What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for May 19, 2014. 

This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office
of Communications.  You may need to sign in or register with
individual websites to view some of the following news articles.

CAP AND TRADE

California air board urges big hike in greenhouse-gas cuts.
California must double its pace of cutting greenhouse gases after
2020 - slashing emissions from factories and power plants,
freight trains and farms - in order to meet its long-term global
warming goals, according to a state plan released Friday. The
steps proposed by the California Air Resources Board go well
beyond the already aggressive moves California has made to fight
climate change…Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/California-air-board-urges-big-hike-in-5484959.php


ARB releases updated AB32 Climate Change Scoping Plan.  The
California Air Resources Board (ARB) today released the first
update to its Scoping Plan, the document that shows how it has
met and will continue to meet the goals mandated by AB 32,
California's landmark climate change legislation.  Posted. 
http://www.examiner.com/article/arb-releases-updated-ab32-climate-change-scoping-plan


Carbon Pricing vs. Regulation.  Ask any economist about the most
efficient way to tackle climate change, and the response will be
clear: put a price on carbon. Cap or tax carbon pollution, and
then get out of the way. It’s the most effective policy. It’s
cheap. It works. Except for when politics gets in the way. A
price on carbon may be the obvious choice for policymakers in
Beijing, Brussels and Sacramento. Yet, Washington is playing a
different game. Posted.
http://theenergycollective.com/gernotwagner/384116/carbon-pricing-vs-regulation


AIR POLLUTION

Smog war skirmish: Universities pitch to host emissions lab. A
yellow, 450 cc off-road motorcycle screams in a cramped room,
bucking against its restraints with every twist of the throttle,
an industrial fan imitating wind-speed and a tube gathering the
all-important byproduct – its exhaust. Several local universities
are champing at the bit to host engine tests like this one, as
the southern lab of the California Air Resources Board considers
where to move its advanced-but-aging motor vehicle emissions
laboratory. Posted.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/research-614662-lab-new.html 
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/1f74b48ce79e4d78a0024b2a97b173bf/CA--Emissions-Lab
 
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/may/17/schools-vying-to-host-california-emissions-lab/


Wildfire smoke negatively impacting region’s air quality.  Air
quality officials warned Saturday that smoke from the multiple
wildfires in San Diego County is negatively affecting the air
above parts of San Bernardino County.  When the wildfires first
erupted Tuesday and Wednesday, Santa Ana winds out of the
northeast caused the flames to spread quickly and pushed smoke
over the Pacific Ocean.  Posted. 
http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140517/wildfire-smoke-negatively-impacting-regions-air-quality
 

As O.C. takes a breath, smoke from south reminds of trouble. 
After several days of scorching heat and high winds, fires
continue to burn on Camp Pendleton and in north San Diego County.
 According to Cal-Fire, the forestry department’s fire service,
three fires continue to burn on the marine base, causing smoke to
drift across much of Orange County, which prompted residents to
call authorities.  Posted. 
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fire-614682-fires-saturday.html
 

E-Cigarettes Don't Expose You to Just 'Harmless' Water Vapor: Air
Pollution Discovered.  Could e-cigarettes help you quit smoking?
That's apparently not the case, despite what the industry claims.
Scientists have discovered that claims about the devices are
unsupported by the evidence to date.  Posted. 
http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/14806/20140519/e-cigarettes-dont-expose-harmless-water-vapor-air-pollution-discovered.htm
 

Get The Dirt Out Of Your Indoor Air-And Save.  If your house is
like most in America today, you and your family create up to 40
pounds of dust a year, just through everyday living. In addition,
high temperature and humidity can also increase concentrations of
some pollutants. So can not getting in enough outdoor air, which
can happen, especially with modern homes designed to minimize air
“leaks.”  Posted. 
http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/living/8776-get-the-dirt-out-of-your-indoor-air-and-save.html


