Smog

Today's News:

Smog emergency declared in Chilean capital

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) -- Authorities on Thursday declared a smog emergency in the Chilean capital city of 5.5 million people, ordering some 320,000 vehicles off the streets and 414 especially polluting factories idled.
The normally bad air pollution in Santiago has been aggravated in recent days by an unseasonable lack of rain and wind and because some factories have been forced to burn oil due to a steep drop in the supply of natural gas from neighboring Argentina.
Authorities also recommended that schools suspend gym classes.
The temporary ban covers all cars without catalytic converters and a fifth of more modern vehicles, based on their license plate numbers.
Officials said vehicles, industries and the massive use of some polluting home heating systems are the main sources of pollution in the city.

The really weird thing is that it is very pretty outside right now. I just did some shopping with some girlfriends (getting ready to go to the states, carrying presents!), and we could see the mountains as we drove about. It is very nice and warm right now due to it being sunny and I think that makes the smog worse sometimes (sunlight does something that activities the ground level ozone or something; very bad for you).