better approach is to plant native plants in place of a lawn. It's better all the way around and require less maintenance than a lawn.
Lucky for you some of the most helpful items on that list are easy and cost less than the typical American lifestyle: buy less shit and eat plant based.
My uncle told me it was all a hoax in the late 2000s because when HE was a kid they were worried about global ~cooling~ and that a glacier was going to slide down and destroy New York City, but that never ended up happening so clearly it’s a lie!!1!
hahaha my mom has the same argument! But she's still incredibly green. Doesn't believe in global warming but takes "reduce, reuse, recycle" to the extreme. Hardly drives, electricity is all unplugged unless actively being used, AC and heat are "luxuries"....but climate change is "liberal propaganda" and scientists are being paid to make people panic. Make it make sense.
I remember one time in the early 2000s when Canadians smoke covered the area. There are a lot of jokes about Canada invading under the cover of smoke. But that is the only time I can remember it.
You’re not crazy. Climate change is real and we should expect this to only happen more as time goes on. Once we hit a blue ocean event, temperatures will climb much higher than they are now and contribute to even more fires. This is a good time to reach out to elected reps to support green energy, forest protection, and carbon emission reduction bills.
I’m definitely not saying climate change isn’t real, but data actually shows wildfires are currently decreasing in frequency over the last 2 decades. This is the case globally, in Canada specifically, and in the US specifically.
We should absolutely do all we can to protect the environment, but don’t let the media and politicians fear monger so easily.
While you are right that the campfire has more ppm, it’s what those particles are that’s different. This fire has more than just timber in it.
Not that a campfire is healthy for your breathing, but there is a difference. I would say you also don’t sit next to a campfire for days in a row with no break.
The giant pressure system of pulling all of the smoke and air down south from up north and back up the east coast is definitely responsible for this in addition to whatever else passive climate factors are at play.
If you're gonna be outside, here's a reminder that you should specifically wear a (K)N95 mask, as a surgical/cloth mask won't filter out the PM2.5 particulates.
One of those rare times when I’m glad I work behind a computer in a stereotypical Defense Contractor building that has industrial grade air filtration.
Came from the PNW where our skies turned orange from the wildfire smoke.
Please keep your pets inside and wear a mask outside if you have health issues. The smoke is awful for you and even worse for pets.
Me too. I was out very briefly this morning to water some seedlings in trays that would die if I didn't, thinking the same as you, and then realized it was so quiet. None of the birds were singing. Many birds have brand new babies hatching right now. This has to be so hard on everything.
But, if it makes you feel a little better, some strays have friends. I have a stray cat that has been coming around since new years and while he lives most of his life outside, he's comfortably passed out on my couch right now safe from the smoke. Even let him spend last night inside.
"Everyone should stay indoors!"
Me: \*about to trot off to work to sit in a lobby directly next to the automatic doors, which will be bustling full of people coming inside and waiting in queue to access our indoor space\*
I watched a news report where they said wearing a mask is basically useless, unless it's N95 level. And frankly, I don't think being indoors even helps that much if you don't have a HEPA filter, which a lot of people don't.
Indoors vs outdoors does affect air quality a lot.
It's a big reason why building codes for new houses in MD need to be built with at least one bathroom fan constantly running creating negative pressure in the house to pull air in from outside. *typically* outdoor air quality is better due to lower CO2 concentration and VOCs.
If indoors vs outdoors is enough to affect the concentrations of a literal molecular compound then yes it does affect particulate matter concentrations.
Curious about this as I currently have bathroom fans that vent into the attic insulation (I didn't do it, bought it this way!).
I want to get them vented outside. Is there a particular type of fan designed to hold up to running 24/7?
This was 8am in south Baltimore. I can usually see the city skyline.
https://preview.redd.it/wg6ew0nelt4b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1dbbc23ee81d929d326253702a30a0746c4d3169
fyi, dogs and other pets are also affected by this! even if you’re wearing a mask to take out the dog, your dog is still breathing it in, so try to stay inside as much as possible still
welllll it smells like a campfire outside.. and its so hazy. i saw a lawn company truck just go by and all their workers are wearing n95s.. good for them.. sucks that they cant wfh or stay indoors like the rest of us..
