Appendix 5 - Washoe County Clean Air Survey Results
Washoe County’s Clean Air Survey results (summer 2024)
In conversation with community members, we hear that top climate-related concerns in our region include cost of living, heat, air quality, and fire risk. This appendix shows survey responses and quotes from the Clean Air survey that was available between May – July 2024 and received ~500 responses.
Selection of Clean Air Survey comments regarding air quality and heat
“So many outdoor jobs are essential and continue despite poor air quality especially through fire season.”
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“It’s very difficult for people that do not have any shelter.”
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“I especially worry about people who have to work outdoors and those who are unhoused or live without air conditioning.”
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“Air quality and heat impact whether or not I can bike commute as I typically do, which then impacts my carbon footprint.”
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“Air quality needs to be addressed as it has long term impacts especially on children.”
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“Air quality is super important to my family and a determinate on whether we will continue to live in Washoe.”
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“I cannot tolerate 90 degree heat. I get stoma chance cramps, my skin turns very red, I do not perspire, I get light headed and fell faint. I have lived in Reno 45 years and wonder if I will have to move if the heat continues to rise.”
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“Senior citizens have no “wiggle room”. Also, I drive an EV which is difficult in this county with embarrassingly few charging stations.”
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“Clear, air, light pollution (dark skies), and responsible land management are all key factors in a blue zone for living.”
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“I find myself restricted to being indoors on days where there is poor air quality. I commonly check the AQI to see how healthy the air is before going out. High AQI reports have led me to cancel plans to attend events to stay indoors instead.”
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“Poor AQI and high temps creates a hostile environment for our pollinators, animals, plants, trees. This impacts our entire ecosystem. This is of even greater concern to me than my own health. It is easy to ignore as the impacts occur so insidiously and are not immediately noticed.”
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“Urban heating is one of the biggest threats facing the Truckee Meadows, in my mind.”
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“But how important is it to me that we are becoming hotter as a trend? Pretty important, considering it impacts everything about daily life. I'm an athlete and I have a dog, so it shortens the window that I can get both of us exercise. It impacts water resources too.”
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“It's really important to me that nighttime summer temperatures remain cool. Hotter nights lead to more energy use, which in turn accelerates climate change. I want Washoe County's climate efforts to interrupt this feedback loop.”
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“We are retired and are so thankful that we no longer have to go out when the AQI is high or when it's very hot on a daily basis in order to make a living. We have added MRV13 air filters and a heat pump to our HVAC system so that we can better filter out smoke and keep our house cool enough when it gets very hot. I grew up in Reno and never remember having the high AQI days we had in 2022 when California's fires were so bad.”
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“The fire control burns in the area and the smog from cars is worse than years ago. I don't like this.”