Sustainablog in Missouri’s more on top of Los Angeles than I am, mentioning, a few days ago, LA Weekly‘s “Clear and Present Danger” issue, which I finally picked up a copy of. Apparently, smog’s still killing us softly.
Yes, the visible smog’s gotten much less — visible. But now, we have a new problem — “ultrafine particles,” aka smog particles that’re smaller than viruses, and potent enough to cause cancer and Alzheimer’s, among other deadly diseases.
Even as an environmental advocate, I still thought that the doom and gloom consequences of pollution would hit us sometime in the future. You know, like when I’m like 90, and too senile to care. Apparently not. Cancer deaths stats in the worst areas: 1 in 500 people, according to LA Weekly’s color-coded map. And this isn’t just in San Pedro or the 909 — not that I don’t care about the people there. It hits much closer to my home and heart — like Anaheim, where my mom lives.
As someone who lives far west of the 110 and north of the 10, with a relatively healthy mom, I could still pretend this is a faraway problem. Except that my allergies have gotten far, far worse this year. I’m now up to 3 Claritins a day — up from nada as a teenager. I ran the marathon in March — It seems atheletes suffer from smog-related allergy/asthma in large numbers. Coincidence?
And my sis is a medical resident. According to her, people in LA have lungs with black spots — the kind I saw when the Body Worlds exhibit was in LA. Those belonged to smokers, of course. I haven’t smoked since I was young and naive, but my lungs prolly still look ugly.
If, like me, you live around La Cienega and Pico, your odds of dying from smog-related cancer are “only” 1 in 2000 at worst. But you should be REALLY worried if you live: near LAX, Downtown, around the 710 corridor, in Long Beach near the ports, or in San Bernardino near the 10 and 91. Some of my closest friends work in the first two of those areas.
The #1 smog polluter: Road vehicles. With more and more people driving hour+ commutes from the suburbs, hybrids alone aren’t gonna solve the issue. Still, the MSM articles that give you horrible news without offering any way for individuals to improve things really, really depress me, so if you’re at all concerned, do this:
1. Support enviro-friendly politicians, including:
- Henry Waxman, assemblyman, 30th district
- Jenny Oropeza, assemblywoman, 55th district
- Alan Lowenthal, state senator
2. Pick a line, any line. I’m still a realist, and realize most of us can’t get rid of our cars — I have one myself. But try to get to know at least one of your bus or subway lines. If you’re planning to move, seriously consider moving close to a public transportation hub. And sign up for Flexcar‘s updates, so that the car-sharing service — which AOL’s Steve Case recently invested in — knows that if they expand to our areas, we’re totally in.
3. Oppose additional parking structures, and embrace higher-density housing. More and more of us are single adults, and why would anyone hip want to live in a single-family structure in the suburbs anyway? Still, Cali has lots of weird laws requiring mandatory parking spaces for workplaces and restaurants — especially those that serve liquor. I wasn’t aware of this, but evidently, there’s a parking cash-out law that can let you opt to get cash in lieu of a free parking space. If commuting’s an option, ask your employer if you can take advantage of this. Then take a bus to happy hour, and imbibe at your fave restaurant with your newfound dough.
To do my part, I’ll try taking the bus to USC (I already take the BBB to my guitar lessons at SMC). According to the MTA website, it’ll take me 55 mins — 30 mins more than my usual commute including walking time, but maybe I can catch up on my reading during the ride.
This’ll only apply for days when I can commute back home before dark. It is still dangerous out there, especially for the ladies in the house. I get frightening updates about recent muggings from USC’s department of public safety every week.
Otherwise, I’ve got books, and I’ve got my iPod. Line 705 (PDF), here I come.
**Update, 9/27/05: Reuters reports on another depressing smog study — people in the dirtiest areas are more likely to die: “the risk of death rose by 11 to 17 percent from the cleanest parts of Los Angeles to the most polluted areas of Riverside and San Bernardino counties to the east.” (via Blogging.LA)
Photo by andropolis
Thanks for the flexcar info – and the blog in general. (And in case you’re wondering where you picked up this reader – one of your comments on TeaLeaves got me here)
Comment by Robert 'Groby' Blum — September 26, 2005 @ 11:04 pm
great post. another environmentally friendly mode of transportation is the skateboard. plus it’s fun too.
good luck on your orals today!