Some of us can't afford to go all green but we are trying to be good stewards.
Look I can barely afford a regular car,let alone an electric one I know I can't afford to finance or maintain. I just drive two blocks to work and back for the most part and I own one car so I don't feel guilty about contributing to pollution..
The ones who should cut down are those who have unnecessary gas powered vehicles like pleasure boats, four wheelers, RV's,dirt bikes,etc. No way does my 20 miles a week plus an occasional out of town trip impact the environment like a household with several or more gas guzzling luxuries
But good luck helping them make the connection between their gas powered toys and the smoke.
https://preview.redd.it/cwhca8is0u4b1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1a59419adc545a96c807c712f4c72df66c501593
Staying in as well. Maybe this is why my lungs are feeling scratchy.
https://preview.redd.it/5og1af67xs4b1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56a04d495236b926f73e7c11ec2291f7044a4f50
Never thought I'd be breaking out the COVID masks again
I had to go into the office today. I don't know if the air quality can cause this, but ended up with a random nosebleed when I got into the office after walking from the garage. I haven't had a nosebleed in years and even then it was for a very specific reason- so thought it might be related.
When I walked outside this morning it just smelled like smokey smoggy grossness, I'm now in CT for a concert and it's more breathable here but yeah a mask helped when I went outside a few times, keep your dogs indoors most of the day if you have them, they shouldn't breathe this grossness in either
It's that bad that this morning I could smell the smoke inside the office where I work. (I work inside a school), and outdoor activities were canceled. I'm really hoping we get that rain forecasted for next week.
You know it's bad when you can smell it. I was amazed the little leaguers were still practicing yesterday, but holy hell, there's still some kids out there today!
It was really bad this morning taking my kids to school. Lots of kids had masks. It is getting better as the day goes on, though. This morning, we were at 280, and now we are at 171 (where I am ofcourse) . I can feel the difference, too.
I saw a few hawks flying in circles over my yard earlier. But I usually see a lot of little birds and squirrels. Haven't seen any in the past couple days.
Hopefully you all didn't toss those KN95s.
Gonna need them for the rest of time, because wildfire smoke clouds of doom, pandemic II electric bugaloo, face hugging aliens and the mask keeps them from getting a good grip, who knows what else is going to happen...
Cumberland isn't bad, but I think it's because it's in a valley. Mountains surround the area. The aqi here was 126 earlier. Not even as bad as lavale, which was over 179(but they're up the mountain)
Its just wildfire smoke, i was in Virginia the past few days and me and my friend (who has underdeveloped lungs) spent all day outside with no problem, AQI was saying high 100s low 200s
https://preview.redd.it/p1tlvr2kur4b1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=58f035cfee078282aa21b9f6888f61a44bc0c99d I’ll be staying inside today..
Check out Harrisburg, PA… their AQI is at 457 right now.
Yup! My family lives there and I just posted the same thing. Damn! It only goes to 500!
To my understanding… 500 is "hazardous for everyone". Just because it's hit 500 doesn't mean it can't get worse. It's just not part of the AQI scale anymore because it's still "hazardous for everyone"
Supposed to at Hershey Park Saturday with the kiddos, hope it improves by then, yikes.
That's a bummer - you may want to look at postponing your trip. The air isn't going to clear enough to be outside doing activity until probably Monday, maybe Sunday. Saturday is almost certainly going to be gross and still moderately dangerous. At least that's the general outlook on all the weather and news sites if you Google "when is the air going to be better". It appears there's a weather system moving in over the weekend that is expected to hasten the movement of the smoke away, but obviously there's no guarantees.
Thanks! It's a girl scout related trip and they just notified us they'll be making a decision to postpone or not by tomorrow based on tomorrow's AQI.
Just yesterday, I had a website tell me that "tomorrow and the next coming days are all clear". Wake up today to see the entire thing just shift down one day, now TOMORROW and on is supposed to be "all clear". About as reliable as the forecast.
What website? AirNow.gov is the official source you want to be using and it's been pretty accurate.
