13 Dec 2022

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Air Pollution in Los Angeles - Causes, Effects & Solutions

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Every large city has a problem with air pollution manifested in the form of smog, injured plants, damaged properties and reduced human health among others. Air pollution levels are a major challenge to people's health. Airplanes, cars, industries, homes and ship among others are the leading causes of air pollution due to the amount of carbon they release into the atmospheres. Places such as the Los Angeles, Orange Riverside and San Bernardino are known for having the worst air quality in the USA ( Parrish et.al. 2016) .. Air pollution levels have become quite dangerous especially in Los Angeles. Los Angeles also known as LA is a city in Southern California and the second most populated city in the United States. The city is lso the main seat of the Los Angeles County, the most populated county in the US ( Parrish et.al. 2016) .. Industries, increasing populations, and millions of vehicles in LA pose a significant challenge for agencies trying to regulate and achieve air quality standards that are adequate for human health. 

Controlling air pollution in Los Angeles is challenging more than in any other part of the United States. Local weather and topography conditions in the area suited to the formation of air pollution. Notably, LA is a basin surrounded by a range of mountains, which has been a challenge in air pollution controlling efforts. Additionally, the geography of the area makes it easy for atmospheric inversions that keep smog trapped in the area instead of allowing it out into the environment ( Hasheminassab et.al. 2014) . In spite of the air-pollution control efforts, which have greatly helped improve the air quality in Los Angeles over the last three decade, a thick concealing smog in the skies continues to be a familiar thing. 

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The most significant cause of pollution in LA is the traffic caused by the many people and cars ( Parrish et.al. 2016) . Given the number of people living in LA, motor vehicles are also increasing every day. Cars use fuel and thus releases carbon into the air. Therefore, vehicles in the city increase emission of carbon. The primary challenge is that the city is highly populated; therefore, there are traffic jams caused by the millions of cars owned by the millions of people. Consequently, there is an increased amount of carbon released into the air at any given the time. LA is a metropolitan city known as the capital of movies and shows world as the major film and entertainment industry is situated in Hollywood, which is situated in the central region of LA. Due to its reputation as a high-end and luxurious city, the lifestyle adopted by its inhabitants is also luxurious ( Parrish et.al. 2016) . Therefore, it is common for most families to have individual cars for each member, which results in millions of cars in the city. The city is situated in a basin surrounded by mountains, making it difficult for the air to move out, thus forming smog. 

Industrialization in the city is also very high. The high industrialization in the city and county has led to the increase of the level of toxins and contaminants in the air ( Parrish et.al. 2016) . The pollution from industries settles on the various surfaces in the areas, and some of it ends up in water supplies around the city. As a result, smog forms, which moves up the mountains destroying trees and wildlife. Notably, as the smog goes to the mountains, it also settles in the city, thus creating water pollution issues in the area ( Hasheminassab et.al. 2014) . 

The effects of air pollution in LA is manifested in ill health and deaths of people in the area. In Los Angeles, over 1000 people die every air due to air pollution ( Jerrett et.al. 2013) . Early deaths have been reported in the areas especially in children due to contaminated air ( Hasheminassab et.al. 2014) . Additionally, many people suffer from various illnesses caused by bad air such as asthma, and other pulmonary-related diseases, critical illnesses, and sleep-related breathing disorders. Other maladies associated with air pollution include central nervous system related conditions due to exposure to contaminated air. Reproductive issues, especially in women have also been reported to come from pollution effects. Additionally, the growth of children in polluted areas is slow, and most of them are also affected by respiratory problems. 

Solutions to the problem of air pollution in Los Angeles include encouraging people to use public transport to ease the traffic in the city, driving less, walking more, and using alternative fuels ( Parrish et.al. 2016) . All these methods will help reduce the number of contaminants released into the air. A proposal for increased and strict guidelines to ensure that industries and manufacturers ensure clean air and reduce carbon emissions in the area ( Parrish et.al. 2016) . The Congress and other government bodies have set up rules and regulation that have helped in the reduction of air pollution, but more work is still needed to get the city clean air. 

In conclusion, pollution levels in Los Angeles are a serious problem affecting its inhabitants. The geography and location of the city make it susceptible to contamination, but the human activities such as industries and traffic due to many cars have increased the levels of pollution in the area. The pollution from cars and industries does not go outside the city due to the surrounding mountains, thus forming smog that in turn pollutes the air and water sources in the area. Despite the efforts made in the city to reduce pollution, pollution is still a major problem. More research should be done to come up with new techniques to make the air clean. 

References 

Hasheminassab, S., Daher, N., Ostro, B. D., & Sioutas, C. (2014). Long-term source apportionment of ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) in the Los Angeles Basin: A focus on emissions reduction from vehicular sources. Environmental Pollution , 193 , 54-64. 

Jerrett, M., Burnett, R. T., Beckerman, B. S., Turner, M. C., Krewski, D., Thurston, G., ... & Gapstur, S. M. (2013). Spatial analysis of air pollution and mortality in California. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine , 188 (5), 593-599. 

Parrish, D. D., Xu, J., Croes, B., & Shao, M. (2016). Air quality improvement in Los Angeles—perspectives for developing cities. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering , 10 (5), 1-13. 

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StudyBounty. (2023, September 16). Air Pollution in Los Angeles - Causes, Effects & Solutions.
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