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Old 07-29-2007, 09:42 AM
 
2 posts, read 11,542 times
Reputation: 13

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I was curious if there is a scientific reason (not a scientist but i bet someone here has the knowledge) other than just a huge amount of cars for why the damned air is so polluted here.Does anyone else have trouble with breathing on the really hot days? If you have kids and are considering moving here please know the air can be a major problem for people who are older or younger kids especially if they have asthma.
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Old 07-29-2007, 04:42 PM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,338 posts, read 93,427,408 times
Reputation: 17827
Quote:
Originally Posted by LAJohnny View Post
I was curious if there is a scientific reason (not a scientist but i bet someone here has the knowledge) other than just a huge amount of cars for why the damned air is so polluted here.Does anyone else have trouble with breathing on the really hot days? If you have kids and are considering moving here please know the air can be a major problem for people who are older or younger kids especially if they have asthma.
Read the link:

Inversions and Smog (http://daphne.palomar.edu/calenvironment/smog.htm - broken link)
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Old 07-29-2007, 11:15 PM
CLQ
 
207 posts, read 1,083,464 times
Reputation: 111
It's because way too many people live here and don't mind sitting in traffic for hours everyday.
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Old 07-30-2007, 11:45 PM
 
Location: Scarsdale, NY
2,787 posts, read 11,469,555 times
Reputation: 802
People drive everywhere.

You seem to bash LA a lot, what's up with that?
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Old 07-31-2007, 12:11 AM
CLQ
 
207 posts, read 1,083,464 times
Reputation: 111
Quote:
Originally Posted by FutureCop View Post
People drive everywhere.

You seem to bash LA a lot, what's up with that?
I'm sorry, I'm just stating the facts. LA is the most polluted city and has a lot to do with human activity including driving. People are driving far and there are a lot of cars and trucks on the road. There are studies that the air pollution is causing an early death here in LA. I know it's sad...we can only hope that the gov't controls it in some way.

I am not bashing LA/OC. I'm just sharing my personal experiences and observations. Isn't that what a forum is about? I am fair and if I were asked positive things about LA/OC I would gladly offer my thoughts. It's all relative....you take the good with the bad.
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Old 07-31-2007, 10:24 AM
 
Location: Scarsdale, NY
2,787 posts, read 11,469,555 times
Reputation: 802
Quote:
Originally Posted by CLQ View Post
I'm sorry, I'm just stating the facts. LA is the most polluted city and has a lot to do with human activity including driving. People are driving far and there are a lot of cars and trucks on the road. There are studies that the air pollution is causing an early death here in LA. I know it's sad...we can only hope that the gov't controls it in some way.

I am not bashing LA/OC. I'm just sharing my personal experiences and observations. Isn't that what a forum is about? I am fair and if I were asked positive things about LA/OC I would gladly offer my thoughts. It's all relative....you take the good with the bad.
No, not you. I was talking to LAJohnny.
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Old 07-31-2007, 10:25 AM
 
Location: Kingwood, Texas
499 posts, read 2,149,487 times
Reputation: 343
No matter how bad you think it looks now, you should have seen it in late 60's, early 70's

These days are Rocky Mountain air compared to when I was a kid. Used to be you'd look out over a dark brown blanket that covered the whole LA/OC basin.
If you landed in an airplane, it was most obvious, coming down through that brown smog was disgusting.

I'm not saying it's great now, just that it sure has improved.

One reason the smog sits here is because the winds blow in from ocean and push it up against the mountains. Which is why places like San Bernardino, which sit at the base of the mountains, only ever clear up during Santa Ana winds (Santa Ana winds blow opposite, from dry desert, towards ocean)
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Old 07-31-2007, 10:26 AM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,338 posts, read 93,427,408 times
Reputation: 17827
Quote:
Originally Posted by CLQ View Post
It's because way too many people live here and don't mind sitting in traffic for hours everyday.
There are a lot of topographic (basin) and meteorological (inversion layer, prevailing winds) characteristics of the region that affect the air quality. It still is much better than it was 30 years ago. Vehicles are much cleaner burning and more fuel efficient now too.

When was the last time someone heard the term "smog alert"? (Probably about when they used to test the air raid sirens at 10AM last Friday of the month....)
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Old 07-31-2007, 01:45 PM
 
Location: Prospect, KY
5,284 posts, read 19,987,982 times
Reputation: 6656
Charles that is very true - we have not had a smog alert in a long time but Los Angeles County/Long Beach/San Bernardino/Riverside still have the dirtiest air in the nation with the highest particulate pollution (the worst type of air pollution) in the nation....breathing this air can't be good for you.

I live in Long Beach (refineries and the port contribute heavily to our air pollution) - I wipe down our patio furniture every single day - it is amazing how filthy it gets even after a few hours - everything outside in the yard (fence, gates, mail box, furniture) has to be hosed and wiped down constantly because of the constant build-up of petroleum infused pollution that sticks to everything. We are breathing that air.

There are many things I love about So. California but the air is not one of them.
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Old 07-31-2007, 06:28 PM
 
Location: California
157 posts, read 673,831 times
Reputation: 75
Ok question...

We live in Newport Beach (been here for 11 months). The other day my wife and I wiped a few paper towels full of black residue off our screen doors.

Is that bad air? I mean this was like black sludge that looked like tar.

I assume that is bad air, because we don't have construction near us or anything. We do have lot's of Airplanes that go overhead and we are close to PCH. I have never seen anything like it before, and we thought the air in NB is good, by reading the Sunday paper.
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