Give it to me straight please: Lamorinda air quality? (San Jose: house, schools)

[jaynetarzana]

I am looking into the Lamorinda area because of the schools for my children. I would love to get some input about the air quality. LungUSA.org gives the area an F rating. TIA!

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

I am looking into the Lamorinda area because of the schools for my children. I would love to get some input about the air quality. LungUSA.org gives the area an F rating. TIA!

I live in San Jose, so I'm not absolutely sure, but I don't think the air quality is that bad up there. Maybe not as good as right by the bay or ocean, but not that bad, either.

San Jose is in a valley and we have bad air once in a while, but generally the air down here is decent, even in summer...and I think that is true for the area you're talking about as well.

[bayarea-girl]

Being that I use to live in LA the air quality is very nice in the area you are inquiring about. The bay area overall has wonderful air quality.

[fizbin]

I'd be surprised if you could find ten members of the Lamorinda communities who consider their air quality to be a negative issue of any import whatsoever.

[hsw]

Much like LA, many air quality "zones", much like micro-climates, in SF region

Air quality generally deteriorates as one moves away from coast and into Valleys; East Bay (esp WC corridor) and South Bay (esp Los Gatos corridor) tend to have worst air quality in SF region (and much air pollution is invisible aside from obvious smog)

Rarely venture into East Bay but anecdotally weather, lack of trees, air quality, traffic congestion and culture of Lamorinda or 24/680 corridor remind me most of LA's SFV/SGV or inland OC (Calabasas or Anaheim Hills or Walnut, etc)

[jaynetarzana]

Thanks hsw,

This is what I suspected to be true. People tend to say that air quality is great in their area so often that I started to wonder if it might be true and the data is inaccurate somehow. I don't know if it is because they are in denial or what. The statements they make about their air quality are not only counterintuituve, but also contrary to the available data.

So you think that Los Gatos is bad as well? That is unfortunate. It gets lumped into the data with San Jose and I thought it might be better than San Jose since it is further away from most of the congestion. Not to mention the fact that I've never really seen smog there. I know that air pollution is not always visable, but still.

[fizbin]

Congratulations on getting someone to tell you what you wanted to hear . . .

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

Thanks hsw,

This is what I suspected to be true. People tend to say that air quality is
So you think that Los Gatos is bad as well? That is unfortunate. It gets great in their area so often that I started to wonder if it might be true and the data is inaccurate somehow. I don't know if it is because they are in denial or what. The statements they make about their air quality are not only counterintuituve, but also contrary to the available data. lumped into the data with San Jose and I thought it might be better than San Jose since it is further away from most of the congestion. Not to mention the fact that I've never really seen smog there. I know that air pollution is not always visable, but still.

Don't listen to HSW, he doesn't know what he's talking about, but says it with an authoritative air -- lack of trees in LaMorinda? Wrong wrong wrong.... LOTS of trees in LaMorinda..... go there and see all the trees.

The area is warmer than SF -- the closer you get to the Caldecott Tunnel the cooler it gets -- it's a natural fog break, but the fog does creep over it (and it's an utterly cool thing to see).

Also -- I think their criteria for grading is funky. Contra Costa County has 18 days a year with "unhealthy for some people" rating and gets a "Pass" with an *F*, and Inyo County has one purple "holy crap we're all gonna die" day, and gets a *C*.

If you're really worried about it -- move to Moraga closer to the EBMUD reserve and Redwood Regional Park -- lots of trees... or move to Canyon. You're IN the trees there.

[sunnysunshine]

I strongly doubt you could count on one hand the number of people who would think to complain about air quality in Lamorinda. And to compare it to the inland OC? I don't even know how to react to that. That is insanely nuts. Travel to anywhere in socal (coastal communities too) and you consistently see the gray muck lining the sky. Travel to Sacto and the same thing exists. Travel throughout tree-filled, openspace-filled Lamorinda and all you see is clear blue skies. Air quality has never been something I've heard as a "con" to the area. This is a first.

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by hsw

Much like LA, many air quality "zones", much like micro-climates, in SF region

Air quality generally deteriorates as one moves away from coast and into Valleys; East Bay (esp WC corridor) and South Bay (esp Los Gatos corridor) tend to have worst air quality in SF region (and much air pollution is invisible aside from obvious smog)

Rarely venture into East Bay but anecdotally weather, lack of trees, air quality, traffic congestion and culture of Lamorinda or 24/680 corridor remind me most of LA's SFV/SGV or inland OC (Calabasas or Anaheim Hills or Walnut, etc)

Funny, lack of trees? I'm staring at a squirrel climbing an oak tree in the woods behind my house right now ...You obviously don't know what the he** you're talking about as usual.

Yeah, drive toward the 24 toward the Caldecott tunnel on 24 and look at all the trees that we don't seem to have.

JayneTarzana...The air quality is perfectly fine here. If you're going to worry, then research other sources of info as well ..the LUNG USA site seems totally inaccurate and misleading. Go to the airnow.gov or some other agency website.

Obviously there are now two people that don't live here commenting on things they don't know anything about. You might also be able to ascertain that young, angry, child free, culture snobs prefer not to live in the suburbs (where all the ex-San Francisco/Oakland natives live now). Ah, I sure don't miss all that angst/negativity of my youth!