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Green Polls and Surveys How does Alabama rank on the environment compared to our neighbors? Important questions. BEN's Green Polls and Surveys tries to
answer these Best Wishes, Pat Byington |
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1) New Study Ranks Alabama 49th Among Green Indicators
2) Sierra Club Releases Sprawl Report in Alabama
3) Mobile Register Poll: Ozone Health Effects Concern
Citizens
4) New Mobile Register Poll: Government Not Focused
Enough on Enviro Issues
5) BEN "Special" Legacy's Comprehensive
Enviro Poll
6) Poll: LWCF Support Very Strong
7) Poll: Sturgeon Listing and ESA Strongly Supported
8) Ozone Poll Produces Surprising Results
9) Sierra Club Study: Alabama Not Addressing Sprawl
10) How Does Alabama Compare Regionally In "Number"
of Endangered Species
11) State of Alabama's Beaches... Nature Lost
12) Jefferson County Ozone Action Poll/Survey Released
13) Zogby Poll: Republicans Prefer Green Candidates
14) Mobile Register Polls Alabamians On National
Energy Policy
15) Mobile Area Cited for High Lead Poisoning Rates
16) Clean Air "Top Concern" According
to Poll
17) Alabama Counties Receive "F" From
Lung Association Ozone Report
18) Study: Alabama Littered With 20 Million Scrap
Tires
19) USA Today Features Sprawl: Check Out How Alabama
Cities Rank
20) American Lung Association's State of the Air
2000 Statistics
21) Alabama's Drinking Water
Rated "Safe"
22) Mobile Register Calls For
Quick Action on Mercury
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1) New Study Ranks Alabama 49th Among Green Indicators
A new study, titled "Gold and Green 2000," conducted by the Institute for Southern Studies, uses two separate lists of indicators to evaluate each state's economic performance and the stresses on the natural environment. The 20 environmental indicators range from toxic emissions and pesticide use to energy consumption and urban sprawl. The 20 economic measures include annual pay, business start-ups and workplace injury rates.The report ranks states on each indicator, and the sum of ranks produces a state's final score. Comparing the two lists reveals remarkable correlation's. Seven states rank in the top 15 for both economic and environmental health. Vermont, Rhode Island and Minnesota rank in the top six on both lists. Other top performing states include Maryland, Maine, Colorado and Wisconsin.
In contrast, states that perform poorly on economic indicators tended to rank near the bottom on environmental protection. Alabama ranked 49th on the environmental (Green) indicators and 47th on economic (Gold) indicator according to the study. Louisiana was the only state that topped Alabama on both the environmental and economic score. States listed in the cellar along with Alabama include Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Indiana, Arkansas, West Virginia, Kentucky and South Carolina. To read the final Gold and Green 2000 rankings and state by state profiles, please visit http://www.southernstudies.org
2. Sierra Club Releases Sprawl Report In Alabama
Want to learn more about urban sprawl and how to combat it? The Sierra Club released last week a report on sprawl, and compared Five Points South in Birmingham, Alabama (an example of good thoughtful planning) to the sprawling developments occurring in the Cahaba River watershed just outside Birmingham.The report called "Smart Choices or Sprawling Growth - A 50 State Survey of Development" can be found on the Sierra Club website at http://www.sierraclub.org/sprawl. Along with the Sierra Club site, the report recommends organizational websites to visit such as http://www.sprawlwatch.org to learn more about sprawl and how to control it.
3. Mobile Register Poll: Ozone Health Effects Concern Citizens
A recent poll on ozone air pollution conducted by the University of South Alabama Polling Group for the Mobile Register revealed a strong concern about ozone air pollution in Mobile and Baldwin counties. It also indicated the need for more ozone education in the region.
The poll was conducted between August 7-9, with a plus or minus 5% margin of error. Here are the results of some of the questions.
How concerned are you about the health effects of ground-level ozone on you and your family?
Very concerned - 35% , Somewhat concerned - 43% , Not very concerned - 14% , Not concerned at all - 7% , Didn't know/No answer - 1%
Would you say you know a lot, some, but not a lot, a little, or nothing at all about the effects of ground-level ozone?
A lot - 9% , Some - 30% , A little - 43% , Nothing at all -18%
Which statement is the most accurate statement?