EPA proposes new air quality monitoring plan for refineries. The
Environmental Protection Agency said it is proposing new emission
standards for refineries. At least one local watchdog group said
it's about time. "The air quality, being right here so close to
the refinery, is very poor. And if you have asthma or sinus
problems, it's really bad for you," said Susan Ferrera, who lives
in Chalmette. Posted.
http://www.wdsu.com/news/epa-proposes-new-air-quality-monitoring-plan-for-refineries/26040406#ixzz32CcrFUGa


CLIMATE CHANGE

Studies: Wildfires worse due to global warming. The devastating
wildfires scorching Southern California offer a glimpse of a
warmer and more fiery future, according to scientists and federal
and international reports. In the past three months, at least
three different studies and reports have warned that wildfires
are getting bigger, that man-made climate change is to blame, and
it's only going to get worse with more fires starting earlier in
the year. Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_WILDFIRES_AND_WARMING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


OTHER RELATED STORIES
http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Studies-Wildfires-worse-due-to-global-warming-5487333.php


Kerry calls on U.S. college graduates to face down climate. The
rapidly changing climate poses a threat of sparking greater
global conflict, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday
told the graduating class of Boston College, urging the graduates
to play a role in pushing for new energy policies. Citing recent
reports from the United Nations and White House showing that a
rising emissions of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil
fuels in contributing to a warming world, he warned of the
possibility of climate-related conflict. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/19/us-usa-kerry-climatechange-idUSBREA4I0GY20140519?feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=11563


Local Leaders Call for U.S. help to Deal With Climate Change.
Local leaders who are members of a White House advisory panel are
calling for better coordination across the federal government and
reforms to federal funding programs and policies to help them
deal with increased threats of flooding, hurricanes and other
impacts associated with climate change. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-19/local-leaders-call-for-u-s-help-to-deal-with-climate-change.html


Climate change: Get ready or get sued. On April 18, 2013,
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) declared a state of emergency
after an epic deluge left much of the Chicago area under water.
“After several days of rain, an overnight deluge overwhelmed
Chicago’s underground labyrinth of aging sewers and giant tunnels
Thursday, forcing a noxious mix of sewage and stormwater into
local waterways and Lake Michigan. Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/05/19/climate-change-get-ready-or-get-sued/


Gov. Jerry Brown: California ‘on the front lines’ of climate
change. California Gov. Jerry Brown said Sunday that Republicans
are in “denial” over climate change as his state battles “on the
front lines” against a rash of fires that have swept Southern
California.  “As we send billions and billions of tons of
heat-trapping gases, we get heat and we get fires and we get what
we’re seeing,”…Posted.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/may/18/gov-jerry-brown-california-front-lines-climate-cha/#ixzz32ChXbRL9


Gov. Jerry Brown presses message on climate change. Even as
wildfires cool in San Diego, Gov. Jerry Brown is heating up his
argument that what the state really is battling is global
warming. "We here in California are on the front lines," Brown
said on ABC in the first of two Sunday morning news show
appearances. "We've got to deal with it. We've already
appropriated $600 million. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-ff-jerry-brown-climate-change-20140518-story.html


KCBS in Depth: Stanford Professer’s Plan For Combatting Global
Warming in California And 49 Other States.  A Stanford professor
and researcher has come up with 50 workable plans to combat
climate change in the U.S. - one for each state – which map out
how we become 100 percent powered by wind, water and sunlight by
the year 2050. Dr. Mark Jacobson says by focusing on changing
energy policy, we can address the problem of global warming…
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/05/19/kcbs-in-depth-stanford-professers-plan-for-combating-global-warming-in-california-and-49-other-states-energy-efficiency-wind-water-geothermal-solar-power-the-solution-project-mark-jacobson-global-warm/


Smokin' summer looms unless El Niño comes to rescue. September
has come early in 2014. That’s the month when the fire season
usually begins in Southern California, a tinderbox of high
temperatures, Santa Ana winds and post-summer aridity. But, this
year, May is September. This week, triple-digit temperatures,
strong Santa Ana winds and drought conspired to create conditions
that led to nearly a dozen major fires from San Diego through Los
Angeles counties. Posted.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fire-614675-county-smoke.html


