Ann Carlson, "Smog and Sunshine: The Surprising Story of How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air" (U California Press, 2026)

About this episode

Ann Carlson discusses the efforts that led to the significant improvement of air quality in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles and smog have been synonymous for decades. From the 1940s through the 1980s, children breathed air so heavy with lead that their blood was poisoned with it. In 1970, officials declared smog alerts on 235 days. But the last smog alert happened in 2003, and lead has virtually disappeared from the air. This is the story of how Los Angeles cleaned up its air. In Smog and Sunshine: The Surprising Story of How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air (University of California Press, 2026), environmental law expert and LA native Ann Carlson recounts the dramatic policy fights and the determined scientists, lawyers, and community members who worked alongside public officials to face off against major polluters and save their city. In a time of unprecedented climate change and skepticism about government and science, this book is an inspiring reminder of what concerned residents, individual leaders, and all levels of government can achieve by working together. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Miranda Melcher

Guest: Ann Carlson

Topics covered

• environmental policy
• air quality
• Los Angeles history
• climate change
• community activism

Keywords

• smog
• air pollution
• environmental law
• Los Angeles
• public health
• climate action
• community efforts

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of California Press

Places: Los Angeles

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