A. Ground-level ozone is good, atmospheric ozone is bad -
6%
B. Atmospheric ozone is good, ground-level ozone is bad - 17%
C. All ozone is bad - 60%
D. Did not know/No answer - 17% (Correct answer - B)
Which one of the following produces the most ground-level ozone?
Air conditioner and refrigerator chemicals - 6% , Automobile exhaust - 31% , Chemical industries - 32% , Coal burning plants -10%, Large hog and cattle feedlots - 1%, Open burning of trash - 4% , Small engines such as lawn equipment -3%, DK/NA -13%(Answer: Power plants make up 55% of nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions in the Mobile area. Autos are second largest producer, while chemical plants play a very minor role in ozone production)
Would you pay a few cents more per gallon for cleaner burning
gasoline to reduce ground-level ozone?
Yes - 64% , No - 32%, DK/NA - 4%
Would you be willing to pay a higher amount for electricity
produced in a way that results in less ground-level ozone?
Yes - 60% , No - 36% , DK/NA - 4%
In response to the poll, and the need to answer questions about ground-level ozone for the general public, Mobile Register environmental editor Bill Finch wrote an informative and detailed question and answer article on the issue. You can read the article by visiting the Mobile Register website at: http://www.al.com/news/mobile/Aug2000/20-a364323a.html
4. New Mobile Register Poll: Government Not Focused Enough On Enviro Issues
Most coastal Alabama residents are concerned about the environment and feel politicians are not doing enough to protect it, according to a poll released Sunday April 4th in the Mobile Register.
The Mobile Register/University of South Alabama poll surveyed 404 adult residents of Mobile and Balwin counties. It was conducted March 27-29 and has a plus or minus 5% margin of error. Here are the results of the poll. (DK/NA means did not know or no answer)
Overall, how would you rate the quality of the environment
here in the Mobile/Baldwin County area?
Excellent - 8% Good - 46% Only Fair - 36% Poor - 9% DK/NA - 9%
When it comes to environmental quality which, if any, is the
most serious problem in our area?
Air Pollution - 33% Pollution of Mobile Bay - 24% Pollution of
Streams and Rivers - 18% Pollution of Groundwater - 12% Pollution
of the Gulf of Mexico - 5% None are Problems - 3% DK/NA - 5%
Do you think government officials give sufficient attention
to the views of citizens like you on environmental issues?
Yes - 27% No - 62% DK/NA -11%
When it comes to protecting and preserving our natural environment,
how much do you trust local politicians to do the right thing?
A lot - 5% Some - 40% A little - 34% Not at all - 18% DK/NA -
3%
When it comes to protecting and preserving our natural environment,
how much do you trust the politicians in Montgomery to do the
right thing?
A lot - 5% Some 37% A little 35% Not at all -19% DK/NA - 4%
When it comes to protecting and preserving our natural environment,
how much do you trust the politicians in Washington D.C. to do
the right thing?
A lot - 5% Some -35% A little -36% Not at all 21% DK/NA - 3%
In order to formulate appropriate environmental policies and
regulations, politicians need reliable scientific information
about the environment. How confident are you that the scientific
community provides reliable information to politicians?
Very confident - 15% Somewhat confident - 56% Not very confident
- 17% Not confident at all - 6% DK/NA - 6%
People who own property in coastal areas that are prone to
hurricane and other storms cannot get flood insurance from private
companies. Would you favor or oppose a government program to
provide flood insurance to these people?
Favor - 72% Oppose - 21% Neither - 3% DK/NA - 4%
Do you favor or oppose establishment of a zone or greenbelt
around your community where new homes and business could not
be built on land that is currently undeveloped?
Favor - 54% Oppose - 30% Neither - 7% DK/NA - 9%
How concerned are you about over-fishing in the Gulf of Mexico?
Very concerned - 21% Somewhat concerned - 31% Not very concerned
- 27% Not concerned at all - 17% DK/NA -4%
How concerned are you about the effects of pollution on the
global climate?
Very concerned - 50% Somewhat concerned - 39% Not very concerned
- 6% Not concerned at all - 4% DK/NA - 1%
Some people claim that pollution has already started to cause
global warming. Do you agree or disagree?