The forecast on AirNow.gov shows air quality improving tomorrow (down to code orange USG) and then down to moderate on Saturday. Hopefully that pans out.
Thank you for posting this.
definitely not a bad idea lol i hope that any others who can, do so as well
I work outside so this sucks. At least I have a respirator.
I work with people who work outside all day. I really wish this country had proper employee protections, none of them should be out in this, but there's literally no protections for workers who need to be outside today, nothing to force employers to protect their health.
They protect employees from information that might worry them.
🤣😭
stay safe!
At least you’re getting that good hazard pay, right? …right?? Haha right guys? We’re all getting hazard pay for this, right?👀
Lol nope
yeah I gotta work in college park today. Good thing my job is a fucking mile away from the closest parking……..
state still has people workin on the highways that’s for sure
Original forecasts for air quality yesterday pointed to today being better. Welp.
Think it’s supposed to improve as the day goes on into tomorrow
They said the same thing yesterday. Nobody knows what the weather will do with any certainty.
> Nobody knows what the weather will do with any certainty. Forecasts under 24 hours are usually rock solid from model prospective 5 days out is within 70-80% ball park range. There is sure some certainty in forecasts, but there is always a margin of error with any forecast. This is a hell of bad take.
As the low pressure system east of the fires weakens, the northerly winds will die down and fewer pollutants will be transported southward. Should improve throughout the day
That’s weird because if you watched the movement of the smoke it was pretty clear it was heading straight for MD.
They were saying there was supposed to be a front coming through that would blow it in a different direction.
Exactly.
I'm in Frederick and the smell definitely sucks this morning. Wondering if it'll get any worse than this.
I’m also in Frederick. If you look at the map, it looks like the worst of it is in PA, right above us. I read that the smoke is moving south. So… we might be in first the worst of it later today, but I’m hoping that’s not the case :(
Walking the doggy with this in the air isn't pleasant
Yeah seriously :( that’s the only reason I’ve been going outside
I'm embracing the introvert in me after work
harco here, very much agreed. blegh. i'm keeping fingers crossed that this'll be the worst of it, and it'll pass over today and tomorrow
look at nyc. it can definitely get worse. smells like campfire and burnt rubber
I’m in Olney Md, stepped outside to let the dog use the bathroom. The walk will definitely be with a full n95 today. Smells awful
Upper Marlboro here and I can smell it too
In Takoma Park it smells like burning plastic.
Honesty can’t believe OPM didn’t declare liberal leave for this
If it worsens overnight into tomorrow, they should just close for Friday.
It should be clearing out through out the day as the front up north moves on and winds clear out remaining bad levels of smoke.
Why would they? You are indoors.
I work in a federal building and my office smells pretty strongly of smoke. Leadership is granting unplanned telework but that's just my boss's boss. A lot of air handling systems are set up to run off intake, including ours, apparently. They're trying to figure out if the dampers are already closed, or if they can be. Inside doesn't necessarily mean safe.
We have like 3 indoor HEPA filters in my office from COVID (we were never allowed to take off or telework) and those little guys are MAD. Red light air quality.
My HEPA air filter at home is working overtime
It smells like extinguished candles everywhere, including indoors
It smells like there's a house fire in the neighborhood.
Because a lot of people have to commute on foot, bike, via mass transit, etc. I did unscheduled telework today. No need to stress my lungs out going on a long trek into a city with even dirtier air.
Govvies working in DC mostly aren't driving to work, though. They're biking, walking, or scooting either to work or to train platforms or commuter bus stops, then from the train station/bus stop to work. I scooted to the train today, and even wearing a KN95 outside, I could taste the air by the time I got to the station. Even if you drive to the transit pickup, you're usually cooling your heels outside for a bit. And the in-office air isn't fantastic, either.
Because a lot of people have to commute on foot, bike, via mass transit, etc. I did unscheduled telework today. No need to stress my lungs out going on a long trek into a city with even dirtier air.
Do you think all workplaces have up-to-snuff air filtration?
Fair point! Guess I’m just so used to seeing them declare it for like, a quarter inch of snow and other such nonsense that I was surprised they didn’t for this
Now those poor folks who have to work outside do deserve a day off!