President Obama’s big carbon crackdown readies for launch.  The
EPA will launch the most dramatic anti-pollution regulation in a
generation early next month, a sweeping crackdown on carbon that
offers President Barack Obama his last real shot at a legacy on
climate change — while causing significant political peril for
red-state Democrats. The move could produce a dramatic makeover
of the power industry, shifting it away from coal-burning plants
toward natural gas, solar and wind. Posted.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/05/carbon-crackdown-barack-obama-106783.html#ixzz32ClCaHL5


California Emissions Rise 1.6%. Strong economic growth, the
unexpected closure of the San Onofre nuclear power plant and
limited hydropower generation caused by drought led to a 1.7
percent increase in total greenhouse emissions in California from
2011 to 2012, according to the most recent greenhouse gas
inventory from the California Air Resources Board. Posted.
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/05/19/california-emissions-rise-1-6/


Climate change lawsuit filed against some 200 US communities.
Climate change lawsuits filed against some 200 US communities.
Climate change lawsuits: Farmers Insurance filed class action
lawsuit last month against nearly 200 communities in the Chicago
area for failing to prepare for flooding. The suits argue towns
should have known climate change would produce more flooding. 
Posted.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0517/Climate-change-lawsuits-filed-against-some-200-US-communities


Climate: The only thing that never changes is change. The old
adage, "The only thing that never changes is change," suddenly
has taken on a new sense of relevance when it comes to one of the
most important issues of our day -- climate change. No one can
argue the point that the climate is changing. The point of
contention is whether or not mankind is causing it and thus,
should governments mandate massive changes in human behavior to
address it. Posted.
http://www.examiner.com/article/climate-the-only-thing-that-never-changes-is-change

Fighting air pollution with innovation and technology.  Air
pollution has become one of the world's biggest threats to the
future of our planet. Chronic air pollution shortens our lives
and the lives of the ecologies around us. In parts of Asia, where
air pollution is most pervasive, food crops and other plants are
exhibiting signs of stress due to low air quality. Posted.
http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/47403 

Obama admin weighs deleting super-warming gases from approved
ozone list. The mounting effort to ban hydrofluorocarbons has
centered around international diplomacy, like President Obama's
agreement last year with Chinese President Xi Jinping to phase
down the super greenhouse gases. But domestically, the
administration has been working hard, albeit quietly, to curb the
production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2014/05/19/stories/1059999785
BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

DROUGHT

Amid drought, water-use penalties hit Bay Area. Here comes the
chapter of California's drought story where things get testy.
Asking people to conserve water? No problem. Ordering them to cut
back or else pay up? Those are fighting words. A debate has
ignited in Pleasanton after leaders of the tidy East Bay city
full of manicured yards and swimming pools declared a "local
drought emergency"…Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Amid-drought-water-use-penalties-hit-Bay-Area-5486729.php


Water shortages force Stanislaus County’s Westside almond growers
to make tough, costly choices. Water shortages are forcing almond
growers to make tough and costly decisions this spring. That
includes killing off the natural vegetation that normally grows
between orchard rows, even though those weeds and wildflowers are
home to the beneficial insects needed for integrated pest
management. Posted.
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/17/3653630/esyrt-shortages-are-forcing-stanislaus.html#storylink=cpy
http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/17/3345117/water-shortages-are-forcing-stanislaus.html#storylink=cpy


VEHICLES

City Now Expects to Authorized More Green Cabs by the Fall. One
day after signaling that it would slow indefinitely the expansion
of street-hail livery cab service outside Manhattan, Mayor Bill
de Blasio’s administration said on Friday that it expected to
issue new permits for the popular green taxis at the end of the
summer. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/17/nyregion/city-now-expects-to-authorize-more-green-cabs-by-the-fall.html


