Is smog that bad? (Los Angeles, Orange: best city, condo, neighborhood)

[socali]

Originally Posted by Eugguy

It's not that bad. L.A. has been having very clean air lately. Still has a way to go but they're on the right track!

Agreed it seems to be getting better, i never worry about it. so I say its not that bad at all..

[Ms.Phitt]

Originally Posted by socali

Agreed it seems to be getting better, i never worry about it. so I say its not that bad at all..

Just because it is somewhat better than it used to be doesn't mean it is good.

But don't take my word for it. Ask any hospital how many of us asthmatics swarm into their emergency rooms every summer when there is no rain to clean the air, especially on the bad days. Any asthmatic can tell you how we feel during those times. Go into any tall building and take a good look at the cap of brownish muck hovering over the city. Check the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Los Angeles compared to almost any other major city in the world.

Just because you don't think it personally affects you very much doesn't mean that it's not bad and it's not affecting people's health.

[artichoke63]

Yes, the smog is bad. You forget about it in day to day life, but coming into the city from the east, it is horrendous. A lot of days, the skyline is brown and hazy. You can't even see the mountains. I've never seen anything like it. It's quite shocking but you get used to it and after a while you don't know any better.

[lidiajane88]

HAHHA no. its not bad. people love their stereotypes...

[irwin]

Go to the EPA website. The entire LA metro area is not in compliance for ozone and particulates. The air is VERY bad but the state has been trying to make the air better. In some respects it has gotten better (i.e. switching to unleaded fuel has made a big difference). But, in other respects, because of the population growth, regional climate, and the transportation situation the air is getting worse (again, ozone, particulates, etc).

And yes, just because you don't notice it doesn't mean it is not bad. Thousands of deaths each year are attributed to air pollution. It is a terrible problem and something we have to think seriously about how to address. It is going to take a serious reevaluation of our lifestyle.

[awakenthesun22]

In LA, there have been times I couldn't see much of the sky or just the outline of buildings about 800 meters away due to the smog. I've seen it very thick there.

[WJD]

I'm in the automotive repair business and have done smog tests for over 25 years.
Yes smog is still a problem but..............All newer vehicles with engine computer management and three way catalytic converters emit very low emissions. Sometimes zero, co, hc's and very low nox.
Info here on what a cat converter is..........
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter

Most of the particulates are emitted from diesel powered vehicles, ie: trucks and trains.
A great amount of truck traffic here with 30 percent of the US products moving out of So. California ports by truck to areas east.
Info on diesels......http://www.stealthtdi.com/Emissions.html (broken link)

The problem is the volume of vehicles on the road and it will increase.
Smog reduction through testing and repairs to vehicles to keep them running clean versus increased volume.

[irwin]

WJD-

I read somewhere recently that even if every car in the LA area had the best pollution reduction technology, there still would be a smog problem because of the number of vehicles. The automobile is the problem here. We need to start figuring that out.

[WJD]

There is never complete combustion of the fuel plus byproducts emited.
Emssion control devices take care of the rest.
Also......you all may not be auto racing fans but.........the technology of the racing engine design translates to you're personal vehicle making the engine more efficient.

[dusesean1986]

The smog is only rough in the summer