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‘Gasp!’ ‘Gag!’: Utah students hold signs and rally for clean air

Posted at 7:53 PM, Jan 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-26 21:53:52-05

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah Students for Clean Air organized a rally at the Utah State Capitol Thursday with dozens of students from elementary to high school age carrying signs, chanting and giving speeches demanding action on clean air.

"'Cuz we can't vote ourselves, because we're too young, so we want to tell our legislators how we think of things," said Lucas Andtbacka, a fifth-grader at the Madeleine Choir School.

The American Lung Association lists Salt Lake City as the sixth worst in the nation for short-term particulate pollution, with Logan at seventh on the same list.

"Obviously we are breathing all the time so our body is filtering air constantly; bad air can wreak havoc with us," said Dr. Bryce Peterson of the Ogden Clinic, adding that children are at particular risk because their lungs are still developing.

See the video above for more from Thursday's rally.