Chasing Clean Air

Who do you trust with your clean and dirty air news?

Who do you trust for your Southern California smog index when Santa Barbara fires rage out of control on day four?

Trust yourself one. Trust me two.

If you see gray/black soot in the air stay indoors, preferably with oxygenating plants and a good air purifier. And even if you're healthy don't exercise outdoors.

Avoid using leaf blowers in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara Counties, which will blow settled soot back into the air.

I don't know what's up with the LA Times and South Coast Air Quality Management (SCAQMD) forecast.

As Santa Barbara fires continue to burn brush and homes, the LA Times posted SCAQMD's air quality forecast for Santa Barbara's air today as GOOD.

Typo or ?

Santa Barbara got a green circle, while the rest of us got yellow, which makes me wonder are air quality measurements printed willy nilly.

So often the truth about what's in our air doesn't get out to the public. What if an asthmatic really needs to know the truth? In today's case, everyone who lives near Santa Barbara knows the air is filthy.

Page one LA Times May 9, 2009: In Santa Barbara fire zone, 'everybody's affected now'. Page 19, ' A raging line of flames and smoke'.

Good air?

Bad publishing.

According to Santa Barbara pollution control agency, today's air quality rating went from a warning to a watch.

They recommend if you experience wheezing, chest tightness or a persistent cough to seek medical attention. You can read more here.

Above photo is day one Santa Barbara fires as seen at Santa Monica beach where winds blew fine particulates to L.A.

Here's another smog photo in Los Angeles I took on a day when the paper said good air quality: 

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Santa Barbara is a great get-away for Los Angeles-residents.

It's an upscale beach town with UC Santa Barbara, sitting like a crown jewel up the main road with Pacific Ocean vistas.

Felice and I spent eight hours in Santa Barbara. I was in town to interview for an adjunct teaching job at UC Santa Barbara.  It was hot and humid, pollens trapped in heavy moisture. Felice and I alternately coughed and sneezed our way toward U.C. Santa Barbara where I interviewed for the job. I'll save you the details, let's just say, the so-called job that may, or may not have funding for the fall, was not for me. Lucky for me, though, Felice is a dream traveling companion. Here's Felice's famous smile under the red umbrella. Felice and I experienced serious smog along the 101 on our way to Santa Barbara. Most people think that Santa Barbara has clean air. It's cleaner than Los Angeles, by far but...

Summers are always smog challenged throughout Southern California.

The American Lung Association http://www.lungusa.org gave Santa Barbara an F for ozone pollution. And many homes in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties have higher than normal radon levels, so if you live there, or may buy, it's a good idea to have your place tested.

According to a ALA press release: Ozone acts as a powerful respiratory irritant at the levels frequently found in most of the nation's urban areas during summer months. Ozone exposure may lead to:
premature death
shortness of breath
chest pain when inhaling deeply, and wheezing and coughing

A few miles before we reached S.B. in nearby Ventura, the smog covered the mountains. Not as bad as LA., but close. We're having very hot days and this contributes to the problem.

At the UC Santa Barbara campus I noted this recycle bin.

A few miles before we reached S.B. in nearby Ventura, the smog covered the mountains. Not as bad as LA., but close. We're having very hot days and this contributes to the problem.

At the UC Santa Barbara campus I noted this recycle bin.