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1. Software developer moves to Pittsburgh to save money on cost of living. 2. Software developer realizes there is an air problem. 3. Software developer advis

by munk-a 7y ago

1. Software developer moves to Pittsburgh to save money on cost of living. 2. Software developer realizes there is an air problem. 3. Software developer advises other software developers to avoid the city. Why, in this process of events isn't he appealing to the local government more - as a member of a workforce that is able to afford moving pretty trivially and can actually reside in crazy locales like SF it's rather depressing to see lines like: > I credit myself with discouraging at least a dozen contacts in the tech industry from considering Pittsburgh until the situation improves. Without even a spare moment's thought to the residents in Pittsburgh that are stuck there.

hombre_fatal 7y ago
So, what exactly are you doing to help the people of Pittsburgh if you're complaining that OP didn't do enough despite TFA? How is this not the emptiest and most self-righteous form of virtue-signaling we get on HN? How could you write this comment instead of volunteering at your local soup kitchen and petitioning the government to end homelessness? You'll have to try harder to appease my arbitrary internet expectations of you, or I'll call you out.
rwem 7y ago
The air pollution in Pittsburgh isn’t caused by things under the control of the local government or even the state government. It accumulates and blows in from west of there. Only the US federal government can fix it.
- jasonvm 7y ago
  Where is it coming from, specifically?
  - rwem 7y ago
    I'm no expert but I read that coal-fired electric generation and industry in the Ohio Valley is a major source. This transport of pollutants is apparently codified in the US Clean Air Act. This article seems to discuss the things I was considering years ago: https://ehsdailyadvisor.blr.com/2019/06/epas-denial-of-petition-to-expand-otr-deemed-lawful/ https://ehsdailyadvisor.blr.com/2019/06/epas-denial-of-petit...
  - jshaqaw 7y ago
    In the NYC area we get a lot of pollution from coal burning power plans in the Midwest. Air currents take all that pollution and dump it here. Probably similar for Pittsburgh.
  - dgacmu 7y ago
    Mostly from Clairton, PA.
- chrisco255 7y ago
  Is this a subtle dig at Ohio?
bobthepanda 7y ago
"As a result, I am also leaving and transferring to a different office within Google. However, I am not going quietly. I am active on our internal lists, encouraging people to use the ‘SmellPGH’ app and to submit county and state environmental complaint forms, for all the lack of good it seems to do." It seems like he's at least tried.
- gethoht 7y ago
  *barely tried
lotsofpulp 7y ago
>Without even a spare moment's thought to the residents in Pittsburgh that are stuck there. I wouldn't expect anyone to subject their children and family and themselves to something they believe is unhealthy if they can afford not to. And I don't see what else this person could do other than support politicians who will empower the EPA.
- rytill 7y ago
  Are you suggesting people who currently have lives built up in Pittsburgh also leave instead of improving the situation?
  - lotsofpulp 7y ago
    I'm not suggesting anyone do anything, but expecting someone to not move their family out of harm's way is unrealistic. This is not a situation that can be solved in the short term, nor with any decent chance of success. Therefore if you believe you are subjecting your family to a hazard by living there, the only option is to leave.
    - rytill 7y ago
      > expecting someone to not move their family out of harm’s way is unrealistic > only option is to leave Classic black and white thinking HN-style weakness.
      - lotsofpulp 7y ago
        I’m open to hearing what one should do if they believe the air around them is harmful to their family’s health.
        rytill 7y ago
        Should? Previously you were expecting people to move. It’s complicated and involves someone’s entire life circumstances. There’s no catch-all function which only takes the parameter `airQuality` that people adhere to like machines. Families get entrenched. People have real estate. Culture melds with you. You get connected to the local politics. There are so many reasons that one would attempt to improve or accept their local situation instead of leaving.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
skunkpocalypse 7y ago
> Why, in this process of events isn't he appealing to the local government more Gee maybe because they stick their fingers in their ears and shout "lalalalalala!" Vote with your feet.

by munk-a 7y ago

hombre_fatal 7y ago

So, what exactly are you doing to help the people of Pittsburgh if you're complaining that OP didn't do enough despite TFA? How is this not the emptiest and most self-righteous form of virtue-signaling we get on HN? How could you write this comment instead of volunteering at your local soup kitchen and petitioning the government to end homelessness? You'll have to try harder to appease my arbitrary internet expectations of you, or I'll call you out.

rwem 7y ago

The air pollution in Pittsburgh isn’t caused by things under the control of the local government or even the state government. It accumulates and blows in from west of there. Only the US federal government can fix it.

jasonvm 7y ago
Where is it coming from, specifically?
- rwem 7y ago
  I'm no expert but I read that coal-fired electric generation and industry in the Ohio Valley is a major source. This transport of pollutants is apparently codified in the US Clean Air Act. This article seems to discuss the things I was considering years ago: https://ehsdailyadvisor.blr.com/2019/06/epas-denial-of-petition-to-expand-otr-deemed-lawful/ https://ehsdailyadvisor.blr.com/2019/06/epas-denial-of-petit...
- jshaqaw 7y ago
  In the NYC area we get a lot of pollution from coal burning power plans in the Midwest. Air currents take all that pollution and dump it here. Probably similar for Pittsburgh.
- dgacmu 7y ago
  Mostly from Clairton, PA.
chrisco255 7y ago
Is this a subtle dig at Ohio?

bobthepanda 7y ago

"As a result, I am also leaving and transferring to a different office within Google. However, I am not going quietly. I am active on our internal lists, encouraging people to use the ‘SmellPGH’ app and to submit county and state environmental complaint forms, for all the lack of good it seems to do." It seems like he's at least tried.

gethoht 7y ago
*barely tried

lotsofpulp 7y ago

>Without even a spare moment's thought to the residents in Pittsburgh that are stuck there. I wouldn't expect anyone to subject their children and family and themselves to something they believe is unhealthy if they can afford not to. And I don't see what else this person could do other than support politicians who will empower the EPA.

rytill 7y ago
Are you suggesting people who currently have lives built up in Pittsburgh also leave instead of improving the situation?
- lotsofpulp 7y ago
  I'm not suggesting anyone do anything, but expecting someone to not move their family out of harm's way is unrealistic. This is not a situation that can be solved in the short term, nor with any decent chance of success. Therefore if you believe you are subjecting your family to a hazard by living there, the only option is to leave.
  - rytill 7y ago
    > expecting someone to not move their family out of harm’s way is unrealistic > only option is to leave Classic black and white thinking HN-style weakness.
    - lotsofpulp 7y ago
      I’m open to hearing what one should do if they believe the air around them is harmful to their family’s health.
      - rytill 7y ago
        Should? Previously you were expecting people to move. It’s complicated and involves someone’s entire life circumstances. There’s no catch-all function which only takes the parameter `airQuality` that people adhere to like machines. Families get entrenched. People have real estate. Culture melds with you. You get connected to the local politics. There are so many reasons that one would attempt to improve or accept their local situation instead of leaving.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

skunkpocalypse 7y ago

> Why, in this process of events isn't he appealing to the local government more Gee maybe because they stick their fingers in their ears and shout "lalalalalala!" Vote with your feet.