Chasing Clean Air

Los Angeles To Seattle By Train By Plane We Go

It happened in Los Angeles. That moment in time. 11 a.m. to be exact. When one of us took the train. The other the plane. (Note LA smog in 1st photo, which dissipates as I fly north, up the western United States)

I wanted to dance in Seattle. My girlfriend wanted to relax and gather her thoughts on the train. I suppose 33 hours can do that.

Four hours later I arrived in dramatic clouds with Mount Rainer sticking its majestic head above. My girlfriend, well, I'll see her tomorrow night.  

We both took photos with our iPhone, so you can experience visual delights from Los Angeles to Seattle by plane and train, only you can sit wherever you are. 

I'm relaxing in my hotel room, post dancing in Seattle.

Just Touched Down In Oakland

We just touched down in Oakland where I was able to upload post I wrote an hour ago when taking off. Here's another LA smog photo took from plane an hour ago and truth is I am more excited with the technology that allows me to share from a plane in real, or almost real, time. Thank you, iPhone! While I didn't take Bay Area aerial photo, the sky had a grayish haze in background though nowhere the degree of LA, the smog capital of the western world. There is hope if we change and get onto clean fuels and transport. I can't say I did my part today by virtue of boarding this plane. Passengers are now boarding for second leg of flight to Seattle.

Los Angeles Smog Today Aerial Photo

I just took off from LAX and shot this photo from my iPhone. I already miss those I'm close to but not the Los Angeles air quality. We've had it particularly bad lately with fires and heat though thankfully there's a cooling trend. I'm headed for Seattle.

Clean Air Activities in Los Angeles Saturday October 3, 2009

This Saturday Oct. 3, 2009 there's a lot happening in Los Angeles toward increasing awareness of clean and dirty air.

You might start your day in Burbank at The American Lung Association of Southern California healthy air walk. If you'd like to donate your time or money and learn more, click here.

Then head out to Santa Monica, assuming a tsunami didn't hit Santa Monica hard... very slight chance after 8.0 earthquake in Samoa today. This evening I'm aware there were evacuations in Santa Monica just in case.

Congratulations to Chip Jacobs and William Kelly authors of Smogtown: The Lung-Burning History of Pollution in Los Angeles who will receive the 2009 Green Prize for Sustainable Literature at Santa Monica Library's Green Award Presentation on Saturday, October 3 at 1:00 p.m. 

Support American Lung Association & Healthy Air Walk

October 3, 2009 the American Lung Association of California is sponsoring a healthy air walk in greater Los Angeles. To get involved click here.

According to the American Lung Association, 20,000 Californians die prematurely each year due to breathing toxic air.

3 Favorite Clean Air Destinations

Clean air feels better than dirty air, and until you experience the difference it's hard to put the aliveness oxygen gives into proper words.

I woke thinking about my favorite clean air destinations so far and why.

1. Jasper - Jasper National Park is in Alberta, Canada. There's something about its mountain air that made me feel most alive. Not all mountain air is alike. Trust me. Some are shrouded in smog drifting on winds from cities-- near and far. Some are too high, causing altitude sickness in sensitive individuals (like me). And some are just about right. That's how I experienced Jasper. Just right, light and lively set in grandeur.