Agree - 67% Disagree - 19% Neither - 6% DK/NA - 8%
5) BEN "Special" Legacy's Comprehensive Enviro Poll
On Thursday July 29, 1999 Legacy - Partners in Environmental
Education and the Alabama Education Association (AEA) released
one of the most
comprehensive polls ever done on "Alabama environmental
attitudes". The poll was conducted by Capital Survey Research
Center, a well respected polling firm out of Montgomery. The
following data contains most of the results from this scientific
poll that was taken June 2-3/ 7-10, 1999 of 433 Alabama adults.
The poll has a plus or minus 4.5 % margin of error (we rounded
off the numbers).
Overall, is the quality of the environment in Alabama
Getting better - 21%
Getting worse - 27%
Staying about the same - 50%
Don't Know/No Reply/other - 3%
On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the best, rate the quality of your environment in the following areas?
Overall quality of the environment - 3.35
Drinking Water - 3.37
Air - 3.48
Lakes and rivers - 2.79
Forests and Wildlife areas - 3.51
Beaches - 2.83
Which of the following statements best describes how you feel about the environment?
Statement 1. I am concerned about the environment and I try to do things that protect the environment - 64%
Statement 2. I think the environment is fine and there are more important things than the environment such as industry and jobs. - 14%
Statement 3. I do not not enough about the environment to know how real the issues are such as acid rain, the ozone layer, and the greenhouse effect - 20%
Do you believe that environmental protection and economic can go together or do you believe that a choice must be made between them?
Can go together - 79%
Choice must be made - 19%
Which of the following statements best describes your position on the environment?
Statement 1. Protection of the environment should be given top priority even if it makes it more difficult for some businesses and industries and cost some jobs. - 68%
Statement 2. Development of businesses and industries and jobs should be given priority even if it makes it more difficult to keep a clean and safe environment. - 23%
*Here is how people who catagorize themselves as liberals, moderates and conservatives feel about the statements listed above (Don't know/No reply makes up the difference) .
Liberal - Statement 1 - 71% Statement 2 - 24%
Somewhat Liberal - Statement 1 - 77% Statement 2 -18%
Moderate - Statement 1 - 69% Statement 2 - 25%
Somewhat Conservative - Statement 1 - 74% Statement 2- 9%
Conservative - Statement 1 - 59% Statement 2 - 32%
At this time do you believe government regulates:
Too much - 15%
Too little - 52%
About right - 24%
Would you be willing to support limits on growth as a way of protecting the environment?
Yes - 68%, No - 16% , Don't Know/No Reply - 16%
Would you accept urban and regional planning as a way to protect the environment?
Yes - 85% , No -9% , Don't Know - 6%
Would you accept placing limits on the boundries of urban growth?
Yes - 67%, No -21%, Don't know - 13%
Would you accept creating green zones where development would be limited?
Yes - 81% , No -12%, Don't know- 8%
How much knowledge do you believe you have about environmental issues and problems?
A lot - 16% , Some - 59%, Little or none - 24%
Do you believe there is a need for more information and education about the environment?
Yes, need more information - 92%
No, do not need more information - 6%
DK/NR/O - 2%
What do you believe is the major environmental problem in Alabama?
Air pollution - 20% , Water pollution - 19% Garbage and garbage
disposal -
23%, Litter -23% , Protecting natural, forest and wildlife areas
- 7%
Alabama Department of Environmental Management or ADEM - What is your opinion of ADEM?
Do not recognize - 22% , Very Favorable - 4% , Favorable -46%,
Unfavorable -
7% , Very Unfavorable - 2% , Don't know - 20%
What is your opinion of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources?
Do not recognize - 24% , Very favorable -10% , Favorable -
49%, Unfavorable
- 4% , Dont Know - 13%
Makeup of the poll - Liberal - 15% , Somwhat Liberal 10%,
Moderate -27%,
Somewhat Conservative - 15%, Conservative -26%, Don't know -
7%
Educational level - Less than High School - 10%, High School
Graduate - 47%,
College Graduate -24%, Graduate or Professional Degree - 17%,
Don't know 2%
Age groups - 18 to 24 - 11.5%, 25 to 34 - 21%, 35 to 50 -
35%, 51 to 64 -
20%, 65 or Older - 12%
This poll sends a strong and clear message that Alabamians
want more environmental education and stronger environmental
laws. It is also clear
that Alabama's political leadership is out of step with the public
on the environment, especially considering the Alabama Congressional
delegation's
low scores on the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Scorecard
and the lack of support for the environment on the state level.
