Baltimore’s Air Quality Makes Breathing Difficult, but not for Everyone

Rona Kobell • August 31, 2023

Baltimore’s Air Quality Makes Breathing Difficult, but not for Everyone

By Rona Kobell

From time to time, we here at EJJI run commentaries and news pieces that reflect the fight for environmental justice in Baltimore and Maryland. We’re doing so today with this commentary from Naadiya Hutchinson, a clean-air advocate who runs a free yoga program in Baltimore. Naadiya has a master’s degree in environmental health, and is working on an analysis of Baltimore’s emergency preparedness plan. Until recently, heat would be a rare emergency in a town used to humid days and high temperatures. But we have all seen how hazardous breathing can be when grappling with the wildfires from Canada.

“The effects of poor air quality are not felt equally, and inequality is not a new concept in Baltimore,” Naadiya writes.

You can read the whole story here.

You can see some of the research she draws on here.

If you would like to write a commentary on a local environmental issue, let us know. Or if you want us to share something you have written elsewhere, we can do that, too. Contact us at rona@ejji.org.

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Reel Rewards Returns for 2026 Season with New Bounty Tiers

By Laura Quigley • March 24, 2026

Baltimore, MD – The Environmental Justice Journalism Initiative (EJJI) is excited to announce the return of Reel Rewards , a community-powered program that promotes sustainable fishing practices and helps control invasive species in the Baltimore Harbor. The 2026 season will run from April 25 to July 18, 2026 , and brings with it updated bounty tiers and continued opportunities for community engagement and environmental impact. This season, Reel Rewards features bounty tiers that support local anglers while providing gut content data that can be used by scientists and environmental managers. Participants are encouraged to catch invasive species like Northern Snakehead, Blue Catfish, and Flathead Catfish within the program boundaries, and bring the fish to designated drop-off locations on specific days. In return, fishers receive $10 for each fish head turned in, $10 for logging a picture of what’s inside the fish’s stomach, and $10 for each cleaned fish filet per fish to be re-used as bait. Reel Rewards is hosted by EJJI, funded by South Baltimore Gateway Partnership and the Maryland Whole Watershed Program , and in partnership with Reimagine Middle Branch and the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland . This unique collaboration brings together community voices, environmental researchers, and conservation advocates to tackle real ecological issues while uplifting Baltimore’s fishing communities. Registration is now open at: https://www.ianglertournament.com/ejji-reel-rewards-2026 For updates, official drop-off days and locations, and more details about participating, visit: https://www.ejji.org/reel-rewards . If you are with a community group or organization who would like to plan a joint event or educational engagement, contact EJJI at: veronica@ejji.org About EJJI The Environmental Justice Journalism Initiative (EJJI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental justice and community empowerment. Through storytelling, collaborative outreach, and hands-on programming, EJJI connects Baltimore communities with the researchers, policymakers, and advocates working on environmental justice issues in their neighborhoods. Contact: Veronica Malabanan Lucchese Environmental Science Program Manager, EJJI veronica@ejji.org ###