Clean Air Journal

My Approach to Handling the COVID-19 Crisis

My Approach to Handling the COVID-19 Crisis

It has been a little over a month since I worked in the Gasp office. Like many of you, I am yearning to know when we will resume being in one another’s physical presence. Meanwhile, the Gasp staff is adjusting because our work continues. If you haven’t already, check...

An Overview of Remote Atmospheric Monitoring

An Overview of Remote Atmospheric Monitoring

​By Ben Moose, Gasp Intern What is remote atmospheric monitoring? Remote atmospheric monitoring, when used for air quality monitoring purposes, is the use of satellites and satellite instruments to determine the concentration of pollutants and other air quality...

Citizen Science in the Face of Coronavirus

Citizen Science in the Face of Coronavirus

Citizen Science (aka, Community Science) Citizen science is when the general public is engaged in the scientific process, whether testing hypotheses, collecting data, or seeking government action. These efforts can raise awareness of an issue and empower communities...

Meet Brodie Zalanka, Spring Gasp Intern

Meet Brodie Zalanka, Spring Gasp Intern

​What is your major at UAB/BSC and why did you choose it? I have a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and am pursuing my Masters in Public Health with a concentration in environmental and occupational health. What do you hope to do after you graduate? I am...

Meet Mimi Tran, Spring Intern for Gasp

Meet Mimi Tran, Spring Intern for Gasp

​What is your major at UAB/BSC and why did you choose it? I’m a freshman Urban Environmental Studies major at Birmingham Southern College. As a kid, my favorite part of family vacations was (and still is!) visiting a city’s botanical gardens, local farmers markets, or...

COVID-19: Air pollution reductions?

COVID-19: Air pollution reductions?

I think many of us are looking for a silver lining right now; many are looking for a calm amidst the storm (side note, this video from a doctor working with only COVID-19 patients in New York City is the best thing I have seen since this started. It’s logical,...

Meet Matthew Odendahl, Spring Intern for Gasp

Meet Matthew Odendahl, Spring Intern for Gasp

Matthew is serving as Gasp's Communications and Marketing Spring Intern What is your major at UAB/BSC and why did you choose it? I am pursuing a bachelor of science in public health, with a concentration in environmental health and a studio art minor.  I chose this...

Meet Ben Moose, Spring Intern for Gasp

Meet Ben Moose, Spring Intern for Gasp

​Where do you go to high school? I go to high school at JCIB (Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School). What do you hope to do after you graduate?  I hope to pursue a career in atmospheric sciences, specifically meteorology. I am also interested in...

Meet Allie Guadarrama, Spring Intern for Gasp

Meet Allie Guadarrama, Spring Intern for Gasp

Allie is serving as Gasp's Climate Change Intern. Where do you go to high school?/What do you hope to do after you graduate? Currently I am a Junior at Vestavia Hills High School. After High School I would like to move to the West, either California or Washington, and...

Meet Rose Albert, Spring Intern for Gasp

Meet Rose Albert, Spring Intern for Gasp

Rose is serving as Gasp's Community Science Intern What is your major at UAB and why did you choose it?  I chose to major in chemistry at UAB because I appreciate its explanations for the physical world. A foundational understanding of chemistry is applicable to other...

Thanks to our Volunteers

Thanks to our Volunteers

Seven days ago was a busy day. Brodie (intern) and I worked the Gasp table at UAB's Community Matching Event (giving students an opportunity to meet local non-profits). I left Brodie to handle the table and rushed back to our office to meet with a new volunteer, who...

Genes, Evolution, and Air Pollution

Genes, Evolution, and Air Pollution

I believe that the health of each and every one of us is harmed by air pollution.  I base this belief on studies that show there is no safe level of pollutants and that adverse health effects are occurring at levels much lower than previously thought.  It is hard,...

WATCH: ABC 33/40 Reports on Gasp Air Sampling Results

WATCH: ABC 33/40 Reports on Gasp Air Sampling Results

For years, residents have been complaining about air pollution coming from the Bluestone Coke plant in North Birmingham. (Prior to being named Bluestone Coke, it was called ERP Compliant Coke, and before that it was Walter Coke.) The plant heats coal at extremely high...

EPA Needs to Base Its Decisions on Science

EPA Needs to Base Its Decisions on Science

 Marion Fintel retired from Talladega College as an associate professor of biology in July of 2019. During her career, she taught anatomy and physiology, as well as other biology courses, to college students for close to thirty years.  Dr. Fintel earned her doctorate...

Alabama PSC to Hold Hearing on Solar Fee

On Thursday, November 21, the Alabama Public Service Commission will hold a hearing requested by Gasp, represented by SELC, and private plaintiffs, represented by Ragsdale, LLC, about Alabama Power’s unnecessary and discriminatory monthly fee on solar power customers...

Why I Fight for Clean Air & How You Can Help

Why I Fight for Clean Air & How You Can Help

As a boy, I dreaded the Science Fair toward the end of each school year. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t like science — I loved it then as I still do today. It was the competition that gave me anxiety. It wasn’t until I was in Mrs. Weeks 5th Grade class that I finally...