Choices 9. The Air We Breathe

Who pollutes the air in our cities?
What can we do about it?
How about the air in our homes? - that's for another episode​

In this episode, we talk about impact pathway to understand the impacts of air pollution and transport policy - transport generally being the main source of air pollution in cities

In December 2020, a court in London decided that air pollution was the cause of death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah (RIP). This was a first in law recognising causality. Science has been aware of the health impacts of air pollution for decades. In London, at least since the 'pea soupers' of 1953 (see below). And air pollution is one of those areas where science has been incorporated into policy - in the UK at least, we now have cleaner ways to generate electricity and heat / cool our homes (still room for improvement of course!) but there is a lot more to do about transport - where emissions are nearest to the people who are affected. 

But what can a household do about air pollution? You can reduce your travel by car, switch to cleaner vehicles (our next episode is on this!), when ordering online choose the slower delivery or click and collect nearby, so your next day delivery doesn't add to the increasing delivery van traffic, and vote for the politicians who take air pollution, transport and everything else that is for your benefit, seriously. 

There is a lot to talk about air pollution - hence a long episode but also more info on our website. 

Our guest in this episode is Oliver Lord, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Environmental Defense Fund Europe,