When it comes to clean air, Lake County definitely has it and it looks like we've won an award for the cleanliness of our air once again. The American Lung Association's latest State of the Air report has given Lake County an "A" grade, ranking it among the top places nationwide for clean air.
The 2011 report, which includes lists of the nation's most polluted metropolitan areas, was released Wednesday as reported in Lake County News. For several years Lake County has been ranked a top clean air county and this year was ranked number six for cleanest counties based on year-round particle pollution. That's an even more impressive award when you think that only two counties in California even made the list despite our having 25 counties in the state.
Furthermore, our ranking went up from 10th place in the 2010 report. The only reason we weren't ranked higher was due to the Walker fire and several other regional forest fires which caused air quality warnings. Otherwise, you can breathe easy on your visit to the Featherbed Railroad.
The report also found that one in five Americans breathe dangerous levels of deadly particle air pollution.
While the outside air is clean here, the Featherbed Railroad has also taken great strides to use hypoallergenic and environmentally-friendly cleaning products in the rooms. These natural products really do a thorough job of cleaning; however. As you may already know, Peggy is a geologist so when she decides to put something in place, she studies the heck out of it.
Makes you wonder how Tony got the job of running the Featherbed Railroad while Peggy works part-time for the County of Lake!
But seriously we really were careful in choosing these cleaning products for a variety of reasons. Of course we want the rooms to be thoroughly cleaned, but we also care about the health of our guests as well as our most excellent housekeeper, Trina.
As for our guests, it would be ridiculous to use the products most people find in their local grocery stores that are full of warning labels. Since many of you come for clean air, consider the lunacy of relaxing in a room that was polluted by harsh chemicals. Instead you can enjoy breathing deeply inside and outside while knowing that your room has been sanitized to the equivalent standard of many medical facilities.
“Particle pollution kills,” said Norman H. Edelman, M.D., American Lung Association chief medical officer. “When you breathe these microscopic particles, you are inhaling a noxious mix of chemicals, metals, acid aerosols, ash and soot that is emitted from smokestacks, tailpipes, and other sources. It is as toxic as it sounds and can lead to early death, asthma exacerbations, heart attacks, strokes and emergency room visits in substantial numbers. Science clearly has proven that we need to protect the health of the public from the dangers of particle pollution.”
State of the Air 2011 finds that nearly half the people in the U.S. (48.2 percent) live in counties that received an “F” for air quality due to unhealthy ozone levels.
Ozone (smog) is the most widespread air pollutant, created by the reaction of sunlight on emissions from vehicles, power plants and other sources.
When ozone is inhaled, it irritates the lungs. It can cause immediate health problems and continue days later. Ozone can cause wheezing, coughing, asthma attacks and even premature death.
Incidentally, did you know that Clear Lake got its name because one of our Pomo Native Americans told the original settlers that you can see clear across the lake?