Grand County High School’s Art and Advertising class, taught by Christa Green, is participating in a statewide High School Clean Air Poster Contest. Anika Scherer, Sean Mohler, Corah Moody and Taylor Denton’s posters will enter the state finals, and the winners will be announced in February 2020.
The contest coincided with cold temperatures and “inversion season” arriving in Utah. Inversions trap cold air in the low-lying valleys, causing air pollution to become trapped as well.
“Of the pollutants trapped during inversion periods, particulate matter two-point-five (PM 2.5) is of highest concern,” said Roslynn Brain McCann, a professor at Utah State University (USU).
She added that the tiny suspended particles of air pollution cause poor air quality that is linked to a slew of health issues including asthma, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Automobile emissions are among the highest contributors to PM 2.5 in the state, she said. Knowing this, Brain McCann, along with USU professor Ed Stafford, launched the High School Clean Air Poster Contest. The contest is aimed at youth who are just learning to drive, and includes education about our state’s air quality, alternative modes of transportation, and effective marketing.
Green’s class is participating for the third year in a row. In both previous years, Grand County High School students won top prizes at the state level.