For more information about this poll, please contact Legacy at
1-334-270-5921.
6) Poll: LWCF Support Very Strong
According to an Americans For Our Heritage and Recreation
(AHR) poll conducted by noted Conservative pollster Frank Luntz
(he developed the
Contract With America), Americans are clamoring for their elected
officials in Washington to address their "Quality of Life"
needs by protecting land , water and open spaces via funding
mechanisms such as the Land Water and Conservation Fund (LWCF).
Among some of the poll's key findings:
* 88% of Americans are concerned that many of the country's special places may be lost unless action is taken now to protect them.
** 89% of Americans support using a conservation trust fund, such as the LWCF, to protect wildlife habitat for native plants and animals.
*** Support for the concept of a "true" trust fund for conservation of land, water and open spaces beats highway and airport trust funds head to head (45% to 37% to 7% respectively).
**** The educational/social link to parks, recreation and conservation programs is strong. For example, 9 out of 10 Americans think they provide "a place for children to learn new skills and values like teamwork and respect for nature." Three out of four think they "help prevent juvenile crime and delinquency", and 85% think "parks and open spaces contribute to property values and economic stability of neighborhoods". Women , parents of children under 18, and minorities are even more likely to hold these views.
LWCF was created by Congress in 1964 for the acquisition of public lands to meet the outdoor recreation and open space needs for all Americans. Funding for the LWCF comes from revenues from offshore oil and gas receipts (much like Forever Wild). The LWCF is authorized to receive $900 million each year. However , since its inception, Congress has diverted a significant percentage of the fund (this year nearly 75% of the fund was "raided") for purposes other than conservation and recreation. Despite the raid on the trust fund, over the years more than 700 parks and recreational areas have been developed in Alabama through LWCF support, and special places such as the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and Little River Canyon National Preserve were created because of LWCF.
For more information about LWCF and what you can do, please contact Americans for Our Heritage Southeast Organizer Pat Byington at 226-7739 or e-mail pkbyington@aol.com
7) Poll: Sturgeon Listing and ESA Strongly Supported
According to a Mobile Register/University of South Alabama poll released last Sunday (July11, 1999) there is signficant public support for the federal listing of the Alabama Sturgeon and for the Endangered Species Act. The scientific poll was conducted between June 28-July 1. Here are the questions and results of the poll.
Do you think the government currently provides too much, too little, or about the right amount of protection for endangered species?
Too Much - 20% , About the right amount - 35% , Too little
- 35% , Don't
know/no answer - 10%
The Alabama Sturgeon is an extremely rare fish that once was common in Alabama rivers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to put it on the endangered species list with th hope of restoring a healthy sturgeon population in the state. Would you approve or disapprove of putting the Alabama Sturgeon on the endangered species list?
Approve - 63% , Neither - 6% , Disapprove - 17% , DK/NA -14%
Which of the following reasons you disapprove of putting the sturgeon on the endangered species list? (Some who answered gave more than one reason)
Would interfere with commercial operations - 41%
Too many species on the list already - 41%
Would have a negative impact on Alabama economy - 36%
Would interfere with recreational activities - 24%
Endangered Species Act should be abolished - 24%
DK/NA - 17%
8) Ozone Poll Produces Surprising Results
Mobile area residents are concerned about the health effects of ground level ozone air pollution but know very little about it, according to a new Mobile Register - University of South Alabama poll that was released Sunday May 9. Here are some of the poll questions and their results:
Question: How concerned are you about the health effects of ground-level ozone in you and your family?
Very Concerned - 30% Somewhat Concerned - 46% Not Very Concerned -14% Not Concerned At All - 7% DK/NA - 3%
Would you be willing to pay a few cents more per gallon for cleaner burning fuel (to reduce gound-level ozone)?
Yes - 76% No- 22%
Would you be willing to pay a higher amount for electricity produced in a way that results in less ground-level ozone?
Yes - 59% No - 33%
Under which conditions are we most likely to have the highest concentrations of ground-level ozone?
Cold, cloudy days in winter -13% Clear sunny days in summer -18% Warm nights with high humidity - 53% Don't Know - 16% (The answer is Clear sunny days in summer)
Mobile and Baldwin counties are in danger of being designated
as "non-attainment" areas according to environmental
and health standards set by
the EPA. A local ozone awareness task force called GLORI or the
Ground Level Ozone Reductions Initiative for the Mobile-Baldwin
County area has been created to educate people about ground-level
ozone pollution and push voluntary measures during the summer.