HIGH-SPEED RAIL

Brown doubles down on high-speed rail amid calls for restraint. 
Preparing for looming budget battles with the
Democratic-controlled Legislature, Gov. Jerry Brown warned Friday
that lawmakers must balance "desire and need" for expensive
social programs - even as he defiantly doubled down on support
for the increasingly unpopular high-speed rail system, saying it
remains emblematic of his passion to "build great things" in his
final term as governor.  Posted. 
http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Brown-doubles-down-on-high-speed-rail-amid-calls-5484808.php


GREEN ENERGY

China Targets 70 Gigawatts of Solar Power to Cut coal Reliance.
China, the world’s biggest carbon emitter, plans to speed up
solar power development, targeting a more than tripling of
installed capacity to 70 gigawatts by 2017 to cut its reliance on
coal. The goal would be double a previous target set for 2015,
according to a statement posted today on the National Development
and Reform Commission’s website. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-16/china-targets-70-gigawatts-of-solar-power-to-cut-coal-reliance.html


Siemens Seals $2.1 Billion wind Deal With Service Plan.  Siemens
AG (SIE) won a 1.5 billion-euro ($2.1 billion) contract for a
Dutch offshore wind park that will also give Europe’s largest
engineering company its biggest-ever energy service contract. The
order for the Gemini wind park, 85 kilometers (53 miles) offshore
from Groningen, Netherlands, comprises 150 wind turbines with a
capacity of four megawatts apiece, the Munich-based company said
today in an e-mailed statement. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2014-05-15/siemens-seals-2-1-billion-dutch-wind-deal-with-service-fillip.html


Some NFK Teams Are Going Green. When San Francisco 49ers fans
enter the team's new Levi's Stadium for the first time later this
year, they'll see green—and not just on the field. The $1.2
billion stadium will be the first in the National Football League
to feature a "living roof," a canopy of green and flowering
plants nestled across the top of an eight-story tower of luxury
suites to reduce the building's energy use and offer other
environmental benefits by providing natural insulation. Posted.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304677904579537882691550494


Where Whale Oil Once Reigned, a Town Looks to Renewable Energy.
Whale oil made New Bedford, Mass., America's energy capital in
the early 19th century. Now the gritty fishing port is once again
linking its future to energy—this time renewable Not only is the
city of 95,000 expanding its docks to supply wind farms off the
Massachusetts coast, it's also becoming a major generator of
solar power. Posted.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303678404579536213202032436


When the Power Goes Out, Microgrids keep Electricity Flowing. TO
MAKE SURE the lights stay on, some institutions are creating
their own power grids. Microgrids, small-scale power networks
that can operate independently of the main grid, are generating
new interest for two main reasons: the spread of alternative
power sources like solar, which make local networks more
feasible…Posted.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304831304579544200059257532


Coal: The World’s Deadliest source of Energy. Coal is the largest
source of electricity across the world, mainly because it is
abundant and cheap. But a string of coal mining accidents this
week has served as a stark reminder that coal also remains the
world's most deadly source of energy. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Coal-The-World-s-Deadliest-Source-of-Energy-5487219.php

 
Rick Perry sends Obama letter criticizing energy policy. Texas
Gov. Rick Perry has written to President Obama criticizing his
administration's energy policies, EPA regulations and failure to
approve the construction of a pipeline to carry tar sands crude
from Canada to Gulf Coast refineries. The letter, which
reiterates much of Perry's longstanding opposition to the Obama
administration's energy policies…Posted.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/rick-perry-sends-obama-letter-criticizing-energy-policy/article/2548599


S.F. Building aims to produce as much energy as it consumes. On a
rare sweltering day in San Francisco, the new office of DPR
Construction stays cool and pleasant. But don't credit the air
conditioning. It isn't on. Large fans circulate air. Skylights
turn dark when the sun beats down, letting in light while
minimizing heat. Tilted rows of solar panels shield the roof
while producing a steady stream of electricity. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/S-F-building-aims-to-produce-as-much-energy-as-5486349.php