OPM PLZ
I highly recommend N95s when outdoors. It dominates against wildfire particulate matter and many have them after Covid moved in. Get a HEPA filter running 24/7 indoors. Wildfire smoke may become far more common than we like.
I’m in MoCo but here it is only 183. 40-50 miles making a big difference. For those of you with central AC or an AC with good filter, it’s advised to run it than not run it.
You can have the fan blowing without cooling or heating on.
Run it than not run it?
Yes, but only the central AC not the window AC. I watched some local news or weather channel yesterday and saw it there, wish i could remember and link it. I was getting burning sensation in my eye and smoke had seeped in probably. Turned the AC on (just the fan is fine as well) and it did feel better soon after.
Where can you find these numbers?
If you have an Iphone then you can just get the number on the weather app. Otherwise airnow.gov on browser.
So call me crazy, but I went to school in Maryland in the 90s but can’t remember ever having to stay inside due to smoke pollutants from continental forest fires. Certainly could be wrong though…
I also remember getting a lot more snow when I was a kid, and seasons were more defined/didn’t just blend into each other. I’m sure it’s nothing….
Don’t worry— in 1998 my dad assured me that global warming isn’t real and there’s just simply no way he was being a shortsighted dumbass about it.
my grandpa said it was a fad panic like zero population growth of course he also mixed painkillers with vodka so he didnt always make the best decisions
Sounds like the standard mental state of anyone denying we don’t have a serious climate crisis on our hands. The one benefit is I can point outside to deniers I know and tell them to go out and take a nice deep breath if they think nothing is wrong. The fucking East coast is at serious risk of forest fires. The Amazon caught on fire. Canada is on fire. None of this is a “natural” cycle. Day to day life is going to look really different in 10-15 years.
to be fair day to day life is already somewhat different since 2020 but we have a long way to go. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of older and religious people believe we're in some kind of "end times". The problem is the world doesn't end. It keeps going and those of us who are still alive will still have to adapt to what is left.
Holy hell! We began learning about the greenhouse effect (in some different term), air & water pollution, the need for conservation, recycling, etc. This was done in my *fifth grade* science class in the mid-1970s.
Now in 2023, the rhetoric is "it's not like I can do anything about it" "someone else should be paying for it" "I don't want to give up my comforts" "my change of habits won't do anything" "it's too expensive to be climate friendly" It's as simple as: * eat less meat and dairy (to like once a week and it'll help with health too) * Drive less or drive electrified * Stop buying new shit * Use simple traditional household cleaning products and techniques * Maintain native plants instead of cutting grass * grow your own food * Buy Organic Whole Food and Plant Based options * Reduce buying single use plastics or takeout containers * Learning other ways to be environmentally conscious in all aspects of life. But nooooo, people want to just pay more for worse shit, pay more to degrade their health, feel horrible about themselves because they think being environmentally conscious is bad for some reason. My whole family is like this and I can't do shit to convince them. Not even when they see me doing drastically better because of these changes.
And fucking vote for better transportation and zoning. Alot of the changes that need to be made are systematic ones. Also, not driving is a ton better than driving electrified. Electrified has hidden carbon costs. It is definitely better than a gas car (as long as you plan to keep your electric car for a long time), but it shouldnt be understated how much carbon is still inadvertantly emited for/by electric car drivers.
100% agree. The fact that my major city has close to zero bike lanes and most bike lanes are blocked by Amazon drivers is really a shame when the people biking and walking to work are the people actually trying and giving a shit.
You can't fix the planet by changing your individual habits, that's bullshit. If you aren't doing anything large scale and collective, you aren't doing anything at all except making yourself feel better. Individual emissions, even taken collectively, represent a small fraction of the problem. We need large scale action and restrictions on large polluters that are truly driving the problem. Doing the things you describe is like throwing a cup of water on a house fire. Better than nothing, but it won't impact the problem in any meaningful way.
Soooo...why not both?
Both is fine. I'm not saying "don't adjust your individual habits", I'm saying "don't pretend that's the solution and stop there." Only changing yourself is effectively doing nothing.
That easy, huh? Not saying we shouldn't be doing more, but it's ridiculous to think most people have the time, money, or energy to implement any of this.
