Battling the Climate Crisis

Could 90,000 new trees help clean our toxic skies? Or tougher laws? Find out Tuesday, October 1, when Rachel Malarich, LA’s new City Forest Officer; Hilary Firestone, Senior Policy Advisor, Climate & Clean Energy Program, NRDC; and Wolfgang Busch, Associate Professor, Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, join KCRW’s Frances Anderton for a conversation about combatting LA’s dirty air. It takes place on the eve of California Clean Air Day at Gensler’s DTLA office.

The LA-Long Beach metropolitan area has been ranked worst in the nation for ozone pollution — for the 19th time. It makes the top 10 for worst year-round and short-term particle pollution. That’s despite the Clean Air Act of the 1970s that set some of the highest standards in the world for air pollution control in the state of California. This foul air has profound effects on human health and quality of life. So what’s causing this toxic soup and can the skies be cleaned up? Get some answers at this constructive conversation about battling poor air quality. (Listen to Rachel talking about her new role as chief city forester, on this DnA.)