The Air Quality of Los Angeles

Despite improvements made to over the past several decades Los Angeles is still contributing vast amounts of smog into the air. The America Lung Association announced that Los Angeles has the worst air quality. It violates the health standard for the ozone for 122 days a year.

What does it mean to the people living in Los Angeles? Well, it means that the city that they live in is endangering their health. Although the air is not as dangerous as it was 15 years ago. One-third of ozone levels have been reduced and fine particle pollution has dropped by half of it was. Still the pollution inflames lungs, aggravates asthma and other respiratory illnesses, and is very harmful to children. The pollution has also been linked to cancer, lung and heart disease, and many other health problems.

How is it that with all these effort to reduce the air pollution Los Angeles still has such poor air quality? Well due to climate change the warmer temperatures increase the risk for ozone pollution. The California Air Pollution Control Officers' Association states the climate change will increase smog formation and lead to more wildfires in the region.

The Clean Air Act has proven to be successful in reducing pollution in Los Angeles. In order for the Clean Air Act to continue to do protect the health of the people in Los Angeles Congress must allow it to do so by ensuring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the states have adequate funding to monitor and protect the nation from air pollution and the new threats brought on by climate change.

People can help fight against pollution as well. I know that many people think that the small things they do such as throwing a piece of trash on the ground or taking long showers are not a big deal, but when thousands of others are doing the same thing it becomes a problem. It is time that people monitor their actions and start treating the environment we live in with respect. We cannot rely the fate of our world in the hands of someone else. This issue requires a nationwide effort. Even the smallest changes help.

We need to take responsibility for our actions or else we will end up suffering harsh consequences. Earth is our home and it is up to us to determine what happens to it.