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50 million Americans live in areas with ozone levels above the current national standard. Worldwide, 1.4 billion people breathe polluted air.
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Invisible gas invades our cities!
Ozone, perhaps the most harmful component of smog, is a colorless gas  . But it can do real harm to people, plants, and animals. In Ventura County, ozone is our most severe air pollution problem.
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But what an empty victory. Did you know that more hazardous pollutants are discharged into the air each year than are released to surface water, ground water, and land combined?
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Your Car Could be Harming You - BIG TIME
And you don't even know it!
Motor vehicles produce more air pollution than any other single human activity. In a recent survey by the Bureau of Transportation Services, 28 percent of Americans say they are very concerned about the air pollution in their community from transportation sources.
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Dirty Diesel at Large in California!
The major source of particulate matter - soot, dust, particles, etc. - are the 1,250,000 diesel-fueled engines and vehicles in our state.
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Coughing Dolphin Baffles Scientists!
The health effects of smog have even been seen in dolphins living off the coast of large cities. In a recent study, dolphins showed signs of Black Lung Disease, an illness usually found among coal miners.
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Slurping Smog Soup Takes Years off your Life
On average, air pollution takes one to two years off the typical human lifespan. In California, up to 17,000 premature deaths are due to particulate air pollution.
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1909 Scotland Involved in "Smog" Profiling
In preparing a report about winter inversions and smoke accumulations in Glasgow (an incident that killed over 1000 people) Dr. Harold Antoine Des Voeux coined the term "smog," a contraction for smoke-fog.
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Average Human Breathes 2 Gallons of Air a Minute!
And that air could be polluted. Children are especially at risk. In smoggy areas, both children and those diagnosed with asthma show lung function deficits.
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Rice Eating Away Pyramids!
Farmers in the Nile delta are damaging the Pyramids by burning their leftover stems of rice. But you don't need to travel to Egypt. Right here in the U.S., acid rain accelerates the decay of materials and paints, including irreplaceable buildings, statues, and sculptures that are part of our nation's cultural heritage.
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The Grand Canyon is Missing!
"One day it was there, the next it was gone!" says stunned woman.
At times, visitors to the Grand Canyon, which drew 4.8 million people in 2000, can't see the other side due to air pollution. And some of that pollution originates in Los Angeles! Smog is a problem at many national parks, with Southern California's Joshua Tree National Park being the smoggiest in the U.S.
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15,000 Lives Saved!
The EPA estimates the 1997 standard for fine particulate ( ) will save about 15,000 lives a year and avoid about 8,000 hospitalizations.
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Blimp Flies Directly Into Bad Air!
The first smog levels were recorded in Los Angeles in 1943 using a blimp. We've come a long way. Today, Ventura County's air quality is measured at 6 locations using the latest in instrumentation technology.
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Smog's $22 Billion Price Tag
According to EPA estimates, $22 billion have been saved over a period of two decades due to Clean Air Act measure. This includes savings in health costs, material damage, and more.
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Exercise Can be Bad for Your Health!
It is if the air quality is poor and you exercise outdoors. When you exert yourself during exercise, you breathe faster and more ozone is taken into your lungs. At ozone levels above 0.12 parts per million on the Air Quality Index, the air is labeled "unhealthy" and prolonged outdoor exertion should be avoided.
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