L.A. Tops List of Nation's Most Polluted Cities

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Not surprising I guess. But 46% of the country (http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=40404&ct=3834289) lives in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution, that's surprising.

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L.A. tops list of nation's most polluted (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070501/ap_on_sc/polluted_cities_11)
NOAKI SCHWARTZ, Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles can continue being the butt of smog jokes now that it has once again topped the American Lung Association's bad air list of most polluted cities in America.

The association found that the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside metropolitan area had the worst air based on 2003 through 2005 figures.

The Pittsburgh area was ranked as the nation's second most polluted metropolitan area followed by Bakersfield, Calif., Birmingham, Ala., Detroit and Cleveland. Visalia, Calif., Cincinnati, Indianapolis and St. Louis rounded out the top 10.

The news wasn't all bad for Los Angeles. Despite the dubious distinction, the number of days residents breathed the nation's worst ozone levels was fewer than in previous years.

"Nobody is surprised that LA has an air pollution problem," said Janice Nolen, the association's assistant vice president for national policy and advocacy. "The problems there are one of the reasons we have the Clean Air Act. But it is important for folks to know that there has been some improvement."

The organization based the rankings on ozone pollution levels produced when heat and sunlight come into contact with pollutants from power plants, cars, refineries and other sources. The group also studied particle pollution levels emitted from these sources, which are made up of a mix of tiny solid and liquid particles in the air.

Such pollution can contribute to heart disease, lung cancer and asthma attacks, the association said. Those especially vulnerable to polluted air are children, senior citizens, people who work or exercise outdoors and people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Nearly half of the U.S. population lives in counties that still have unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution, even though there appeared to be less ozone in many counties than previous years, the study found.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

May 1, 2007
Breathing dirty air? You can find out with the American Lung Association State of the Air: 2007 report.
Check YOUR air in the 'How's Your Air' box to the left or click on your state in the map below to learn how ozone and particle pollution hurts your lungs -- and what you can do to protect yourself. Tell the EPA to strengthen ozone smog standards (http://www.lungaction.org/campaign/SOTA2007) -- the state of our air relies on your support.
<center>http://img.getactivehub.com/gv2/custom_images/reports/SOTA_map03.gif Click on your state on the above map or select your state from this listing: (http://lungaction.org/reports/stateoftheair2007.html)
<form name="STATE" action="SOTA07_stateozone.html" method="post"> <select onchange="window.document.STATE.submit();" name="geo_area_id"> <option value="">SELECT A STATE</option> <option value="01">Alabama</option> <option value="02">Alaska</option> <option value="04">Arizona</option> <option value="05">Arkansas</option> <option value="06">California</option> <option value="08">Colorado</option> <option value="09">Connecticut</option> <option value="10">Delaware</option> <option value="11">District of Columbia</option> <option value="12">Florida</option> <option value="13">Georgia</option> <option value="15">Hawaii</option> <option value="16">Idaho</option> <option value="17">Illinois</option> <option value="18">Indiana</option> <option value="19">Iowa</option> <option value="20">Kansas</option> <option value="21">Kentucky</option> <option value="22">Louisiana</option> <option value="23">Maine</option> <option value="24">Maryland</option> <option value="25">Massachusetts</option> <option value="26">Michigan</option> <option value="27">Minnesota</option> <option value="28">Mississippi</option> <option value="29">Missouri</option> <option value="30">Montana</option> <option value="31">Nebraska</option> <option value="32">Nevada</option> <option value="33">New Hampshire</option> <option value="34">New Jersey</option> <option value="35">New Mexico</option> <option value="36">New York</option> <option value="37">North Carolina</option> <option value="38">North Dakota</option> <option value="39">Ohio</option> <option value="40">Oklahoma</option> <option value="41">Oregon</option> <option value="42">Pennsylvania</option> <option value="72">Puerto Rico</option> <option value="44">Rhode Island</option> <option value="45">South Carolina</option> <option value="46">South Dakota</option> <option value="47">Tennessee</option> <option value="48">Texas</option> <option value="49">Utah</option> <option value="50">Vermont</option> <option value="78">Virgin Islands</option> <option value="51">Virginia</option> <option value="53">Washington</option> <option value="54">West Virginia</option> <option value="55">Wisconsin</option> <option value="56">Wyoming</option></select>
</form></center>

[Rohirrim]

My home town takes the award! Hooray! !Booya!