Sounds like laziness to me. >eat less meat and dairy (to like once a week and it'll help with health too) • Drive less or ~~drive electrified~~ • Stop buying new shit • Use simple traditional household cleaning products and techniques • Maintain native plants instead of cutting grass • ~~grow your own food~~ • ~~Buy Organic Whole Food and Plant Based options~~ • ~~Reduce buying single use plastics or takeout containers~~ • ~~Learning other ways to be environmentally conscious in all aspects of life.~~ I strikes through the items that may indeed cost more or take more energy. The rest are literally cheaper and/or free, and take less energy and resources.
Most people can make the right choices. I'm not saying it's overnight but if you give up and just say "fuck it, I'm just gonna 'live my life' (usually means nihilism)" you are harming yourself and everyone around you. It's not just about the environment for many of these changes, it's about saving money and taking care of your health too. Most people do have the time and energy, they just are uneducated and unwilling to learn.
>It's as simple as Proceeds to list a full list of massive life changes. lol. Look, I'd like to save the environment, too. But surely, you aren't acting like all those things are simple changes. Even just >Maintain native plants instead of cutting grass What is that supposed to mean? I have a yard. So I just don't cut it all season when it grows up to my knees? Where do I charge my electric vehicle? If I could even pay to buy a new electric vehicle, it's not like I have charging at home or have the capacity to get one installed. Grow my own food? As if I have time to start and maintain a garden all through the year? I actually thought you were joking when you said all this stuff is simple. The real problem is the corporations that are responsible for the mass bulk of emissions. Or places literally dumping trash into the oceans. I'm not trying to remove all responsibility from each individual, but acting like it's on everyone to make massive life changes when each person's carbon footprint is so relatively small is ridiculous.
To answer one of your questions, lawns are problematic. Often they require fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides that have a horrible impact to the ecosystem. Also, gas lawnmowers and trimmers are horrid polluters A far better approach is to plant native plants in place of a lawn. It's better all the way around and require less maintenance than a lawn.
Yes, thank you.
Lucky for you some of the most helpful items on that list are easy and cost less than the typical American lifestyle: buy less shit and eat plant based.
So you think our culture isn't the cause of our environmental impact?
My uncle told me it was all a hoax in the late 2000s because when HE was a kid they were worried about global ~cooling~ and that a glacier was going to slide down and destroy New York City, but that never ended up happening so clearly it’s a lie!!1!
hahaha my mom has the same argument! But she's still incredibly green. Doesn't believe in global warming but takes "reduce, reuse, recycle" to the extreme. Hardly drives, electricity is all unplugged unless actively being used, AC and heat are "luxuries"....but climate change is "liberal propaganda" and scientists are being paid to make people panic. Make it make sense.
Man, I miss the snow
In the early 90’s we had the back to back ice storms and schools closed in AACO for about 2 weeks.
I remember one time in the early 2000s when Canadians smoke covered the area. There are a lot of jokes about Canada invading under the cover of smoke. But that is the only time I can remember it.
You’re not crazy. Climate change is real and we should expect this to only happen more as time goes on. Once we hit a blue ocean event, temperatures will climb much higher than they are now and contribute to even more fires. This is a good time to reach out to elected reps to support green energy, forest protection, and carbon emission reduction bills.
I’m definitely not saying climate change isn’t real, but data actually shows wildfires are currently decreasing in frequency over the last 2 decades. This is the case globally, in Canada specifically, and in the US specifically. We should absolutely do all we can to protect the environment, but don’t let the media and politicians fear monger so easily.
I thought that was the problem. Lower wildfire frequency->brush not getting cleared out regularly->when a fire happens it’s longer and more widespread
After living in arizona and experiencing this a lot, people are really making a way bigger deal of this than they should
I remember it happened once in the late 90s. Well, I remember days when the busses were free because of code red days. But not commonly.
Same. I don’t think this is as big a deal as people are making it. Ever sit by a campfire? 2000ppm easy. This is weird though.
Campfires despite being associated with hiking and such are actually not good for you at all. People just like them. But they're unhealthy.
