This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Winter apparently gets to Utahns.
In its annual values study, Envision Utah asked people to make a list of the best and worst features of living in the Beehive State. And residents overwhelmingly listed poor air quality as the No. 1 detraction from their quality of life — more than Utah's lack of diversity, education constraints and the availability of water combined.
Envision Utah surveyed 1,000 Utahns in August and September of last year to gauge how they feel about the future of Utah. The nonprofit released the air quality results Thursday, just in time for inversion season and the upcoming legislative session.
Besides feeling general angst about Utah's air quality, those polled also found government's efforts to clean up the air lacking. Rural residents, who largely live outside the seven Wasatch Front counties most impacted by wintertime particulate pollution, gave government leaders slightly better marks for action on air quality.
And Utahns ranked air quality the third-most important priority for the state's future, after water and education. Rural residents placed more importance on natural lands and outdoor recreation. And urban residents ranked air quality more important, along with transportation and preparation for disasters.
"The concern about air quality relates primarily to the impacts to health, the inability to enjoy the outdoors during poor air quality episodes, and the legacy we leave for future generations," Envision Utah Chief Operating Officer Ari Bruening wrote in an email. "Utahns want the air to improve."
Pollsters found residents believe building more and better public transportation, boosting home energy efficiency and driving cleaner vehicles could alleviate Utah's cyclical inversions.
Gov. Gary Herbert asked Envision Utah to lead the Clean Air Action Team, which has recommended using low-sulfur gas, promoting public transportation and eliminating residential burning during inversion periods.
To learn more about what makes the most difference in cutting pollution, Utahns can visit envisionutah.org to complete the "Build Your 2050 Utah" interactive feature.