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WRAL Documentary to Examine Air Quality in North Carolina |
North Carolina’s three major metropolitan areas — the Triangle, Triad and Charlotte — rank in the top 25 in the US with the worst ground level ozone pollution. But many people wonder how that can be. How can our cities be ranked with the likes of Atlanta, Pittsburg, Cleveland and even New York? Is our air really as bad as in those big cities? What measures are used to determine those rankings and are they fair? Should we worry about the air we’re breathing in North Carolina? And if so, what should we do about it?
WRAL-TV’s latest documentary, “Clearing the Air,” will help answer those questions and let people know just how safe it is to breathe our air and whether the situation is getting better or worse. “Clearing the Air,” will air on WRAL-TV on Friday, August 20, 2004, at 7:30pm.
The people who are affected most by ground level ozone are children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems. People who work or exercise outdoors can also be affected. “Clearing the Air” will profile a couple with three asthmatic children, an elderly person and an avid cyclist who’ve all had problems with and are concerned about the area’s ozone pollution.
The 30-minute documentary also includes interviews with air quality experts from the EPA, the state Division of Air Quality and the American Lung Association all of whom collect and report data on air pollution and advise citizens on what to do about it. It also includes interviews from others who refute some of the data, question the way it is collected and reported and worry about its impact on public perception.
Finally, “Clearing the Air” looks at measures being taken to improve North Carolina’s air quality, including the transition to cleaner burning power plants. While many question the cost of light rail and the practicality of carpooling, there is a quiet transition to cleaner burning cars and alternative fuel vehicles that is already making an enormous impact.
Thanks to WRAL-TV’s Clay Johnson for this capcom story.