9) Sierra Club Study: Alabama Not Addressing
Sprawl
Alabama lags far behind neighboring states in planning for
land-use and transportation according to a new report issued
by the Sierra Club on
"Sprawl".
Urban Sprawl is quickly becoming a major environmental issue throughout Alabama as statistics show the rapid conversion of forests and farmland into built up areas. Sprawl is associated with loss of habitat, increased air and water pollution and the decline of urban centers. For example, in a report earlier this year by the Mobile Register, Mobile County's rural to urban land conversion has outpaced population by a margin of four to one since 1975. While the county's population grew by 25% from 320,000 to 400,000 in two decades the amount of urbanized land in the county has grown from 82,000 acres to more than 170,000 acres.
Here is how Alabama ranked and fared with our neighbors in the Sierra Club national report.
Land Use Planning - Georgia - 4th, Tennessee -6th, Florida -11th, Mississippi - 31st, Alabama - 42nd
Transportation Planning - Georgia - 24th, Florida - 29th, Tennessee - 46th, Alabama -47th , Mississippi - 49th
Open Space Protection - Florida -14th, Georgia - 25th, Tennessee - 34th, Mississippi - 36th, Alabama - 37th
Community Revitalization - Georgia - 6th, Florida - 13th, Mississippi-14th, Alabama-22nd, Tennessee 39th.
For complete details about the Sierra Club Sprawl report, please visit their national website at http://www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/report99/
10) How does Alabama Compare Regionally In "Number" of Endangered Species?
What is Alabama's ranking in the Southeast on the number of threatened and endangered species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service? The answer: Alabama ranks second behind Florida. See how Alabama compares with our neighbors:
Number of Threatened and Endangered Species
1) Florida - 100 2) Alabama - 96 3) Tennessee - 88 4) Georgia
- 55 5)
North Carolina - 49 6) Kentucky - 42 7) Mississippi - 33 8) South
Carolina - 30 9) Louisiana - 21
11) State of Alabama's Beaches... Nature Lost
This Labor Day weekend (Sept 1999), I was reading "State of the Beaches of Alabama - 1998" which was produced by Drs. Scott Douglass, Bradley Pickels and Brian Greathouse at the University of South Alabama's Department of Civil Engineering. If you care about Alabama's beaches, this report is a remarkable and provocative document, which I highly recommend people to read. You can access the document at: http://www.southalabama.edu/cesrp/albeach.htm
I wanted to share one figure from the report that is quite
stunning. According to the report the percentage of Gulf front
lots containing Condos
and Hotels has risen from 3% in 1970 to 22% in 1996. The unabated
march toward developing all our beaches does not stop there.
As you can see in the following lists, the percentage of single
homes has also increased dramatically. Check out the change that
has occurred in the last 30 years.
In 1970
72% of Alabama Gulf front lots were undeveloped
25% - Single House lots
3% - Condos/Hotels
In 1983
57% - Undeveloped
33% - Single House
10% - Condo/Hotels
In 1996
39% - Undeveloped
39% - Single Lot
22% - Hotel/Condo
Nature lost...? Within a generation we have seen much of Alabama's
wild and natural coastline be turned into a sterile concrete
jungle. The rush is
truly "on" for the last 39%. Just ask groups such as
the Nature Conservancy of Alabama. who want to buy and preserve
these lands. According to TNC and residents on the coast, the
costs of these few remaining areas are skyrocketing. That is
because they are quickly becoming precious and rare. -PB
12) Jefferson County Ozone Action Poll/Survey Released in July 1999, in the middle of the "ozone season", New South Research conducted telephone surveys on behalf of the Jefferson County Department of Health. The purpose of the poll was to quantify awareness and actions related to the ground level ozone pollution problem in the Birmingham Metro area. New South interviewed 250 residents of Jefferson and North Shelby counties. The poll has a 95% confidence level. Here are some of the surprising findings.
