Date of Award

12-2021

Degree Type

Report

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

Committee Chair(s)

Brent Chamberlain (Committee Chair)

Committee

Brent Chamberlain

Committee

Mariya Shcheglovitova

Committee

Josh Runhaar

Abstract

Air quality is a complex problem with as many potential solutions. The objective of this thesis is to identify solutions that will create cleaner air for Environmental Justice Communities in Barstow, California. California is now requiring cities to create plans for air quality improvement and this thesis strives to try to evaluate the effectiveness of options cities may use. There are many solutions that claim they will improve air quality but few comparisons on the feasibility for a town to implement them.

This thesis explores the effectiveness of three types of vegetation solutions, three types of mechanical air filtering solutions, two types of zoning solutions, a local sales tax solution and freeway walls. The study site was a small desert town in southern California with a large low-income population and several air quality problems blown in from other regions. The solutions were analyzed for their effectiveness on this site and the ability of the local government to be able to enact them.

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