Back in 1952, London turned into a nightmare–a thick, deadly fog rolled through the city, choking people to death in their own homes. Known as the Great Smog of London, this disaster killed around 4,000 people within days, with thousands more dying in the weeks that followed from breathing problems. This tragedy was a wake-up call about how serious air pollution can get, and it prompted the British government to pass the Clean Air Act in 1956, aimed at reducing air pollution and encouraging cleaner energy use.
Air pollution in Delhi, India
Besides isolated events like the Great Smog of London or the recent wildfire smoke we faced in Los Angeles, many communities struggle with the greater issue of ongoing poor air quality levels. One of the most consistently polluted major cities is Delhi, India, which averaged a PM2.5 level of 108.4 in 2024. The current World Health Organization guidelines suggest that the average PM2.5 level should remain below 5.
In terms of health detriments, air pollution from small particles can go through the lungs and into the bloodstream. According to the WHO, air pollution can exacerbate any kind of disease but primarily worsens heart disease and pulmonary disease and can also cause lung cancer.
Los Angeles’s Air Pollution Problem
Things are better in the United States, but many large cities like the LA metropolitan area still suffer from their own issues. In the American Lung Association’s 2024 State of the Air report, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties received an “F” in particle pollution. And in 2024, the city of Los Angeles was subjected to 44 “Unhealthy” air days and 9 “Hazardous” air days.
However, the United States has strict regulations on acceptable pollution levels, so how could this happen? Unfortunately, the main issue is actually the citizens themselves. The major pollution sources in LA County are transportation, followed by industry. So, the over 3 million LA County residents commuting by car are a significant part of the problem. Bad air quality caused by automotive emissions can be worsened by acute weather events like unfortunate wind directions that trap bad air while it builds up. We can’t really blame the residents, though, because many LA residents lack access to alternative modes of transportation.
A Hope-filled Transformation of Paris
But not all hope is lost. In 2024, the city of Paris had to impress 11 million tourists for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and air pollution was an unsightly issue. Paris’s primary strategy to curb air pollution started by limiting motor vehicle traffic and promoting alternative modes of transportation. The deputy mayor of Paris’s transportation snarkily said: “There has been a metro serving this area for 120 years. Maybe this is the opportunity to try it?”
After \restricting vehicle access to a 5.5 square kilometer region in the city center, raising parking rates for large vehicles, removing 50,000 parking spots, building 800 miles of bike lanes, and planting 155,000 trees since 2014, Paris’s cumulative air pollution has declined by 40%. This dramatic change gives us hope. Maybe the same strategy could be employed by Los Angeles to prepare for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The Big Picture
As an artist who believes in the transformative power of storytelling, my piece serves as a reflection of the tragedy–the smog. The black-and-white piece is more than an aesthetic choice–it is an international echo of history to reveal the stark contrast between what we endured then and what we risk now. The smog, in my piece, is not just smoke–it’s memory and history. This work stands as a massive “ wake-up” sign. It challenges viewers not to look away or not to wait for another disaster. Through this piece, I’m issuing a call that history, like in Delhi and Los Angeles, doesn’t have to repeat.