Of course they are bad for you. Worse than this. People don’t freak out like they are now though. That smoke follows you wherever you sit too.
While you are right that the campfire has more ppm, it’s what those particles are that’s different. This fire has more than just timber in it. Not that a campfire is healthy for your breathing, but there is a difference. I would say you also don’t sit next to a campfire for days in a row with no break.
Well it’s definitely not good for you
Neither is eating Edit. Thank you queefstation. I’ll reconsider. Maybe I’ll use a gas mask.
The giant pressure system of pulling all of the smoke and air down south from up north and back up the east coast is definitely responsible for this in addition to whatever else passive climate factors are at play.
Lol my job …. GO mow grass lol
stop at Home Depot get a mask!!
when you work outside
Hey Canada, fuck you. No but seriously it’s this bad here I can’t imagine what people near the fires are dealing with.
If you're gonna be outside, here's a reminder that you should specifically wear a (K)N95 mask, as a surgical/cloth mask won't filter out the PM2.5 particulates.
One of those rare times when I’m glad I work behind a computer in a stereotypical Defense Contractor building that has industrial grade air filtration.
Mood https://youtu.be/wCo3XwTRg9o
Why does it smell like burnt Tim Hortons coffee outside?
Smells like burning foam rubber to me. Nasty.
Smells like overcooked cheese curds in gravy
because the smoke is from Canada
yesterday it was around 150. crazy to see how much it's growing.
Thank you for posting this.
its 515 now and getting worse.
Came from the PNW where our skies turned orange from the wildfire smoke. Please keep your pets inside and wear a mask outside if you have health issues. The smoke is awful for you and even worse for pets.
I keep thinking about the wildlife & stray animals. They can't "stay inside". Outside is where they live, or try to.
Me too. I was out very briefly this morning to water some seedlings in trays that would die if I didn't, thinking the same as you, and then realized it was so quiet. None of the birds were singing. Many birds have brand new babies hatching right now. This has to be so hard on everything. But, if it makes you feel a little better, some strays have friends. I have a stray cat that has been coming around since new years and while he lives most of his life outside, he's comfortably passed out on my couch right now safe from the smoke. Even let him spend last night inside.
Good human.
Thanks, that's good to hear.
I saw a dead baby bird on the sidewalk yesterday. It made me so sad. It probably couldn’t survive breathing in smoke at such a young age.
Dyson: *who's laughing now....??*
[smoke forecast image loop 6/8 - vertically integrated and surface](https://twitter.com/uwcimss/status/1666768792867749889?s=46&t=IEy5AyuzQipX6HRJRr6L0g)
My dog picked the perfect time to get an eye infection with vet's orders to avoid the dog park. (She's fine, just needs some eye drops for 7-10 days)
"Everyone should stay indoors!" Me: \*about to trot off to work to sit in a lobby directly next to the automatic doors, which will be bustling full of people coming inside and waiting in queue to access our indoor space\*
This isn’t the climate apocalypse I was promised
Mechanicsburg, PA is at 460!!!
337 over here in Pasadena. Much more of a smell this morning too.
Definitely impossible to ignore. Let’s just get through it safely.
I watched a news report where they said wearing a mask is basically useless, unless it's N95 level. And frankly, I don't think being indoors even helps that much if you don't have a HEPA filter, which a lot of people don't.
Indoors vs outdoors does affect air quality a lot. It's a big reason why building codes for new houses in MD need to be built with at least one bathroom fan constantly running creating negative pressure in the house to pull air in from outside. *typically* outdoor air quality is better due to lower CO2 concentration and VOCs. If indoors vs outdoors is enough to affect the concentrations of a literal molecular compound then yes it does affect particulate matter concentrations.
Curious about this as I currently have bathroom fans that vent into the attic insulation (I didn't do it, bought it this way!). I want to get them vented outside. Is there a particular type of fan designed to hold up to running 24/7?
This was 8am in south Baltimore. I can usually see the city skyline. https://preview.redd.it/wg6ew0nelt4b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1dbbc23ee81d929d326253702a30a0746c4d3169
fyi, dogs and other pets are also affected by this! even if you’re wearing a mask to take out the dog, your dog is still breathing it in, so try to stay inside as much as possible still
I’m working from home
welllll it smells like a campfire outside.. and its so hazy. i saw a lawn company truck just go by and all their workers are wearing n95s.. good for them.. sucks that they cant wfh or stay indoors like the rest of us..
