The sun rarely arrived in St. Louis 75 years ago, in the winter of 1939-40. Coal smoke blackened the sky. The pollution was not new, St. Louis and other cities in the world had lived with it for decades. The situation seemed hopeless. What could St. Louis do? What followed next was an amazing story that featured a few leaders who dared to fight back – who sought to pierce the sky.
Today, cities elsewhere in the world still experience black winters from coal, in India, China and elsewhere. Those coal black skies are not just endangering the health of millions, they are contributing to a global change in climate. The situation seems hopeless. What can the world do?
This blog will tell the story, day by day, of how St. Louis fought to clean its skies.