Donna,
Every morning I am searching for websites that will answer my questions:
Where do I find clean air in Marin County; in the Bay Area, in California... to live, to vacation? Which politicians or organizations are truly committed to clean air? Why is there a lack of media attention to clean air? Why is the general public complacent about clean air?
Starting winter 2007 the wood smoke pollution in Novato became intolerable for me to breathe (I have no lung problems) and I lobbied the Bay Area Air Quality Management to limit and preferably eliminate fireplace wood burning. Regulation 6 passed in July which prohibits wood burning on spare the air days and excessive chimney smoke year round.
Neighbors are still burning, even after receiving information about the health consequences of their wood smoke, my suggestions to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on the need to mail a copy of the regulation to each homeowner have been ignored, the media lacks interest, and the politicians are no help.
I am looking for a group of people who are committed to the cause. Any suggestions?
Hope you write your book soon. Your title is perfect. That is exactly what I have been doing this past year: "Chasing Clean Air".
Thank you,
Norma
Dear Norma,
For Marin, Point Reyes may be the cleanest but it's fairly remote, expensive, and I understand mold is an issue for many residents living in West Marin.
Point Reyes is a California state park on the beach and it's beautiful. You'd need to check how close neighbors are, and if they burn wood with fine particulates blowing in the wind. Winds tend to blow east.
According to the Clean Air Task Force, an organization that rated risk from diesel soot in U.S. counties, Marin ranked 852 of 3,109 counties. Unhealthy. (Though not nearly as bad as Los Angeles)
Lake, Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties reportedly have some of California's cleanest air but that's according to the American Lung Association, which doesn't test for pesticides.
Right now twist ties to defeat the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) have been distributed throughout parts of Marin, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Napa, Sonoma and Los Angeles Counties. I've had trouble finding out exactly where these twist ties are, and what's in them. I know carcinogens and hormone disruptors were in the LBAM aerial pesticide spray in Nov. 2007 in Monterey County (I was there as a visitor, and I felt sick as a result).
I wish your neighbors would be more considerate of your health. I wonder if they need a new cleaner stove and or fireplace. If that's the case, some clean air agencies help pay for them. I'm not sure if BAAQMD will or not. I just checked and didn't see incentives for stoves, though I know other areas do offer this and maybe BAAQMD can start.
By way of example, Lane Regional Air Protection Agency in Southern Oregon provides tax incentives for clean-burning pellet stoves or certified woodstoves.
Meanwhile, I suggest buying air purifiers and placing more than one in your living room and bedroom.
Sometimes it takes a scream, and writing letters, testifying for stricter air pollution standards to get noticed and get things done.
Other times, it takes extra consideration for your neighbor, friend, and family-member's well-being.
I'm sorry you're suffering.
Best wishes,
Donna
Photo of Monterey, California taken October 25, 2009
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