This is worth repeating

In light of a vicious onslaught by a writer at this newspaper on the validity of claims that poor air quality damages health, I thought I would repeat a reference to a study that indicates living in Kern County will shorten your lifespan.  Notice, I am not saying it will kill you.

Here is the study.

Basically, exposure to pm 2.5, at the levels we experience here in Kern, will shorten your life, according to this study.  Our levels of this type of pollution are quite a bit worse than those in the cities studied where the clear association was made between shorter life and pollution levels.  To top it off, our levels of pm 2.5 have gradually been getting worse over the past 8 years.

Lois Henry says we don't need recently approved diesel rules which will reduce this problem.  The Republicans, in the recent budget struggle, got new diesel rules for construction equipment rescinded.  Pity.

This graph shows average pm 2.5 readings at the corner of Stockdale and California for the years 2001 to 2008 and during the worst months from mid-November to mid-January for each year.