Deadliest Air Pollution In U.S.: 10 Worst Cities (Los Angeles, San Diego: school, to live in)

[KC6ZLV]

Originally Posted by BVitamin

Nope, most are that stupid. I call them penny chasers.



No, distribution shipping charges on a retail level is not high from most wholesalers.

Underlined scenario, that is an unlikely scenario -- at worse they'll break even. The only reason they'll sell something at a loss is if the item is expired or damaged. And certainly this doesn't taken into account certain items that are marked up over 100%, which some consumers don't ever realize.

You obviously haven't worked in a position where you were responsible for the ordering.

Breaking even may keep customers happy. However, it doesn't pay the overhead. I did the ordering for three garden centers. I can't think of anything that had a 100% markup. In this case, even if the markup was that high on a product line it doesn't mean the profit is going to be that high. In the normal course of business a few plants die. A few get knocked over by customers and are no longer salable. Customers return a few due to some physiological problem with the plant or something they did to it. Some plants just don't sell and end up in the $1.00 corner at the end of the season. The situation is similar with bags of planting mix and fertilizer. Only they don't die. Customers intentionally open them or they accidentally get tore open and are often sold at a very steep discount.

Now, to the ordering. Sometimes one customer will buy all the Southern Indica Azaleas. They are an important product to have during the spring here. Not having them causes the loss of sales of other plants in addition to upsell items (fertilizers, planting mixes, etc). The growers were located 150 miles away. Nobody is going to fill a small order for azaleas to ship 150 miles to Fresno and you don't make large order for a single type of plant because you don't want plants sitting in the yard. I made an order earlier in the week and the nursery is well-stocked. Overstocking is a no-no in this business. It increases labor costs and financing costs. The only way to get azaleas is from a wholesaler that has a yard 50 miles away in Visalia. They still have minimum order amounts before they will ship, or the garden center pays a shipping charge that is several times more than the cost of driving there and back to pick them up. So, several people drive from Fresno to Visalia to get the items the garden center needs to keep customers from walking out the door empty-handed.

[jaynetarzana]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Interesting article based on the American Lung Association's latest 2011 pollution report.

Bakersfield and a number of other CA cities are included in this list:

Deadliest Air Pollution In U.S.: 10 Worst Cities (PHOTOS)

Even if the CV is improving, these cities still have a long way to go. I was kinda surprised they lumped LA/Long Beach/Riverside all together. I know Long Beach is much better than the Inland Empire when it comes to air quality.

Derek

I read the report with great interest, Derek. Air quality is at the top of our list when we consider where to live. I talk to other people about it often and it seems that most people don't give the subject much thought, at least the people I ask anyway. I think it is a very important public health matter that needs more attention. Luckily you and your family are breathing some of the cleanest air in California.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

I read the report with great interest, Derek. Air quality is at the top of our list when we consider where to live. I talk to other people about it often and it seems that most people don't give the subject much thought, at least the people I ask anyway. I think it is a very important public health matter that needs more attention. Luckily you and your family are breathing some of the cleanest air in California.

Hi Jaynetarzana,

Yes we feel very blessed to able to live along the coast with our family.

I have also lived inland myself while attending college - Loma Linda University. The smog is very oppressive in the Inland Empire, especially in the summer months. Most ppl choose to exercise indoors. But the universities pool is outdoor. So I used it even in the summer months. Combine smog with 100+ degree weather and I found it unbearable at times.

FresnoFacts brings out some good points about this issue being a statewide problem. It's everyone's responsibility whether we choose accept it or not. It's just going to be hard to accelerate the process of change, which has been occuring at least in part. But there is still a long way to go obviously.

Derek

[jaynetarzana]

I agree that it is a statewide issue and needs to be addressed at that level. Unfortunately, things like the budget crisis trumps public health concerns every time. When people are struggling financially, everything else is low on the priority list.

I also agree with KC6ZLV that leaf blowers should be banned. In fact, anyone who agrees might take a few minutes and contact their legislators about this issue. It only takes an email with a few sentences asking that they consider taking up the issue, or a phone call is also effective. Change starts with each and every one of us. It is not just enough to point out or complain about the issues. We need to be willing to do something about it.

[KC6ZLV]

How's the air quality along the Southern California coast in the fall when there is an offshore flow? It is probably much worse than most people think.

