Cali and Arnold Love the Earth

Jackie Mason | July 6, 2005
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Scott Hardie | July 7, 2005
Maybe it will take the rising health care costs of treating asthma for the city to limit air pollutants, the same way the rising costs of cancer treatment are inspiring new limitations on cigarette sales such as higher taxes. Or maybe the government will just raise taxes on polluters and raise taxes on asthma medication providers to pay for repairs to the Stevenson (which wouldn't surprise me knowing Chicago).

Anna Gregoline | July 7, 2005
(link)

Rather than just the cities themselves, we looked at metropolitan areas, which include surrounding counties and suburbs. (This can have a real effect on a place’s score; Chicago, for example, has excellent water but its score is brought down by problems in the outlying areas). Because we only looked at the 50 largest places, there may be smaller cities that are much cleaner or dirtier than these—and because the scores represent relative rankings, that a city comes in first or last in a given category does not necessarily mean it’s perfectly pristine or dangerously filthy.

Scott Hardie | July 7, 2005
Jeez, look at Chicago's numbers. I wouldn't have guessed it even from what we've been discussing. I find it interesting that Los Angeles and Riverside and San Diego can have such dirty air while San Francisco and Sacramento have such clear air; apparently Arnold is limited to affect it at the state level.

And welcome back, Anna – missed ya. :-)

Jackie Mason | July 7, 2005
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Anna Gregoline | July 7, 2005
I only posted that to show that the study isn't exactly accurate to say that Chicago is the worst, but I seem to have only made that perception worse. Never mind.

Scott Hardie | July 7, 2005
I guess I never took advantage of the beach in Chicago, so I don't think of people going swimming in Lake Michigan at all. Florida, on the other hand, would be paralyzed by water pollution. It's everything here.

I regret the misunderstanding, Anna.

Jackie Mason | July 9, 2005
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Scott Hardie | July 12, 2005
Do you think you'll write in, Jackie? I wouldn't mind seeing your letter here too, if you write one.

Jackie Mason | July 12, 2005
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Scott Hardie | July 13, 2005
It's that kind of attitude that also leads to an obesity epidemic. :-)

Jackie Mason | July 13, 2005
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Scott Hardie | July 18, 2005
I bet you would be pretty upset to discover that I take the elevator up one flight of stairs when I have the option, wouldn't you? :-P

Jackie Mason | September 24, 2006
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