Los Angeles Smog Issues
Air Quality Issues in Los Angeles
Andrew Penn
Humanities 120
Scott Meyers
It is a beautiful, sunny morning, so your walk to work is something you are actually looking forward to today. After breakfast you get on your way and notice how truly warm it is, then you notice something else; your eyes are burning and you are struggling to gasp for another breath. Such is the life for the average Los Angeles resident. A city dominated by warm climate, show business, and extravagant lifestyles has been negatively impacted by the ever-present problem of smog. Noted as a problem for over 100 years in the city, the only advances in the “Smog War” ("The southland 's war," 1997) have been made in the last 60 years or so, leaving a certain level of pollution that likely will never be solved. Since 1947 Los Angeles has dedicated itself to improving the air quality in the city by founding government agencies, and implementing laws and bans, and while these solutions have not completely fixed the problem, they have vastly improved it. Although there were records of some people living in the area for thousands of years, the first European influence on Los Angeles occurred in 1542 when Captain Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and his crew accidentally landed there looking for a passage to Asia. After returning to Spain, Cabrillo suggested to King Phillip II that he colonize the area because it could serve as a settlement post, as well as give Spain influence in North America. His request was ignored and the next Spanish voyage to the area did not occur until 1765. After this voyage people began rapidly colonizing and by 1771 most of southern California had been settled, but it was not until 1777 that the governor of the time, Felipe de Neve, began establishing individual towns and cities. The original area of present day Los Angeles was named “Los Angeles Pobladores” by the first 44 settlers who founded it. The area then became Mexican territory when Mexico gained its independence in
Andrew Penn
Humanities 120
Scott Meyers
It is a beautiful, sunny morning, so your walk to work is something you are actually looking forward to today. After breakfast you get on your way and notice how truly warm it is, then you notice something else; your eyes are burning and you are struggling to gasp for another breath. Such is the life for the average Los Angeles resident. A city dominated by warm climate, show business, and extravagant lifestyles has been negatively impacted by the ever-present problem of smog. Noted as a problem for over 100 years in the city, the only advances in the “Smog War” ("The southland 's war," 1997) have been made in the last 60 years or so, leaving a certain level of pollution that likely will never be solved. Since 1947 Los Angeles has dedicated itself to improving the air quality in the city by founding government agencies, and implementing laws and bans, and while these solutions have not completely fixed the problem, they have vastly improved it. Although there were records of some people living in the area for thousands of years, the first European influence on Los Angeles occurred in 1542 when Captain Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and his crew accidentally landed there looking for a passage to Asia. After returning to Spain, Cabrillo suggested to King Phillip II that he colonize the area because it could serve as a settlement post, as well as give Spain influence in North America. His request was ignored and the next Spanish voyage to the area did not occur until 1765. After this voyage people began rapidly colonizing and by 1771 most of southern California had been settled, but it was not until 1777 that the governor of the time, Felipe de Neve, began establishing individual towns and cities. The original area of present day Los Angeles was named “Los Angeles Pobladores” by the first 44 settlers who founded it. The area then became Mexican territory when Mexico gained its independence in
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