Berkshire Green Drinks: Monitoring Air Pollution in Pittsfield

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Andrew Ferrara and Drake Reed will speak at the August Berkshire Green Drinks event on Wednesday, Aug. 13. 
 
This free hybrid event will take place online via Zoom and in person at Wander Berkshires, 34 Depot Street, Suite 101, Pittsfield, MA. The in-person social gathering will begin around 5:15 PM; the presentation and Zoom meeting will start at 6:00 PM.
 
Attendees will learn about the scope of the Breathe Easy Berkshires ambient air quality project, a local effort to monitor air pollution in Pittsfield. The presentation will cover the motivation behind starting the project, the progress made in the research, and findings to date—including significant air quality events that have been recorded.
 
The team will also demonstrate their mobile monitoring equipment and explain how it functions in the field. Finally, they will discuss how individuals can stay informed about air quality conditions and take simple, effective steps to protect themselves during periods of poor air quality.
 
 
Drake Reed and Andrew Ferrara are the Co-Managers of Breath Easy Berkshires, a Berkshire Environmental Action Team project funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The project monitors ambient air quality in Pittsfield, to identify sources of pollution, engage the community in discussion, and ultimately improve air quality and public health.

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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