MISCELLANEOUS

Events plug electric cars; free test drives offered. You see them
everywhere these days - cars that glide silently by and never
stop to fill up for gas. Electric cars - one of those things that
a friend of a friend owns. But regional transportation officials
are hoping to spark a surge in the popularity of plug-in
electrics in the Bay Area by putting drivers behind the wheel of
the clean, green cars at a series of events around the region.
Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Events-plug-electric-cars-free-test-drives-5484839.php


Conflict of interest allegations not valid, FPPC says.  After
nearly a year of investigation, the Fair Political Practices
Commission (FPPC) has determined that Lompoc City Council member
Ashley Costa did not violate conflict of interest regulations for
votes she cast as a board member of the county’s Air Pollution
Control District (APCD) last year.  Posted. 
http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/conflict-of-interest-allegations-not-valid-board-says/article_23326b12-de46-11e3-a12e-001a4bcf887a.html


OPINIONS

For investors, coal brings lumps. If you care about the
environment, you can emulate Stanford University's move to remove
coal-producing companies from its endowment portfolio by purging
fossil fuel companies from your own investments, although it will
take a customized strategy. Despite its role in climate change
and air pollution, coal may remain in favor because it's still
relatively cheap to mine and…Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/19/us-column-wasik-coal-idUSBREA4I0ID20140519


The Climate Continues its Change. Regarding Steven F. Hayward's
"The Latest Storm of Climate Alarmism" (op-ed, May 9): The
foundation of the third National Climate Assessment is the
extensive set of observations made by thousands of scientists
over many decades. It documents the changes in our climate and
the impacts of those changes on Americans. Posted.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303627504579558153724592732

California’s Drinking Problem. California has at least another
five months of drought ahead, U.S. forecasters estimate, putting
new pressure on everyone to conserve already stretched water
supplies. While farms use 80 percent of the state's water -- and
it's essential that they cut back -- cities and towns have to do
their share. Posted.
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-05-18/california-s-drinking-problem?cmpid=hpbv


We are conscious of climate change around us. Robert J.
Samuelson’s May 12 op-ed column, “There’s still no fix for
climate change,” hit the issue on the button. It is not about
science, opinions, even politics. It’s about economics, who we
are and if we will survive. There are no serious scientific
climate/global change “deniers.” Posted.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/we-are-conscious-of-climate-change-around-us/2014/05/18/93ac8ba4-dd0e-11e3-a837-8835df6c12c4_story.html


China’s Pollution Challenge. China’s national legislature has
adopted sweeping changes to the country’s Environmental
Protection Law, revisions that have been hailed as major steps
toward saving China’s environment from rampant degradation.

The authorities will now have stronger enforcement powers,
including the right to detain persistent violators for up to 15
days and to fine polluters more heavily than before. Some legally
registered civil-society organizations will now be able to
initiate public-interest litigation as well. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/20/opinion/chinas-pollution-challenge.html


Fine-Tuning a U.S. Energy Plan. Re “Go big, get crazy” (May 8):
I’m afraid that Thomas L. Friedman’s proposed “grand bargain” on
energy issues would likely end up as a grand swindle. Sure,
Republicans might promise to agree to “a national renewable
portfolio standard that would require every utility in America to
gradually introduce more renewable power…Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/19/opinion/fine-tuning-a-us-energy-plan.html

A Blueprint to End Paralysis. Over Global Action on Climate. The
international community should stop chasing the chimera of a
binding treaty to limit CO2 emissions. Instead, it should pursue
an approach that encourages countries to engage in a “race to the
top” in low-carbon energy solutions. International deal-making
fundamentally hinges on assessments of national self-interest by
the parties involved. Posted. 