[HorseHead]

breathin' easy in New England, everybody is invited to come up this summer. Just bring beer....

[Los Broncos]

The smog has been bad here since i was a kid. I remember playing outside with friends and having a heavy chest.

[Steve Sewell]

The smog has been bad here since i was a kid. I remember playing outside with friends and having a heavy chest.

That was from eating paint chips and living under a power line, not the smog.

[Dukes]

Just add that to the numerous reasons why I can't wait to get back to Denver

[Steve Sewell]

Just add that to the numerous reasons why I can't wait to get back to Denver

Man, Denver has HORRIBLE pollution. Denver and L.A. compete annually for the cities with the worst air pollution.

[Los Broncos]

That was from eating paint chips and living under a power line, not the smog.

Ahh ok.

[Steve Sewell]

Ahh ok.

Tommy Boy quote, just joking!

[cabronco]

The smog has been bad here since i was a kid. I remember playing outside with friends and having a heavy chest.

Ya apparently 20 odd years ago, the pollution was twice as bad as it is today. I remember playing w/ my friends and going swimming at the local High School growing up in Orange County. I thought I was going to die walking 1/2 mile home from swimming. My eyes would burn like a mutha most days too. I dont miss all the smog today. I very rarely drive down into LA, unless its a Kings game once or twice a year.

[Los Broncos]

Ya apparently 20 odd years ago, the pollution was twice as bad as it is today. I remember playing w/ my friends and going swimming at the local High School growing up in Orange County. I thought I was going to die walking 1/2 mile home from swimming. My eyes would burn like a mutha most days too. I dont miss all the smog today. I very rarely drive down into LA, unless its a Kings game once or twice a year.

Yeah same here. I grew up in socal, went to the park pool and had the same thing happen to me. Just so many people living here.

[Los Broncos]

Tommy Boy quote, just joking!

:thumbsup:

[Rock Chalk]

Odd, Houston was up there at #1 not too long ago and isnt even in the top 10 now?

I dont remember doing anything to curb pollution here...hmm...

[Jason in LA]

I've never seen what the big deal was over the smog. The only time I ever notice it is when I'm in a tall building, or when I'm in a plane that is about to land.

I've always been an outdoor guy. Played football and ran track. Played outside all day as a kid, and I never had any breathing problems.

I never understood why people made such a big deal over the smog, which probably isn't as bad as people make it out to be. People act like the sky isn't blue out here.

Complaining about the smog in LA is like complaining about Shaq's free throw problem. It's not that big of a deal. I didn't have a problem with Shaq's free throw problems because he was leading my Lakers to titles. I don't mind the smog issue because I don't even notice it.

I've never walked out the front door and said "Damn, it's smoggy today, I need to move." But I have walked out of my door in the middle of winter and said "it's a T shirt and shorts day."

[NaptownChief]

So what are all of these vocal Hollywood Green freaks doing to fix this? They sure don't mind running around telling everyone else what they should be doing....maybe they should clean up their own backyard before they proclaim to be an expert and try to push their agenda on everyone else.

[TallyBronco]

Oh, please, stop with the alarmism. Nobody loves pollution, but America's air and water has gotten much cleaner in the last thirty years. LA smog was far far worse in the 1970s.

[TailgateNut]

Man, Denver has HORRIBLE pollution. Denver and L.A. compete annually for the cities with the worst air pollution.


Granted the air in Denver is getting worse, but NOTHING compares to the **** in the air anywhere near LA. We were out there last month and I thought I was going to croak. My eyes felt as if they were bleeding. F-ing nasty.

[watermock]

People like to hammer GE as a monolith, but they have done some damn good things regarding specifically coal burning powerplants.

I don't like strip mining anymore than anyone, but it's an evil that beats financing the enemy.

