According to a report from the Lawn Care website Lawnstarter, several cities in California rank among the dirtiest in the U.S., with San Bernardino being highlighted as the worst. In fact, it’s been labeled as America’s dirtiest city two years in a row. Following closely is Los Angeles. The findings drew attention as California Governor Gavin Newsom pushes for stringent climate goals and regulations to combat pollution.
The analysis indicates that a staggering 75% of residents in San Bernardino express dissatisfaction with the pollution levels. Alongside San Bernardino, several other California cities, like Ontario and Corona, also made it into the top ten for poor air quality.
Lawnstarter assessed 500 large U.S. cities based on factors such as pollution, substandard living conditions, inadequate waste infrastructure, and complaints from residents. Interestingly, the cities with the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions weren’t necessarily the ones with the highest pollution levels.
Local university students have contributed by collecting around 500 pounds of trash from the Santa Ana River, underscoring the seriousness of the homeless crisis in areas like Los Angeles. Despite various cleanup efforts, the situation persists.
Governor Newsom is aiming for California to operate on 100% clean energy, which, he claims, would make the state a leader in ambitious climate action. However, there are concerns about rising energy costs linked to this shift towards green technology, especially with significant refinery disruptions anticipated in the state.
Interestingly, Newsom’s office hasn’t provided any comments regarding these findings.
