Ask Donna: Oregon vs. Southern California

Hi Donna,

I moved to Portland this year partly due to health concerns living in LOS ANGELES for many years (West LA, within 2 miles of the ocean).

But I have actually developed bad allergies living here that really affect my daily quality of life ( I don' t like to use meds)  and my beloved pet cat's mild asthma is worse than ever here in SW Portland. That combined with the grey skies makes me want to return to California.

I never felt the air was that bad in Santa Monica or Malibu by the beach, but maybe I'm fooling myself.

Are there any parts of LA County or Orange County that are relatively unafffected by air pollution?

Is it true that SF Valley is very toxic in terms of air quality?

Thank you so much for any help.

Warm regards,

Norah

Dear Norah,

Timing!

I just returned from Portland, which I loved for many reasons. But first, I understand with all the green growing in Portland some people and pets are susceptible to allergies and asthma. This is a personal thing, and one can only know from spending time.

Others say a wet environment encourages mold, which can trigger health impacts.

Others have moved from Southern California to Portland and breathed much easier, and have raved about giving up their meds that kept them comfortable in S. California. 

You are correct that Santa Monica and Malibu offer better breathing than other S. California areas but I'm not sure by how much. I believe it's slightly better. This is a car culture, with an added fine particulate assault from trucks and planes and ships off-shore. Winds tend to blow east, which is why certain beach communities are better than other areas which accumulate dust; especially better if you live and work more than 1 and 1/2 miles from a freeway.

Regarding the San Fernando Valley, it is a basin and all that car exhaust tends to bake, especially in our hot temps creating ozone. So yes what you hear is true.

You might consider Ventura County--Ventura and Ojai.  Ventura I understand is more mindful than L.A. County regarding over-development and they don't have the huge L.A. population.

Back to Oregon and comparisons...

I'm aware that Eugene, about 2 hours drive south of Portland, is the pollen capital of America. It's located at the lower tip of the Willamette Valley, a farmland basin. In the fall, grass seeds are harvested, something I learned I'm allergic to. I've been to both Eugene and Portland in the fall and did well in Portland but not Eugene.   

While Portland isn't all of Oregon, I'll tell you why I liked Portland in context of a Southern Californian's view. Keep in mind, I have not lived there so this is a visitor's perspective.

• Portland has little traffic compared to Southern California, especially L.A.
• Portland is a city steeped in nature, not concrete like L.A and growing with continual construction everywhere. There seems to be no limit to the amount of building that can go on in Los Angeles at one time. Portland offers awesome trails to hike within the city and beyond. Los Angeles has few parks and places for community without a drive. Traffic.
• Portland offers culture--symphony, theater, dance opportunities. I went to the symphony there on a Saturday night, no traffic, no parking problems. Ease. I gave up going to symphony in Los Angeles on a Saturday night because of traffic, no ease.

• Portland prioritizes "green" living, as does Los Angeles but because L.A. and most of Southern California is a car culture with inadequate public transportation the green is cloaked in smog and traffic jams.

One thing I love about Los Angeles is the creative community and diversity. There are a lot of great people that live in Los Angeles but we breathe poor air most of the year. A lot of experts say the air is much better than decades ago but truthfully that doesn't make it good.

L.A. and Southern California as a whole, is a car culture.

Nothing being perfect, if you miss the sun and felt well in the beach communities here, if I were you I'd give Southern California a try knowing nothing is perfect and nowhere has everything.

I have a few friends who were able to order their lives to live and work in Santa Monica, rarely leaving. They love it. The thing is if you want to leave, say at 3 p.m. to go a few miles east toward West L.A. or to a freeway you might reconsider due to traffic jams. We have the sort of traffic jams where it's necessary to keep extra food and water in your car. Just in case a few hours pass on an otherwise 3 mile drive. (It's happened to me.)

My Southern California picks for you to check out include Ojai (though a lot of foliage there so not sure about your allergies), Santa Monica, Malibu, and possibly a beach community near San Diego. They are pricey and not perfect but the sun will shine on you and hopefully your allergies and your cat's asthma will subside.

In my clean air search, without doubt, I realize how very individual we all are. So my suggestions are based on what you've shared. I can't know what's truly best for another. I hope my travels and insight shed light on what may work better for you and your cat.

Best wishes,

 

Donna