Boulder - Air Quality? (Denver, Greeley: neighborhoods, place to live, zip code)

[2BINBOULDER]

I am considering moving to Bouder Colorado.

It seems to have everything that I am looking for eg. Outdoor lifestyle, nature.

However, the most important issue for me is Air quality. Can you tell me what the air quality is like in Boulder, Is it as bad as Denver?

I read on one post that the pollution is bad in boulder, and was so dissapointed to read that. So I wanted to get more views on this.

Thanks!

[Katarina Witt]

Boulder has its air quality issues, too. I do not know all the details. I would suggest a google search.

[rebagirl]

There is almost no pollution in Boulder. Try the site below. If it doesn't open for you, go to Home - American Lung Association site, and type in the chosen zip code in the box entitled "How Clean is Your Air?"


American Lung Association:*Air Pollution Facts & Air Quality Info - County Report - ALA State of the Air 2007 (http://lungaction.org/reports/sota07_county.html?zip=80301&Submit=GO - broken link)

[Katarina Witt]

The following website will give you some more information about air quality/pollution in Boulder County, including the city of Boulder.

Outdoor Air Quality - Boulder County Public Health

[Market Mama]

No pollution in Boulder? Maybe not when the wind is blowing (which is much of the time), but it can get really bad on occasion, especially in the winter. Boulder *City* sits in a valley and an inversion layer can form that traps bad air in that valley. As that ALA report states, the rest of Boulder *County* is much better, in part because so much of it is either open space or less populated mountain areas.

[rebagirl]

Originally Posted by Market Mama

No pollution in Boulder? Maybe not when the wind is blowing (which is much of the time), but it can get really bad on occasion, especially in the winter. Boulder *City* sits in a valley and an inversion layer can form that traps bad air in that valley. As that ALA report states, the rest of Boulder *County* is much better, in part because so much of it is either open space or less populated mountain areas.

Based on the site I mentioned above, Boulder has an average of 2 ozone days and 0 particle pollution days. If that's smoggy to you, then I'm speechless. I've looked at other sites as well, and have yet to find information stating that Boulder has a pollution problem. I live in one of the smoggiest counties in the nation, with a whopping 200+ smog days. I'll take any city in Colorado over that!

[Katarina Witt]

Market Mama is correct. You need to come see for yourself on a day in January.

[2BINBOULDER]

Thank you for your informative responses! I am glad I have found this website as I have been trying to find the answer to my question for a long time. Googling proved to be unsuccessful to me.

So it seems that Boulder city does have some bad pollution days? Are there any neighborhoods outside Boulder city that does not have this problem ie. outside the valley? I just dont want to give up everything to move from one smoggy area (California) to another area that tends to have bad pollution.

Thanks Again..

[Market Mama]

"July 21 was the tenth straight day with an ozone alert" -- quote from the August 8, 2007, issue of the Boulder Daily Camera newspaper.

"If the number holds, the 11-county area around Denver will have violated federal health standards for ozone for the fourth time this year, and likely will regain its dirty-air status this fall." from the July 22, 2007, Denver Post (and yes, Boulder is in that 11-county area around Denver).

And from the Feb. 21 issue of the Denver Post: "Beginning that day, fine-particle pollution soared above health standards at monitors at Chatfield Reservoir, downtown Denver, National Jewish Hospital and in Boulder. By Feb. 12, pollution in Greeley even climbed to unsafe levels. In total, health standards were exceeded 18 times at five different monitors, from Douglas County north to Greeley, and at places in between."

Boulder City does have bad air days. But it's still a fine place to live (as rabagirl pointed out, there's a lot of worse places!)

[rebagirl]

Originally Posted by Market Mama

"July 21 was the tenth straight day with an ozone alert" -- quote from the August 8, 2007, issue of the Boulder Daily Camera newspaper.

"If the number holds, the 11-county area around Denver will have violated federal health standards for ozone for the fourth time this year, and likely will regain its dirty-air status this fall." from the July 22, 2007, Denver Post (and yes, Boulder is in that 11-county area around Denver).

And from the Feb. 21 issue of the Denver Post: "Beginning that day, fine-particle pollution soared above health standards at monitors at Chatfield Reservoir, downtown Denver, National Jewish Hospital and in Boulder. By Feb. 12, pollution in Greeley even climbed to unsafe levels. In total, health standards were exceeded 18 times at five different monitors, from Douglas County north to Greeley, and at places in between."


Boulder City does have bad air days. But it's still a fine place to live (as rabagirl pointed out, there's a lot of worse places!)

Thanks for this information. Obviously I don't know first-hand the pollution situation there, as I'm still stuck here in smoggy California. I do know, however, that regulations are extremely strict. For example, on the American Lung Association site, it doesn't take much to receive a grade of Fail. In fact, we at one time were considering moving to a southern state that had less smog than California, but still received an "F" in both ozone and particle pollution. (Something like 75 bad days, as opposed to over 200) It was like "Well, it's a much better "F" than where we are now" type of thinking. How sad is that?!