Respondents were asked, without aid from the interviewer, to name environmental concerns facing the Birmingham area. The environmental concern first mentioned was: Air Pollution (61% of the respondents), Ozone Problems (18%) and Water Pollution (5%)
In all the problems mentioned by the respondents ñ Air Pollution (68%), Ozone Problems (29%) and Water Pollution (27%)
When all 250 of the respondents were asked how concerned they were about the ground-level ozone issue facing the Birmingham Metro area:
44% said they were somewhat concerned
43% said they were very concerned
13% said they were either somewhat or very unconcerned
The respondents were asked if, during the summer, they had seen any forecast of the ground-level ozone concentrations in the community. 71% said they had seen a forecast.
Among those who had seen a forecast, 62% said that they had made changes in their daily routine as a result of a red forecast.
13) Zogby Poll: Republicans Prefer Green GOP Candidates - Thought the following information might interest BEN readers.
This past week I received the Fall 1999 copy of the "Green Elephant" the newsletter of REP America or Republicans for Environmental Protection. In their "Eye on Washington" section, REP reported about a recent Zogby poll on the environment. Here is an excerpt from that article.
"Late in the summer came still more evidence that GOP voters are just like others when it comes to wanting strong governmental efforts to protect the environment.
Zogby International interviewed 1,000 likely GOP primary voters in Iowa, California, New Hampshire, New York and South Carolina. The focus was on two imaginary candidates whose positions on traditional GOP issues like tax cuts were identical. The only difference between them was that "A is a strong supporter of government involvement on behalf of the environment" and "B opposes government involvement on behalf of the environment."
According to Zogby International, the likely GOP primary voter backed Candidate A over Candidate B by 64% to 29%. Other results are equally telling:
* Half the GOP voters identified themselves as "environmentalists."
** The GOP voters ranked the environment equally important as family values and more important than cutting taxes or restricting abortion."
For more information about REP America, visit their website at: http://repamerica.org
14) Mobile Register Polls Alabamians On
National Energy Policy - According to a poll conducted by
the University of South Alabama Polling Group for the Mobile
Register, Alabamians favor nuclear power, but not in their communities,
conservation over increased energ production, and by a slight
margin drilling for oil in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. The poll,
which was conducted in mid May, has a 5% plus or minus margin
of error. The telephone survey interviewed 416 Alabama adult
residents. Here are some of the results of the poll which was
released in the May 20th edition of the Sunday Mobile Register.
In order to meet future energy needs, would you approve or disapprove
of building more nuclear plants in the U.S.? 55% Approve, 35%
Disapprove, 10% Don't Know/No Answer
Would you approve or disapprove of the construction of a nuclear
plant within 10 miles of your home? 27% Approve, 70% Disapprove,
3% DK/NA
Do you think radioactive wastes from nuclear power plants can
be safely stored for hundreds of years or not? 26% Yes, 50% No,
24% DK/NA
Would you approve or disapprove of building a radioactive waste
storage facility within 10 miles of your home? 15% Approve, 82%
Disapprove, 3% DK/NA
In addition to nuclear power, some are proposing greater energy
production from oil, natural gas and coal. Others say that increasing
production from these sources will hurt the environment and that
more emphasis should be placed on conservation. Which do you
think is the best way to address the country's energy needs,
increased production or conservation? 36% Increase Production,
44% Conservation, 12% Both, 8% DK/NA
Would you approve or disapprove of drilling for oil and natural
gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? 49% Approve, 43%
Disapprove, 8% DK/NA
15. Mobile Area Cited for High Lead Poisoning
Rates - A recent study released by the Alliance to End Childhood
Lead Poisoning, shows that 11% of Mobil children tested for lead
under age 5 have dangerously high levels of lead in their blood.
Lead has been shown to cause irreversible brain damage, lowered
intelligence and hyperactivity. Children under age 2 are most
vulnerable and the damage can last a lifetime Last fall, the
Mobile Register reported that since 1990, 818 children in Mobile
and its suburbs were shown to have elevated levels of lead from
tests
conducted by the Health Department. According to the study only
3% of Mobile's children under age 5 are tested for lead poisoning.
More may be screened but the results are not reported to authorities.
16. Clean Air "Top Concern"
According to Poll - According to a October 2000, New South
Research Poll presented to the Jefferson County Health Department,
nearly half (49%) of the participants polled identified air pollution
as the main environmental concern for the Birmingham area. Water
pollution ranked second in the poll pulling in 22% of the people
surveyed.
Other findings from the New South Research poll: * Over the past
5 surveys, total preference toward tougher air quality laws has
steadily increased from 77% in 1997 to 89% in 2000.
