Chasing Clean Air

Southern California Fires Create Toxic Snow-Like Air

The white gray ash-fallen sky reminds me of a new kind of snow. Fireball ash snow raining toxins, spreading throughout our city, lungs, and blood stream.

What became of the furniture, TVs, refrigerators, batteries, dolls, beds, computers, and cars that burned I wonder?

Was there asbestos in the walls of the homes?

Am I breathing toxic snow right now?

Are you?

I just took these Southern California air quality photos, post most fires, though some fires still burn.

I drove up a Bel Air hill, took Las Flores Road and shot these pictures overlooking Westwood at 5 p.m. today.

Can you see the tall buildings along the Wilshire Corridor?

Los Angeles Toxic Air Feels Lousy During Fire's Aftermath

This photo of what I call toxic snow, or in modern vernacular, Los Angeles air, was taken today, a sunny 85 degree day post fires.

Most the fires are now under control. How about our bodies and lungs?

Look at this photo and wonder. And take cover as best you can.

You hear about the largest evacuation in California's history due to fires.

You hear about lost homes.

And when you live here you hear about young, middle-aged, and old people complaining of tight chests, nausea, head-aches, sore-throats, coughing, feeling off, and if you don't have any of these symptoms, you are so fortunate because most of us do.

Just doing small errands outdoors can put your short and long term health at risk.

I can't imagine living in drought conditions much longer.  I feel for those in the Southeast as well. They're suffering. I hope they're not next to experience a fire like ours.

Global warming.

I believe Los Angeles' and other nearby fires are, in part, an example of the high cost--health and money and structures lost--of what can happen from not doing enough to curb our contribution to climate change.

Carbon trading.

It sounds so bogus to me. I paid a visit to a company the other day that declared they're carbon neutral. They planted a 1000 trees in someone else's backyard, and, therefore, according to them, they offset their carbon footprint.

Bull.

They had no recycling in place. No reusable dishes or utensils rather they used plastic and threw everything in the trash with everything else. Lights were on all over the place despite the fact no one was around. And they did not discourage commuters in their cars from finding an alternative way to get to work.

We can't trade our polluting behavior here by doing good there. We need to do good, period. Start new habits. Use renewable energy sources, only. Recycle. The technology is here.

Where's our leadership?

In companies.

In non-profits.

In government.

New evacuations in Orange County are going on right now. It's breaking news. More smoke. More toxic air, choking our city and lungs.

If you have lung disease and must go out, you can take a wet towel/cloth and keep it near your nose and mouth.

(800) LUNG-USA for American Lung Association information about how to protect your lungs.

Health Effects of Southern California Fires

Don't breathe.

It is so toxic in Los Angeles.

Okay, breathe.

But oh my God! According to the news, NASA said one year's worth of CO2 and poisons from equivalent of 3.6 million driving cars is in our air right now.

A lot of people feel ill. Thick gray skies.

I woke up with a headache and nauseated, and, no surprise, feeling down. I forced myself to gym, which helped. And now I'm relaxing with wine.

Everything I do, and most others I know, is indoors while in Southern California.

Here's a link to NASA photos of fires. http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_7278449

Change your HEPA air filters (recommended), and obviously avoid going outside.

For the future:

• Consider a fire-resistant roof
• Double-paned windows
• Trim trees away from home
• Get rid of all brush within 100 ft of house

Signing off as it cools down in Los Angeles to maybe 80s.

The Greening of Make-Up

Beauty in a bottle.

Yep.

Sure.

"You look better without make-up" the choir belts out but I don't buy it.

I buy organic cosmetics.

Studies say there's an increased rate of bladder cancer for women using make-up, men too. So I tossed Lancome to Revlon lipsticks, blushes, and face make-up into a toxic sludge pile.

And what about hair dyes?

I'm committed to gracefully going gray. When my time is more ripe, I may start the Gracefully Gray media campaign.

Here's a link to a friend, who is just that, and a poet/writer/editor, too. Check out her book for a holiday gift.

www.dinahberland.com

A sort of jewel emerged from my toxic cosmetic rubble, a jewel I must protect from loss, for beauty in a bottle does not come cheap.

The other day I left my new make-up bag by the blow-dryer in my gym's locker room and panic set in. Replacement costs of this bag would cost me hundreds. My organic counterparts of colors and creams that will pave the way to a less toxic me were all in one place. Now far from home.

Here's what was in my new make-up bag:

Zuzu makes creamy lipsticks in beautiful colors. I bought three.

Dr. Hauschka Translucent Make-up is the best face-make-up that I've ever used. Great coverage without being cakey. I also use their concealer.

Gabriel mascara and lipsticks. Mascara goes on thick, and is easy to apply. Vibrant coral blush.

Mineral Fusion Cosmetics Triad Eye Color, I bought in golds and browns.

Happily for me, the gym's housekeeping staff turned in my make-up bag. And that bag. I'm holding tight.

Respirator Masks During and Post Fires?

Smoke is thick and it feels lousy to breathe in Los Angeles, naturally. So a few friends bought masks but most don't work because smoke particles are too small and go right through. To know more about respirator masks that may or may not work, the CDC put out info. here: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2003-144/

Friends who have called to check on me and my breathing, since I'm surrounded by California fires, thanks for thinking of me.

Yes, the sky is gray with ash, and easy to choke on if you stay outside. I may drive toward San Francisco to breathe. Until now, there were high winds, and reports of fires jumping freeways, some freeways and roads closed through canyons, so major traffic back-ups on certain roads. I stay inside with air purifiers in each room. Yesterday I went to the gym, very few people showed up.

CNN Planet In Peril

www.CNN.com/planetinperil

Check it out.

I'm watching Planet in Peril, while cooking, and thinking about leaving L.A. tomorrow or next day because it's not only hard to breathe but I feel tired and nauseus again, which I'm 100 % sure is from the thick black air, and I mean, black. The winds have pushed so many fires here, and weatherman says tomorrow the winds will reverse, bringing smoke over the Pacific Ocean back over Los Angeles, and the wind will die, and thick smoke will cook here in the heat. How do you spell disgusting?

There are things I want to do in L.A. this weekend but... but...or...hit the road, Southern Californian nomad seeks refuge in oxygen rich environment.