I have to wonder how breathing the NYC area air and drinking the water from that area affected the health of the habitants.

As a kid growing up I recall that the pollution was pretty massive.

Lots of smokestacks belching smoke and chemicals pumped out willy nilly by industry.

With the environmental consciousness post-60's we got rid of the smokestack industries (overseas: out of sight, out of mind), but now with the industries gone it's tougher for blue-collar types to earn a good wage.