Comment by jen — September 27, 2005 @ 6:11 am
It’s sad isn’t it? Since moving out here from Connecticut 5 years ago I’ve suspected that the smog has to have some impact on people’s health. I’ve especially thought about it since my fiance’s bro-in-law passed away from cancer at 32. He grew up in the Inland Empire, prime smog area. The thing that’s even more sad is that people laugh about smog. It seems like it’s almost a bragging right for people from SoCal. I’m just glad I live near the coast here in San Diego.
Comment by Russ — September 27, 2005 @ 9:29 am
Oh, by the way, the smog-cancer image link doesn’t seem to work…
Comment by Russ — September 27, 2005 @ 9:31 am
Yikes. Glad I’m up here.
On another note, I bought some 100% post-consumer content non-bleached toilet paper yesterday – only a dollar more (for two dozen rolls) than the cheapest generic stuff.
Comment by Dread Pirate Robert — September 27, 2005 @ 12:45 pm
Hey groby — Thanks for dropping by :) I’d thought my comment had been completely overshadowed by the ultima/impugn discussion –
Russ — Hello! You’ve returned my visit :) You know we Angelenos joke about how the Inland Empire sucks, but it’s really turning out to be quite depressing and unfunny now –
jen — I tried to pick up skateboarding once, but I really have no balance! I can’t rollerskate either, or ski. Not that I’ve worked on those things — I can, however, bike.
and dp Robert — Milo is so cute!!! Of course I might feel differently confronted by that drool in real life… ;)
Comment by Siel — September 27, 2005 @ 8:12 pm
That skyline picture, and the recent LA Weekly are pretty scary. Thanks for the good post.
Comment by Ensie — September 28, 2005 @ 8:07 am
Came to your writing via your Freecycle post, and have bookmarked the blog for future reference. Good stuff!
Meanwhile, I will tell you that I often speak to enviro, neighborhood and other groups about ways to create a walkable, livable city. One of the hardest things to do is to change your mind set. One good method could be your “adopt a line” method. I like it! But let me suggest another:
I call it “Red Tag Your Car”
At our workshops we hand out large red paper “SALE” type tags, with a string, which we ask people to attach to their car keys. On one side of the tag we have them write “HOW?” and on the other “WHY?”
See, in car culture America we rarely ask these questions. We realize we need to go to the store for milk, so we grab the car keys. We want to see a movie, we grab the car keys. Almost no one asks at the key-grabbing moment “How shall we get there?”
Enter the Red Tag: Next time you pick up the car keys, ask “How shall we get there?” Make it a conscious decision, not just an addiction behavior. Really, try it! Try it, and you’ll freak people out, I promise!
Next ask WHY? Why do I have to ride in a car? Could I drive a bike to do this errand? Could I walk? Why or why not? Really? Could you change the errand to make it possible to leave the car parked? Maybe go to the store that is 2500 feet from your front door?
I do often ask folk “are you so craven, so car-addicted that you would drive 2500 feet? 7500 feet? (A chorus of “No! Never!”)
Would you walk a half-mile to the store? Bike a mile and a half for that Saturday morning coffee? (Guilty silence). But ladies and gentlemen, fellow car addicts, 2500 feet IS a little less than half a mile; 7500 feet about a mile and a half. (Sheepish realization).
We sleepwalk through the decision about our mobility mode, even though it costs us money, harms our health, and renders our own neighborhoods noisy, dangerous, and unlivable.
How? Why?
Grin. Sorry. Didn’t mean to hijack your piece. If you don’t mind, I’ll keep reading though. I really appreciate your green ethic and common sense.
Roger
Roger Gray
Co-Founder, Pasadena Walks!
(www.pasadenawalks.org)
Co-Chair, California Walks
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