The pollution has again become overwhelming in the city and in No. France. Only cars with odd-numered license plates will be allowed on the streets in Paris on Monday. Don't know for how long this will be going on. Guess it would be even-numbered plates on Tuesday. Just a year ago pollution levels were the same. Public transportation was free.

got to get rid of those diesels they were pusing for so long.

The new diesels are as clean as gasoline engines, according to the lack of pollution tax imposed on them in Germany. They also pass California clean air standards.

That's interesting, I thought diesels were really bad, also.

I never thought of Paris' air as being some of the worst, though, compared to other places I've been. I used to live in LA and it was a lot worst and last summer I was in Mexico City and it has to be one of the most polluted cities on earth. That place was nauseating, the entire sky was gray most of the time, and it was due to pollution, not clouds. I remember visiting Athens many years ago and they had those same even/odd restrictions. Not sure it's improved there. LA has improved from what it used to be decades ago, but it's still not great.

here's a chart showing various cities. Of course, the worst are in Africa and Asia. I notice Mexico City is up there with them. With the worst city being about 109 in Accra and the best is Canberra at 8, Paris is only 68, about like Phoenix AZ. Even LA is a bit lower at 64. So I guess Paris does need improvement. I've read reports about how pollution is bad in Washington DC where I now live, and I didn't understand them as it seems fine to me and there isn't any industry right in the city to speak of. That chart shows it at 29 which is more like what I would thing. (ignore the EXP ratings on the right which is some exponentiated measure)

http://www.numbeo.com/pollution/rankings_current.jsp

Most of the pollution is drifting from the east -- Germany and Poland, which are still major coal burning countries.

Paris had the worst pollution in the world one day last week, surpassing Shanghai.

At least the current pollution level in Paris is not constant, as it is in other large cities. This is only a temporary inconvenience, brought about by adverse weather conditions which magnify the relatively normal pollution caused by vehicles - no matter whether they're powered by diesel or other carburants.

Today Paris is very sunny and there's a lot of wind, so maybe the situation will clear up faster than expected. Until then, I'm very happy to take advantage of all this free public transportation.

So nothing to do with the high pressure that is hold the pollution overhead rather than diluting it in the rest of the planet's air.

As the high pressure drops the winds will blow it away.

http://www.france24.com/en/20150128-...les-july-2015/

Diesels are a big part of the problem in Paris and thus this July the city is banning some of the worst emitters.

natali - maybe if you wore panties, we wouldn't be so bothered by all the smoke you keep blowing out of your lovely little ass...

I remember a butterfly with some of Natali's attributes