Say what you want about Nixon, but he created the EPA and the skies are cleaner now by far. A hundred years ago, London and other cities were absolutely blackened. Cars are so clean now it's comical compared to before cats. No not kitty cats, catalytic converters. Find me a cure for the litter box. I tried to teach Pooter to go into the toilet but he never caught on. heh. Evidently it can be done.

GE has also made jet engines that are cleaner and quieter, as well as more fuel efficient that can propel a jumbo with two engines.

Anyone who travels on Santa Fe has seen the huge coal trains from Wyoming.

I'm not saying GE is an angel, just they have made some good innovations.

There is a HUGE ethanol plant going up close to me.

[TailgateNut]

I've never seen what the big deal was over the smog. The only time I ever notice it is when I'm in a tall building, or when I'm in a plane that is about to land.

I've always been an outdoor guy. Played football and ran track. Played outside all day as a kid, and I never had any breathing problems.

I never understood why people made such a big deal over the smog, which probably isn't as bad as people make it out to be. People act like the sky isn't blue out here.

Complaining about the smog in LA is like complaining about Shaq's free throw problem. It's not that big of a deal. I didn't have a problem with Shaq's free throw problems because he was leading my Lakers to titles. I don't mind the smog issue because I don't even notice it.

I've never walked out the front door and said "Damn, it's smoggy today, I need to move." But I have walked out of my door in the middle of winter and said "it's a T shirt and shorts day."

I prefer snow and breathable air, in lieu of being able to wear shorts every day in the winter, although I probably wear shorts on 30-40% of the winter days.

You probably don't notice for the same reason a Sewage Treatment Plant worker doesn't notice the distinct smell of ****!

[DomCasual]

Believe it or not, there are several days each year when Salt Lake City has the worst air in the country. You wouldn't believe it some winter days. The smog just gets locked in against the mountains and has nowhere to go. This last winter, there were people hopping on planes and leaving for several weeks at a time, just to wait it out.

I really don't like living here. Really.

[Los Broncos]

Believe it or not, there are several days each year when Salt Lake City has the worst air in the country. You wouldn't believe it some winter days. The smog just gets locked in against the mountains and has nowhere to go. This last winter, there were people hopping on planes and leaving for several weeks at a time, just to wait it out.

I really don't like living here. Really.

I have family out there and i love visiting my mother to go get some fresh air.

[Jason in LA]

I prefer snow and breathable air, in lieu of being able to wear shorts every day in the winter, although I probably wear shorts on 30-40% of the winter days.

You probably don't notice for the same reason a Sewage Treatment Plant worker doesn't notice the distinct smell of ****!

You think the air is unbreathable? That's a reach. I'd say that people make too much of a big deal over the air in LA. I'm not going to say that the air is great, but come on. It's far from unbreathable. To me it's not even an issue.

If people want to complain about LA, smog isn't the thing to complain about. Complain about the traffic, but smog? Like I said, that's like complaining about Shaq's free throws. It's not as big of a deal as people make it out to be.

[CBF1]

We are #1


We are #1


We are #1

And I thought that crime, over population, traffic and high prices made SoCal a bad place to live. I will have to reconsider now :)

[TailgateNut]

We are #1


We are #1


We are #1

And I thought that crime, over population, traffic and high prices made SoCal a bad place to live. I will have to reconsider now :)


:rofl:

[TailgateNut]

You think the air is unbreathable? That's a reach. I'd say that people make too much of a big deal over the air in LA. I'm not going to say that the air is great, but come on. It's far from unbreathable. To me it's not even an issue.

If people want to complain about LA, smog isn't the thing to complain about. Complain about the traffic, but smog? Like I said, that's like complaining about Shaq's free throws. It's not as big of a deal as people make it out to be.


YES, Un-f-ing breathable. I guess that **** also smells good to people who work in "turd factories"!

Your air SUCKS! Your traffic SUCKS! ...and I met more rude people there than I have in quite a few years of travel. New Jersey may have you beat in nasty air and nasty people, but you're a close second.

Sorry about that ratings!
The truth hurts, but it's still the truth!