Stephen Moore: The morality of cheap energy.  Energy is the
master resource, as the late, great economist Julian Simon used
to say.  You can’t produce much of anything if you don’t have
affordable electric power.  Posted. 
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/energy-614603-policy-gas.html


‘Einstein Was Right: You Can Turn Energy Into Matter’. E=mc2
Albert Einstein proposed the most famous formula in physics in a
1905 paper on Special Relativity titled Does the inertia of an
object depend upon its energy content? Essentially, the equation
says that mass and energy are intimately related. Atom bombs and
nuclear reactors are practical examples of the formula working in
one direction, turning matter into energy. Posted.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/paulrodgers/2014/05/19/einstein-was-right-you-can-turn-energy-into-matter/


BLOGS

What Will the Supreme Court’s Latest Climate-Change Case Mean?
Sometime in the next few weeks, the Supreme Court will decide its
third case on climate-changing carbon pollution in the last seven
years.  The earlier cases clearly established the Environmental
Protection Agency’s authority to set standards under the Clean
Air Act to curb carbon pollution from both vehicles and
factories.  Posted.
http://theenergycollective.com/nrdcswitchboard/384776/what-will-supreme-courts-latest-climate-change-case-mean

Climate Change Will Hurt Nations’ Credit Ratings, S&P Warns. Add
credit ratings to the list of things climate change might ruin.
According to a recent report released by Standard & Poor's
Ratings Services, rising global temperatures will put downward
pressure on sovereign credit ratings. The international
credit-rating firm warns that poorer countries and nations with
already low ratings will be hit the hardest by the effects of
climate change. Posted.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/17/climate-change-credit-ratings_n_5344078.html
.

The economic crash brought Vegas to its knees; climate change
could do it. Next time you fly into Las Vegas at night, take a
close look at the casino-studded carnival in the center of the
city. You’ll notice something odd. Amid all the glitter, there
are a couple of black spots, like patches of dark matter in a
star cluster. These are the dead zones, reminders of the 2007
economic collapse that brought this city to its knees. Posted.
http://grist.org/cities/the-economic-crash-brought-vegas-to-its-knees-climate-change-could-do-it-again/


Chevrolet Purchases $500,000 Worth Of Carbon Credits From
University of Illinois. The University of Illinois, which has
been actively making an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
from its buildings since 2010, has joined three other educational
institutions in selling carbon offset credits to Chevrolet. Ball
State University in Muncie, Indiana and Valencia College in
Orlando, Florida both sold carbon credits to Chevy earlier this
year…Posted.
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/05/chevrolet-purchases-500000-worth-of-carbon-credits-from-university-of-illinois/#ixzz32D1m22B4
 

The Times has fallen for an unfounded climate change conspiracy
theory. Who needs scientific evidence on climate change when you
can distract the world with shiny new conspiracies? Here we go
again. The latest IPCC report, the US National Climate Assessment
report, and a report published by US military researchers all
recently warned us yet again about the risks associated with
human-caused climate change. While the planet continues to warm,
ice continues to melt, and sea levels continue to rise…Posted.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2014/may/19/another-manufactured-climate-controversy

7 Unexpected Ways to Fight Air Pollution.  Air pollution is
rising in the world’s biggest cities, and health risks are
growing with it. There are multiple ways living among chronic air
pollution can put you in an early grave, and the consequences are
just as dire for those who haven’t been born yet. In China, where
air pollution persists at shocking levels, plants, even food
crops, are being attacked by the low air quality, adding another
dimension of risk to the issue.  Posted. 
http://www.care2.com/causes/7-unexpected-ways-to-fight-air-pollution.html


‘Bay of the Smokes’, the name that shows Los Angeles has always
suffered air pollution (VIDEO).  Topography and weather patterns
make Los Angeles an area where air pollutants find no escape, no
matter what the source of the pollution is.  In 1542, explorer
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and Spanish sailors landed in San Pedro
Bay. The air pollution was so bad that the crew named the area
“Bay of the Smokes”. Posted. 
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/bay-of-the-smokes-the-name-that-shows-los-angeles-has-always-suffered-air-p
 

China's push for better fuel economy has a bigger purpose.  Any
business reporter is taught that, when in doubt, always follow
the money. With China's aggressive push for advanced-powertrain
vehicle production and sales, that means better fleetwide fuel
economy. Why? Lower fuel use means less money spent importing
oil. It's that simple.  Posted. 
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/05/19/chinas-push-for-better-fuel-economy-has-a-bigger-purpose/




California is in a drought emergency.
Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.