American Fuel

In the early 1980's I had to complete a project in a production plant in LA. One day we were sitting in the cafeteria discussing the weather. I naively asked why it always seemed so cloudy if LA gets so little rain? Everyone laughed and told me it wasn't rain clouds but rather smog. The next comment someone made was how beautiful the mountains looked on a clear day. I was there the better part of a month before there was actually a "clear day". I was astonished to see the ring of mountains surrounding the city.

Flying back to Chicago I could smell diesel fumes about 100 miles from the city. I looked out the window and could see what looked like the cloud that always surrounds Pig Pen in the old Snoopy comics. It was the pollution hovering over the downtown area. The top of the Sears tower was barely peeking out of the mess. In less than 2 months I'd seen the 2 worst examples of pollution in my life.

Thankfully we've made some progress on air quality since then. I really wonder what we could accomplish without the politics and special interests.

rgatijnet1 wrote:
All of the extra fuel Tax in California has meant that they used to have very polluted air, that you could see, to the point where they STILL have very polluted air, but it looks cleaner. :B Top 10 worst air pollution

And if the EPA had done nothing? :h

We would be wearing masks like they do in China.

MM.

All of the extra fuel Tax in California has meant that they used to have very polluted air, that you could see, to the point where they STILL have very polluted air, but it looks cleaner. :B Top 10 worst air pollution

VinCee, there is certainly fog at the ocean, especially, in June. They call it June gloom. But, it usually burns off by noon-1:00 PM. In the desert, it's dry as a bone, which means, no mosquito's or other flying bugs.

We can leave a door open on beautiful days. We do have 'crawly' things like scorpions, lizards, snakes, etc. that we have to look out for. We usually leave the desert in the summer (110-120 degrees) and go to the coast which is beautiful in the summer months. TN is hot and humid in the summer as is most of the the state east of the Mississippi. I don't like humidity.... grew up in it, try to stay away from those area's.

MM.

I've only been to California one time and was taken aback by the sheer beauty that I only heard of or seen in movies or tv. However, there are other beautiful states that have their own beauty that I would enjoy as much. I live in the California of the East, New York, and have had enough greedy take and spend and tax, tax, and tax political climate. Its not about the people, its "ALL" about the politician's and which group they can shake down for kick backs and favors the most. See out come today of Virginia governor and his greedy wife.

I was also wondering if the moisture from the Pacific Ocean helps trap the pollutants in the air causing the "fog" of pollution talked about, more so than inland large cities and states.

Mr.Mark wrote:

Sez Hoo! wrote:
Never mind the 70's. LA air is still horrible. Last year I was out that way, coming down I-15 through the Cajon Pass. As you come down the pass into San Bernadino you can just see the smog in the air. Talk about nasty! It was down right discusting. Thankfully the mountains keep that nasty air from coming east.

If you think that was nasty, it was so much worse as John mentioned above. San Bernadino gets a bad wrap because it sits in a 'natural' bowl. There is no where for the smog to go Sure, there is some smog in other parts of California, mainly, near the big cities. Some people don't realize how big the state of California really is.

Our air quality in Palm Springs is quite nice but sometimes we get dust storms. It is a requirement when building that a water truck spray anything that disturbs the dirt/sand. It has helped eliminate extra dust getting into the air.

At most construction sites, there are banners/signs posted "If you see dust blowing from this area, call Steve Doe at xxx-xxx-xxxx". They take it seriously.

I have been coming out to CA from my home state of TN for 25 yrs. CA is by far my favorite state because there is so much here within 150 miles (ocean, mountains, desert, etc., and further north, the giant redwoods).

And yes, everything is more expensive, gas, taxes, food, etc., but you just can't beat the weather and beauty of the mountains.

MM.

Hear hear. We'll be back at our place in Palm Springs in 6 weeks.

Sez Hoo! wrote:
Never mind the 70's. LA air is still horrible. Last year I was out that way, coming down I-15 through the Cajon Pass. As you come down the pass into San Bernadino you can just see the smog in the air. Talk about nasty! It was down right discusting. Thankfully the mountains keep that nasty air from coming east.

If you think that was nasty, it was so much worse as John mentioned above. San Bernadino gets a bad wrap because it sits in a 'natural' bowl. There is no where for the smog to go Sure, there is some smog in other parts of California, mainly, near the big cities. Some people don't realize how big the state of California really is.

Our air quality in Palm Springs is quite nice but sometimes we get dust storms. It is a requirement when building that a water truck spray anything that disturbs the dirt/sand. It has helped eliminate extra dust getting into the air.

At most construction sites, there are banners/signs posted "If you see dust blowing from this area, call Steve Doe at xxx-xxx-xxxx". They take it seriously.

I have been coming out to CA from my home state of TN for 25 yrs. CA is by far my favorite state because there is so much here within 150 miles (ocean, mountains, desert, etc., and further north, the giant redwoods).

And yes, everything is more expensive, gas, taxes, food, etc., but you just can't beat the weather and beauty of the mountains.

MM.

Never mind the 70's. LA air is still horrible. Last year I was out that way, coming down I-15 through the Cajon Pass. As you come down the pass into San Bernadino you can just see the smog in the air. Talk about nasty! It was down right discusting. Thankfully the mountains keep that nasty air from coming east.

Laman wrote:

sh410 wrote:
Snip: "how did we get here anyhow?"

Think large conglomerate farming, large chemical, large oil(fertilizer), and their lobbyists, and finally farm belt lawmakers.

You left out the main culprit the infamous EPA.

then again, without the EPA we would still be able to see the air we breath. Ever visit LA in the 70's. Nobody new they had mountains surrounding them. :) Couldn't see more than a mile. Ill take cleaner air anyday over anything else or any cost.

Laman wrote:

sh410 wrote:
Snip: "how did we get here anyhow?"

Think large conglomerate farming, large chemical, large oil(fertilizer), and their lobbyists, and finally farm belt lawmakers.

You left out the main culprit the infamous EPA.

Nope! Blaming the EPA lets the lawmakers off the hook.