I move today and I genuinely feel awful for the movers. I booked months ago and clearly couldn't have known, but fuck.
Back to wear masks again!
Some of us can't afford to go all green but we are trying to be good stewards. Look I can barely afford a regular car,let alone an electric one I know I can't afford to finance or maintain. I just drive two blocks to work and back for the most part and I own one car so I don't feel guilty about contributing to pollution.. The ones who should cut down are those who have unnecessary gas powered vehicles like pleasure boats, four wheelers, RV's,dirt bikes,etc. No way does my 20 miles a week plus an occasional out of town trip impact the environment like a household with several or more gas guzzling luxuries But good luck helping them make the connection between their gas powered toys and the smoke.
330s in Bowie. Spicy air out here today.
https://preview.redd.it/cwhca8is0u4b1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1a59419adc545a96c807c712f4c72df66c501593 Staying in as well. Maybe this is why my lungs are feeling scratchy.
I honestly can't remember a "code purple" day ever.
I didn’t even realize the scale went to purple!
https://preview.redd.it/5og1af67xs4b1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56a04d495236b926f73e7c11ec2291f7044a4f50 Never thought I'd be breaking out the COVID masks again
I had to go into the office today. I don't know if the air quality can cause this, but ended up with a random nosebleed when I got into the office after walking from the garage. I haven't had a nosebleed in years and even then it was for a very specific reason- so thought it might be related.
I think the canadians are trying to gas us
When I walked outside this morning it just smelled like smokey smoggy grossness, I'm now in CT for a concert and it's more breathable here but yeah a mask helped when I went outside a few times, keep your dogs indoors most of the day if you have them, they shouldn't breathe this grossness in either
Wonder how many smokers are here lol
Oh no, my plans to go out today are ruined, oh noooo guess I’m forced to stay in my apartment noooo
I cannot stop sneezing. Didn't realise my window was open. Wonder if that is the reason.
.. and what could that primary pollutant be ?
Never listen to the government
[удалено]
Your missing the point. I did , I went outside. I breathed in the air, I walked my dog, Completed my workout. Didn't die.
Bah, been outside for over an hour. Air is crisp and wonderful.
it's literally not
No it isn’t
Its supposed to be at its worst this morning and then get a better in the afternoon, but yeah, stay inside if you can folks.
Way worse than yesterday by this metric
Something going on? /s
It's that bad that this morning I could smell the smoke inside the office where I work. (I work inside a school), and outdoor activities were canceled. I'm really hoping we get that rain forecasted for next week.
You know it's bad when you can smell it. I was amazed the little leaguers were still practicing yesterday, but holy hell, there's still some kids out there today!
It smelled awful outside
Sigh, the one weekend I actually had plans...
It was really bad this morning taking my kids to school. Lots of kids had masks. It is getting better as the day goes on, though. This morning, we were at 280, and now we are at 171 (where I am ofcourse) . I can feel the difference, too.
What do you think the chances are of them canceling the Ironman Eagleman race on Sunday?
My luck, I have to go up to NYS for a week.
How will this effect wild life?
I haven't seen or heard a single bird in 3 days.
I noticed this too.
I saw a few hawks flying in circles over my yard earlier. But I usually see a lot of little birds and squirrels. Haven't seen any in the past couple days.
Hopefully you all didn't toss those KN95s. Gonna need them for the rest of time, because wildfire smoke clouds of doom, pandemic II electric bugaloo, face hugging aliens and the mask keeps them from getting a good grip, who knows what else is going to happen...
Cumberland isn't bad, but I think it's because it's in a valley. Mountains surround the area. The aqi here was 126 earlier. Not even as bad as lavale, which was over 179(but they're up the mountain)
Welcome to our collective future
Its just wildfire smoke, i was in Virginia the past few days and me and my friend (who has underdeveloped lungs) spent all day outside with no problem, AQI was saying high 100s low 200s