Air

Looking for a way to offset your carbon footprint? Instead of paying someone else to offset your CO2 emissions you could create your own carbon sequestration system. In other words, you can plant trees and perennials at home. The New Mexico State Forestry Division wants to help you reforest your acre of the planet with the Conservation Seedling Program. Starting December 1st, anyone owning 1 acre or more of land in New Mexico can purchase seedlings from 53 varieties of trees and shrubs for spring planting.

New Mexico is windy in the spring. The wide open plains of Eastern New Mexico are even windier. Power utilities are putting up wind farms across New Mexico and the Great Plains to take advantage of all of the free wind. One question hasn't been answered yet - Who will operate and maintain these turbines? Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, NM is establishing the North American Wind Research and Training Center to educate Wind Turbine Technicians to fill that need.

I love forests. Probably because I grew up between a State Park and a Wildlife Preserve. I spent much of my childhood and teen years exploring the forest around my home. I understand the value of a forest is much greater than the wild game it supports and the board-feet of lumber it can produce. But, it's also reassuring when scientists discover another benefit of old-growth trees ... CO2 capture.

On July 31, 2008 the Environmental Protection Agency issued a PSD (Prevention of Significant Deterioration) permit for the Desert Rock Energy Facility in New Mexico's Four Corner's region. In response, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Attorney General Gary King announced their intention to immediately file an appeal of the U.S.

The Fourth of July is a holiday famous for parades, back-yard barbecue and fireworks. What could be more wholesome, festive and fun? Well, maybe a little less pollution from the fireworks would be nice.

Step outside and take a long, deep breath. Was the air clean and fresh or are you hacking up a lung? Check the American Lung Association's 2007 State of the Air Report and see how the air in your town ranks against the rest of the United States. The report ranks cities' air quality based on ozone (O3) and Particle Pollution (Soot). In the 2007 State of the Air report Santa Fe, New Mexico ranked as the second cleanest city in the U.S. for Long-term Particle Pollution and 21st for Short-term Particle Pollution.