The American Lung Association in California's "State of the Air" report finds more than 90 percent of Californians live in counties with unhealthy air. Bonnie Holmes-Gen is with the Lung Association:
Holmes-Gen: "California does still have some of the worst pollution in the country and California cities top the lists of the worst polluted cities in the country for ozone pollution and particle pollution."
The Sacramento area has seen a significant drop in some forms of pollution, according to the study. The "State of the Air" report finds Sacramento County had a more than 70 percent drop in the number of unhealthy days for particulates over about the past decade.
Bonnie Holmes-Gen is with the Lung Association. She says one of the reasons for the decline is we've changed the way we use our fireplaces:
Holmes-Gen: "Wood-burning is a very significant contributor and Sacramento's check before you burn program has made a huge difference in keeping those particle pollutions down and we've seen that difference in terms of the dramatic reductions in unhealthy days here in Sacramento."
Holmes-Gen says ozone pollution is also down in Sacramento…by about 30 percent over the past decade.