Becoming unlivable
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3/15/2007
I've lived in Chico since 1996. I found myself here to be with a man I am no longer with. I found one who is better and now we are married. I would have never chosen Chico but now am a homeowner and married to a man who has many family members in the area. After hearing about all the cold weather on the East Coast, I guess I should feel fortunate to live in central California but I have been thinking about leaving for two main reasons and a few minor reasons. The main ones: extreme heat and poor air quality. The heat by itself is oppressive, and add extremely poor air quality, which is getting worse by the year as the population increases, and you don't want to do much but sit inside by the AC all summer. Allergies and asthma are very high here and I have developed asthma and hyper-reactive airway disease since I moved here. It is a combination of auto exhaust pollution, smoke from agricultural, backyard and fireplace burning, and airborne pesticides (this is a major agricultural area of the U.S.), and also pollen. Wages are very low and local employers exploit college students, making it difficult for permanent residents to find decent-paying jobs. I was lucky to be able to purchase my house before the housing prices skyrocketed, but I know a lot of people who can't afford to buy even a small house here. But in spite of that, there seems to be a building boom going on here as people flee the Bay Area. The cost of living is rising and wages aren't keeping up. On the plus side, there is a lot of easily accessible natural beauty here and also it is pretty good, culturally. My neighbors are wonderful and I live in a very stable neighborhood. It is very easy to grow vegetables and just about any type of plant here, but it can get down to freezing in the winter. I am looking to leave and move somewhere a little more Liberal, politically, and someplace cooler and dryer with cleaner air.
Patricia | Chico, CA