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Nobody likes pollution. Even a hardcore pro-industry, SUV drivin', hippy hatin' factory tycoon wouldn't want to linger outdoors on a windless summer day in Beijing. Or even LA. Yet our collective distaste for pollution often doesn't evolve far beyond that: we consider it sort of like a faceless evil force that spews out of unnamed Factories. Pollution is bad, we know, but we don't consider exactly where it comes from.
But Planet Hazard has. In fact, they've gone to the lengths of mapping out every known polluter in the US and put them up online for all to see, so you can find out who the worst emission-spewing offenders are in your area.
For example, check out the map for California polluters. You'll see an ominous gray peg for each of the notable ne'er do-environmentally-wells.
Or head over to Colorado, and see the breakdown there. The maps reveal some unfortunate surprises: even your local bar & grill can emit some serious pollution. Check out the stats for the 14th St Bar & Grill: you'll find it emits 10,435 pounds of Carbon Monoxide and 9,460 pounds in Volatile Organic Compounds every year. This brings us to another useful facet of Planet Hazard's service: you can find out exactly which kinds of pollutants are being emitted. You can also find out whether the polluter is located perilously near schools, parks, or residential areas. This makes Planet Hazard an invaluable resource for prospective homeowners looking to buy property in an unfamiliar area?best to know how much pollution will be pumping into your neighborhood, right? If it seems like a particular polluter is especially egregious, you could even alert the EPA to your concerns.
If you prefer just to see stats, you can check out the lists Planet Hazard has compiled. Here's New York state's worst offenders.
Any way you use it, it's good to know exactly where these polluters lurk. As one cliched-but-wise NBC-sponsored PSA once said, "The more you know, the easier it will be to unite environmental organizations to the offenses and alert residents whose children may be imperiled by unhealthy pollutants." Well, at least it said that first part.
What you do with the information is up to you (or us), but becoming aware is the first battle.