[Jason in LA]

YES, Un-f-ing breathable. I guess that **** also smells good to people who work in "turd factories"!

Your air SUCKS! Your traffic SUCKS! ...and I met more rude people there than I have in quite a few years of travel. New Jersey may have you beat in nasty air and nasty people, but you're a close second.

Sorry about that ratings!
The truth hurts, but it's still the truth!

I'd say that you, like most people, are over stating the problem. The way some people talk you'd think that people would get lung cancer by high school and drop dead by 40.

Bad traffic is way more of a problem than the air.

As for the snow that you mentioned, I'll take this bad air the I don't even notice over snow, that would be a major pain in the ass on a daily basis. I went to Denver for the final game at the Old Mile High, and there is no way that I could live in that weather. And it didn't even snow that weekend.

One more thing about the horrible smog. If it was so bad, then why do so many people move here? I've spoken to many people who said they would never move back to where ever they came from. I've never spoken to a single transplant who said that they did not like LA. They all love it here. Hell, people come to visit and then just move here.

[Rock Chalk]

Jason your opinion is biased on this matter because your lungs are used to the horrendousness that is LA air.

To people not from California, its unbearable. Its akin to an Eskimo trying to survive a Houston summer. Or a Jamaican trying to survive an Alaskan winter.

The air is THAT bad. Its not noticeable to you because you live there and for some reason you love it there. Its noticeable to everyone else on the planet though and its a BIG deal.

[TailgateNut]

I'd say that you, like most people, are over stating the problem. The way some people talk you'd think that people would get lung cancer by high school and drop dead by 40.

Bad traffic is way more of a problem than the air.

As for the snow that you mentioned, I'll take this bad air the I don't even notice over snow, that would be a major pain in the ass on a daily basis. I went to Denver for the final game at the Old Mile High, and there is no way that I could live in that weather. And it didn't even snow that weekend.

One more thing about the horrible smog. If it was so bad, then why do so many people move here? I've spoken to many people who said they would never move back to where ever they came from. I've never spoken to a single transplant who said that they did not like LA. They all love it here. Hell, people come to visit and then just move here.


Well, you've just convinced me that the smog does have negative effects on the "inhabitants" of LA.

What was the problem during the last game at Mile High, if you were really there?

If the air is so great why do so many socalifornians move to Colorado? I bet if you'ld survey the residents of Highlands Ranch, you'ld find that the majority are CA transplants!

People come to visit and stay??? You make it sound like it's Maui, and Maui it ISN'T.

Anywhoo, I'm done arguing about quality of life here vs there. More power to you if you love the LA lifestyle and stench! You can have my share.
I may stop off there to change planes on my next flight to Hawaii, other than that I wont be going back!
Period!

[Rohirrim]

Walk down any street in L.A. you can hear the trees coughing.

[TailgateNut]

Jason your opinion is biased on this matter because your lungs are used to the horrendousness that is LA air.

To people not from California, its unbearable. Its akin to an Eskimo trying to survive a Houston summer. Or a Jamaican trying to survive an Alaskan winter.

The air is THAT bad. Its not noticeable to you because you live there and for some reason you love it there. Its noticeable to everyone else on the planet though and its a BIG deal.


THANK YOU!

Alec, I've been all over the world, and what I experienced last month near LA was the worst ever. ( there was a time back in the late 70's when I cruised through NJ, and it was almost as nasty, but my memory isn't good enough to honestly compare the two).

I personally think chainsmoking/ non-stop would be healthier than breathing that **** they call air!

[TailgateNut]

Walk down any street in L.A. you can hear the trees coughing.
ROFL!

[CBF1]

Walk down any street in L.A. you can hear the trees coughing.

That's not the tree's coughing, That is gunfire you hear!!! Sorry Jason, But LA sucks and I am a native.... If it was not for the abilitly to wear shorts year round this place could fall into the ocean and I would not care.





And it might one day fall into the ocean after the big QUAKE hits :)

[400HZ]

People in L.A. buy greenhouse credits from Malaysia to off set it! You guys don't understand. L.A. is green friendly!