[Sleuth]

Just wondering if any of you LA area people can tell me if air pollution is worse here (in HK) or there (greater LA)?
LA and So Cal is always ranked as the worst air in the US (sorry, Pittsburgh, better luck over the next few years) so I was just curious how things compare.
My last stop in the US was Atlanta and that is a top 10 worst air in the US and a bad day there would be a great day here.

[juulia_goolia]

Last I read, LA is number 7 in air quality. I don't think LA jumped that fast on the barometer. Also, LA County is quite large and LA City is what most surveys are referring to in their pollution quality.

I'm a pure Californian and love Southern CA. The air quality in Hk isn't the best. But I'm in China a lot these days and .... let me just say, HK isn't so bad after all. hahaha

[Sleuth]

Not according to the American Lung Association.
City Mayors: The most polluted US cities
Southern California is the most air-polluted place in the USA. And usually the reference to LA would be for the MSA, wherever that begins and ends.

But, is the air in Southern California better or worse than HK?

China's air can hardly be called "air". If we are going to use China's "air" as a measuring stick, HK can get a lot worse.

[LA Bliss]

i lived in LA for most of my life and used to complain about the air quality. that is, until, i moved to HK.

my opinion is wholly biased, of course, but i think LA air quality is much better than HK.

talking about LA is making me miss home ... speaking of air, what i'd give right about now for a long leisurely drive down PCH with all the windows open & the wind in my hair.

[backpacker]

Nice SoCal weather is what i missed the most after moving to HK. We SoCal people are spoiled by the 280 or so days of sunny blue sky in LA. HK air is definitely worst than LA but I am beginning to get used to it. However, I am still reluctant to go out for a nice run...

[tl123456]

Grew up in Orange County. HK has the worst air quality I've ever lived in.

[Sleuth]

Well, not the answer I was hoping to hear, but thanks just the same.
Your answers mean HK air is worse than I was imagining/hoping it was. Certainly going to have to monitor how many years we expose our kids to this place. Andif the air here ever starts to look like the air in China, we're gone.

[juulia_goolia]

I definitely agree that LA is better. Oh, the PCH drive up to big sur was very memorabl and the best ever! How I miss Southern CA!


In Hk, I think after a while you just get used to it. Though, I'm not sure if it's just me but does DB, Repulse Bay, and Midlevels seem to have better air quality than most of HK and Kowloon?

And lastly, China air is suffucating! the humidity in southern China is comparable to HK and with the strong pollution.... let me just say, I miss the blue skies of southern CA.

[HKfornow]

My husband and I also observe that the sun doesn't seem as "bright" as So. Cal. . . silly I know, but it just feels like the sun here is not as bright (maybe due to the pollution??).

[Sleuth]

Originally Posted by juulia_goolia

In Hk, I think after a while you just get used to it. Though, I'm not sure if it's just me but does DB, Repulse Bay, and Midlevels seem to have better air quality than most of HK and Kowloon?

And lastly, China air is suffucating! the humidity in southern China is comparable to HK and with the strong pollution.... let me just say, I miss the blue skies of southern CA.

I'm more worried about long-term exposure health effects. From having travelled all over industrial China, I know you can breath just about anything. And people must get used to it, because there are millions breathing the "air" in the PRC. You think So. China is bad, try Shandong, Hebei and Shanxi.

I think anywhere south and east would have better air than north and west because the (not ground level) pollution mostly comes down the delta. Plus Central and Kowloon have too many cars and buildings so the ground-level stuff is bad and it can't go anywhere.

And, HKfornow, the upper level pollution would decrease the brightness of the sun. When I try to explain to people how bad indutrial China is, sometimes I say something like, "Not only can you not see stars at night, you can't see that close star during the day."