by Gretchen Waddell Barwick
Parts of downtown and North Kansas City have levels of air pollution that are unsafe for human health. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency have designated this region as having dangerously high levels of sulfur dioxide air pollution. This pollutant comes from burning coal and causes breathing problems in as few as 5 minutes.
Eight UMKC Urban Planning Students volunteered on a rainy Saturday in April to spread the message to the community—hold polluters accountable and demand clean air! In just 2 short hours, these volunteers got 85 signatures from people breathing this polluted air demanding action from the polluter, Veolia Energy.
This issue will be discussed in June in front of the Missouri Air Conservation Commission. To learn more or get involved, contact Gretchen at (800) 628-5333 - gretchen.waddellbarwick@sierraclub.org.