For many, the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic were a time of fear, sickness and disruption. But as offices and schools went remote, there were a few silver linings.
As people stayed home and the roads cleared, so did the skies — especially in car-centric cities like Atlanta.
In 2022, the federal Environmental Protection Agency declared the metro Atlanta area had officially achieved the federal standards for ozone, a hazardous pollutant linked to asthma and other respiratory issues. The redesignation was hailed by state officials as “great news” that would help ensure “all communities in Atlanta have clean, healthy air to breathe for generations to come.”…