L.A. AIR GRADED AS CLEARLY BAD POLLUTION WAY DOWN, BUT NOT FAR ENOUGH.

Byline: Kerry Cavanaugh Staff Writer

Each day that Phillip Franco pedals from his Glendale home to the fire station where he works in East Los Angeles, he keeps 21 grams of smog- forming pollutants from wafting into the air.

That might not sound like much, but Franco believes that even one less car on the road makes a difference, especially in a region that received a failing grade from the American Lung Association on its annual State of the Air report this week.

``There's 400 miles a month that I don't put pollution into the air,'' he said. ``I'm glad that I'm not contributing to that.''

The national report, based on Environmental Protection Agency data from the 2001-03 period, found that the number of U.S. counties with unhealthy air recorded by monitors dropped to 390 from 441 in the previous report - the first significant decline in six years.

In its report, the association said California remains the nation's ozone capital and that San Bernardino County had the worst smog, followed by Kern, Fresno, Riverside, Tulare, Los Angeles and Merced counties.

The nationwide decline was attributed to cool and wet weather, tighter controls on coal-fired power plants and improved vehicle-emissions standards.

Locally, experts say that, while the air is dramatically cleaner than it was 10 years or 20 years ago, there are still too many days when asthmatics struggle to breathe and children are advised to play indoors.

Since motor vehicles and consumer products are among the region's biggest polluters, experts say simple changes in lifestyle can make a significant difference in air quality.

``We've already regulated power plants and industrial sources about as much as they are going to be regulated. We can make choices about what we drive. A hybrid vehicle is a lot better on emissions than a big SUV,'' said Dr. John Balmes, chairman of California's Clean Air Technical Advisory Group for the American Lung Association.

A Bay Area resident, Balmes carpools three days and rides his bike two days a week.

``Those are the easier, more feasible personal choices that one can make, and they do make a difference.''

Some other simple choices can add up to air pollution reductions.

``Every bit helps,'' said Sam Atwood, AQMD spokesman.

Aerosol hair sprays, floor waxes and paints produce about 100 tons per day of volatile organic compounds, key ingredients of smog.

``It's going to take efforts on every front,'' Atwood said. ``Individual actions will be increasingly important as we get closer to meeting our goals. Using a nonpolluting lawn mower or other lawn equipment or the choice of car can make a big difference.''

Franco considers his 17-mile bicycle commute a pleasure compared with sitting in traffic on congested freeways. He has pedaled to work in Watts and Huntington Park, and he will soon be transferred to a station at Inglewood. He carries necessities in a courier bag and is able to shower at the fire station.

That long bike ride would be difficult for some folks. Another option is to pair cycling with transit, as Sherman Oaks resident Jon Turner does.

A youth counselor and adventure guide, Turner frequently commutes from home to Redondo Beach by pedaling five miles to the Red Line station. He takes the Red Line to the Blue Line to the Green Line to the Douglas-Rosecrans station and then cycles 10 more minutes to work.

The car-free commute takes him about 90 minutes, often faster than it takes to drive.

``It's all been explained to me why Los Angeles collects smog. ... As a resident of this valley that does collect smog and particles, I have a responsibility to reduce my impact.'' Northeast San Fernando Valley Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez has preached environmentalism and drafted legislation encouraging more development designed to facilitate walking and using public transportation.

Now's she walking the walk, literally. Next month, Montanez will move her district office from Mission Hills to San Fernando, where she and much of her staff can walk to work, walk to lunch and even walk to the Metrolink station to take the train to downtown meetings.

``I can leave the car parked or leave it parked at home, and if I do get into a car, it's a (hybrid) Prius, which has one of the lowest emissions,'' said Montanez.

In addition to her gas-electric hybrid, her aides are switching to more fuel-efficient sedans to help lessen pollution when they drive around town on district business.

``Now we're asking ourselves, 'Why am I taking my car down the street?' where before we would just get in the car and go there,'' said her district director, Steve Veres. In the midday sun, Paul Scott's electricity meter runs backward. Photovoltaic panels on his Santa Monica house generate wattage that is sold into the energy grid during the day. Scott buys electricity back from the grid at a cheaper rate at night when his family runs the washer and recharges his electric car.

Most people don't associate their electricity use with air pollution, Scott said, but every flick of the light switch requires energy generated by power plants that create smog ingredients and particulate matter.

``You look at the air that's coming out of these (plants), and you have to understand that your use of electricity causes that pollution, and that pollution is causing asthma and illnesses downwind.''

Actor Ed Begley Jr. now powers his Studio City home, his car and even his oven with solar energy. He often rides his bike to appointments in Santa Monica and recently drove his wife's hybrid to Portland, Ore. It cost $44 for the gas to drive 950 miles.

He didn't adopt his smog-conscious lifestyle overnight, and he advises folks to start with simple changes - such as switching to fluorescent bulbs that use less electricity or cycling on short errands.

``I made these choices and, at first, they seemed difficult. It probably was difficult the first time I rode my bike to Santa Monica,'' Begley said. ``I'm a small foot soldier in this battle for clean air. We've come so far, and we need to be proud of our accomplishments.''

Kerry Cavanaugh, [phone]

kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com

ELECTRIC OFFER

An old gasoline-powered lawn mower can generate as much pollution as 43 new cars, so the South Coast Air Quality Management District is offering San Fernando Valley residents an opportunity to trade in their old mowers and pay $100 for a new cordless electric mower. To register, call [phone] or visit www.aqmd.gov.

CAPTION(S):

photo, 3 boxes

Photo:

Actor Ed Begley Jr. powers his Studio City home with solar panels on the roof.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) CUTTING SMOG

Daily News staff graphic

(2) ELECTRIC OFFER (see text)

(3) STATE OF THE AIR