It's true cozie. I lived in the LA basin until the mid-80s The air pollution, especially in the early 70s, was horrendous! Now, due to clean air legislation, the air quality is much, much better and there are far fewer 'Spare the Air' days.
I moved in the mid-80s to semi-rural No Calif where pollution was basically nonexistent. When we used to 'go home' to visit I'd think "I can't believe I grew up in this!". Now it's a pleasure to see the blue skies I remember from my childhood.
It's one of the reason we hate Scrotus so much. His rolling back of pollution regulations (regarding businesses, of course) might really fuck with California's air quality. So far state regs are still in place, but I expect it's only a matter of time before some bastard files a 'federal law supersedes state law' lawsuit.