This post has taken some fairly weird turns, and like most of my posts, it has been shaped by what I've been reading in the news. But I guess the theme is how to breathe easy.
First, quit smoking. We have all heard of the health risks associated with smoking, but I guess exploding cigarettes can now be added to the list. I've heard that smoking is addictive because of the chemicals, but also because of the habit associated with it. I recently saw an ad-campaign that said this.
Second, if you're in Denver, don't breathe - at least not yet. A little while ago I went to my doctor, for a routine check-up, and we got to talking about air quality. He said that breathing the air in Denver, especially during the winter, is equivalent to smoking 3 cigarettes a day. I thought that was pretty shocking. Denver is a 'nonattainment' zone according to the Clean Air Act. Apparently, most cities are nonattainment zones.
What I want to know is why Denver has done such a poor job of becoming a PSD (prevent serious deterioration) area (another CAA category)? What I mean is that Colorado's economy is partially driven by the tourism area, so perhaps we should protect those resources as best as we can. But we don't. Anyone that has been up to the mountains on a 'clear' day knows that Denver is a mess. You can't see it when you're in Denver, but when you get up into the mountains and look back, it is clearly noticeable: a large brown cloud that sits around the city. The first time I saw it I was disturbed. Then I was told it's a lot better than it was in the 1980's. According to the article posted above, it has been getting worse.
California has instituted fairly harsh regulations on cars - they have mandated a low level of emissions that is pretty incredible. In fact, if you are in CA and purchasing a new car it has to be a PZEV (partial zero emissions vehicle) or something fairly equivalent. This means that car companies make cars special for the California consumers.
Why hasn't Colorado done this? You can purchase PZEV's here. So why not? Maybe we just don't like being told what to do. I, for one, would like to have clean air.