* 86% of respondents rated air quality in the Birmingham area
as either "fair or "poor." This negative perception
of air quality has increased 24 percentage points since 1997's
62%.
* Overall, 48% rated public transportation as "poor."
Only 12% rated it as "good" and no one - 0% rated it
as "very good."
The New South Research poll on "Ozone Attitude and Awareness
Survey" has seen a steady increase in environmental/air
pollution awareness over the 5 surveys spanning 4 years worth
of data.
17. Alabama Counties Receive "F"
From Lung Association Ozone Report - This week, the American
Lung Association released its annual "State of the Air 2001"
report that ranks US cities and counties for ozone air pollution.
In Alabama, ten counties were eligible for the study. According
to the report 7 of the 10 counties received a failing grade of
"F" for ozone pollution. The counties receiving the
"F" include:
Shelby, Jefferson, Madison, Clay, Montgomery, Mobile and Lawrence
This year, the study identified Shelby County as the region most
adversely impacted by ground-level ozone air pollution statewide,
surpassing Jefferson County. For more information on the "State
of the Air 2001" report, contact Pam Lewis of the American
Lung Association of Alabama at 205-933-8821.
18) Study: Alabama Littered With 20 Million
Scrap Tires - Documenting the need for a comprehensive scrap
tire cleanup law, the 12 member Alabama Scrap Tire Study Commission
reported last week, that there are an estimated 20 million
tires in 850 illegal dumps around the state that pose health
and safety concerns. The commission based its findings on information
provided by county health departments and the Alabama Department
of Environmental Management.
Illegally dumped scrap tires pose significant environmental,
health and safety problems. In the past 36 months, there have
been 145 scrap tire fires reported in the state. Standing water
inside abandoned tires can become a
breeding ground for mosquitoes that carry diseases such as encephalitis,
denque fever and the West Nile virus.
State Rep. Mac Gipson of Prattville, who is a tire dealer, introduced
legislation recommended by the tire study commission imposing
a $1 per tire
"environmental fee" on new tires to pay for a program
to cleanup and reduce scrap tires in the state.
"We are the last state in the South to deal with this issue."
stated Rep. Gipson.
19) USA Today Features Sprawl: Check Out
How Alabama Cities Rank - Last week, USA Today tackled the
issue of "urban sprawl" with a front page story titled
"Wide Open Spaces." Along with numerous stories about
sprawl and its impacts on the natural environment, USA Today
published an "Index of Sprawling Metros by State."
The following are the "ranking" and scores of Alabama
cities.
For cities with populations between 250,000 to one million -
Mobile ranked 11th (433 index score), Huntsville ranked 20th
(381), Birmingharanked 41st (323), Montgomery ranked 42nd (322)
Scores of other Alabama cities - Anniston - 320, Dothan - 255,
Decatur - 252, Florence - 220, Gadsden - 170, Auburn-Opelika
- 157, Tuscaloosa - 129.
For more information about the index and access to the "Wide
Open Spaces" series of articles, visit the USA Today website
at http://www.usatoday.com/news/sprawl/states.htm.
20) American Lung Association's State
of the Air 2000 Statistics - The America Lung Association
has released their "State of the Air 2000" report,
which calculates the number of "at risk" populations
that are vulnerable to high levels of ground-level ozone pollution.
These "at-risk" populations include children under
14 years old, seniors over 65, children with pediatric asthma,
and citizens with adult asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
According to the study, between 1996 to 1998, there were 71 orange
and red alert days (or high ozone days that are considered unhealthy
for sensitive groups) in Jefferson and Shelby counties. In the
two counties alone, the air quality was considered unhealthy
for more than 356,823 people who belong to one of the sensitive
groups. In Madison County there were 20 unhealthy days potentially
adversely impacting more than 119,000 people. Mobile County had14
unhealthy days within the three year period effecting 183,000
people from "at-risk" groups.
During ozone season (May to Oct), the Alabama Department of Environmental
Management (ADEM) and local health departments issue warnings
about possible "unhealthy" air quality days (You can
visit ADEM's ozone website on a daily basis to receive this info
at: http://www.adem.state.al.us/EnviroProtect/Air/AirQualAla/airquaal.htm
).
For more information about ground-level ozone air pollution and
lung disease visit the American Lung Association's website at:
http://www.lungusa.org