Californians are asking Google, 'Should I move out?'

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | December 14, 2018 | By Amy Graff,

[vannrox]

You crack me up.

Of course it is not 60 times worse. However, pollution will vary from season to season. Also the measurables of pollution will be different. It’s sort of like comparing apples to pine cones.

What does it matter to me? It doesn’t. I don’t live in any of those two places. However I have visited both, and I must say that Beijing is far dustier than LA. But LA smog burns my eyes...terribly.

Here is LA pollution;
https://air.plumelabs.com/en/live/los-angeles

Here is Beijing pollution;
https://air.plumelabs.com/en/live/beijing

Which brings me back to my key point. Unless you experience something personally, anything that you hear or read is hearsay. It could be wildly incorrect, even lies...like my example. Or, it would be accurate as far as the person reporting it...BELIEVES.

As I said, the last time I was in Beijing, it was cold. I wore a coat. The sky was white. Light snow was on the ground, and there was some dust...not smog...dust in the air. It made everything kind of gritty.

The last time I was in LA. The sky was also white. It was hot, or at least warm. Maybe 85F. I wasn’t sweating, though. It felt oppressive. My eyes really...REALLY burned. In fact, I had to buy some eye drops because my eyes stung so badly.

Now, what does this mean?

Absolutely NOTHING. Today, LA might have wonderful air. Great for all those people living there. Beijing might have horrible air, and people will be walking around with face masks. Yeah, I get it.

But, it’s not part of my reality. It’s not part of your reality. So don’t own it.

It’s sort of like how the news media will focus on “tax cuts for the rich”, when all the news only concerns less than 1% of the population, while ignoring the news that effects everyone.