I came across a good article about using vegetation to reduce particulate pollution. The charts are kind of technical but it does summarize the results of the tests. The most encouraging frame makes a point that our native Coastal Redwood is an excellent outdoor air filter. If you live in an area where the soil or excess heat and drought prevents you from having healthy redwoods the next best substitute are those lofty Deodar Cedars.

http://epa.gov/nrmrl/appcd/nearroadw.../2bCahill2.pdf

[FresnoFacts]

Alcoa just announced a new building exterior panel that helps remove nitrogen oxide from the air. Nitrogen oxide (mainly from vehicles) is a major component of smog and is basically what makes it look brown.

A building covered in 10,000 square feet of the new aluminum panels has the same removal effect of nitrogen oxide gases as about 80 trees.

Cost is about 5% more than current aluminum building panels but the air cleaning property should be worth it. Maybe an incentive to commercial buildings might be needed to get installations jump started but I like the idea of helping nature remove what we add to the air.
Alcoa says it can build a smog-eating high-rise - TODAY News - TODAY.com

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by KC6ZLV

You obviously haven't worked in a position where you were responsible for the ordering.

Breaking even may keep customers happy. However, it doesn't pay the overhead. I did the ordering for three garden centers. I can't think of anything that had a 100% markup. In this case, even if the markup was that high on a product line it doesn't mean the profit is going to be that high. In the normal course of business a few plants die. A few get knocked over by customers and are no longer salable. Customers return a few due to some physiological problem with the plant or something they did to it. Some plants just don't sell and end up in the $1.00 corner at the end of the season. The situation is similar with bags of planting mix and fertilizer. Only they don't die. Customers intentionally open them or they accidentally get tore open and are often sold at a very steep discount.

Now, to the ordering. Sometimes one customer will buy all the Southern Indica Azaleas. They are an important product to have during the spring here. Not having them causes the loss of sales of other plants in addition to upsell items (fertilizers, planting mixes, etc). The growers were located 150 miles away. Nobody is going to fill a small order for azaleas to ship 150 miles to Fresno and you don't make large order for a single type of plant because you don't want plants sitting in the yard. I made an order earlier in the week and the nursery is well-stocked. Overstocking is a no-no in this business. It increases labor costs and financing costs. The only way to get azaleas is from a wholesaler that has a yard 50 miles away in Visalia. They still have minimum order amounts before they will ship, or the garden center pays a shipping charge that is several times more than the cost of driving there and back to pick them up. So, several people drive from Fresno to Visalia to get the items the garden center needs to keep customers from walking out the door empty-handed.

So what I'm gathering here is that 'retail' means plant/garden business, is that what you mean to convey? Surely someone as seemingly intelligent as yourself would never fall to a fallacious argument or is it possible.

I'll concede that I don't know that (agriculture, I suppose that's the term) industry, however I was speaking to mini-marts, gas stations, grocery markets, businesses like those which I suppose I should have specified.

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by FresnoFacts

Alcoa just announced a new building exterior panel that helps remove nitrogen oxide from the air. Nitrogen oxide (mainly from vehicles) is a major component of smog and is basically what makes it look brown.

A building covered in 10,000 square feet of the new aluminum panels has the same removal effect of nitrogen oxide gases as about 80 trees.

Cost is about 5% more than current aluminum building panels but the air cleaning property should be worth it. Maybe an incentive to commercial buildings might be needed to get installations jump started but I like the idea of helping nature remove what we add to the air.
Alcoa says it can build a smog-eating high-rise - TODAY News - TODAY.com

Smog-eating tile roofs being offered by KB Homes | The Business Press | Business News for Inland Southern California (http://www.inlandsocal.com/business/content/topnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_smogeating01.208048e.html - broken link)

Yes, SoCal companies are developing and implementing similar technology for homes as well.

http://www.pe.com//imagesdaily/2011/02-01/20110201_gfx_smogeating_900.jpg (broken link)

[TimC2462]

Originally Posted by BVitamin

Smog-eating tile roofs being offered by KB Homes | The Business Press | Business News for Inland Southern California (http://www.inlandsocal.com/business/content/topnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_smogeating01.208048e.html - broken link)

Yes, SoCal companies are developing and implementing similar technology for homes as well.

Pardon my language, but this is f***ing cool. Imagine how much smog can be reduced if homes across the state are retrofitted with the smog eating tile roofs. It may not curb our driving habits, but it would certainly have an impact.

On the other hand, the future can be unpredictable for these southern Californian companies manufacturing these smog eating tiles. I would like to be optimistic in thinking that the smog will be drastically reduced in the next 20 years or so through alternative energy.

[KC6ZLV]

Isn't there a problem with high level of nitrates in the ground water in some parts of California?