Can voting / activism make a difference? How? DRAFT

Im personally keen on activism. But does it make a real difference to air pollution / the climate crisis? The journal Scientific American (Sci. Am.) has reviewed this (i summarised their work here). They say: governments and companies “need to do the lion’s share of the work”, but ordinary people also need to make changes …

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Is the area where I live a problem? DRAFT

If you’re in a high risk group, please sign up for an automatic text advisory service for spikes of bad air pollution. But different areas also have different ongoing or ‘baseline’ levels of air pollution. Please don’t assume you live in a ‘clean air’ area!I can see one of the top ten trees in London from …

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What about the transport we use: cars / public transport / active travel DRAFT

There’s good news .. and bad news : The good news: Small particle (PM2.5) emissions from road transport have reduced very significantly.This follows improved vehicle design – and road traffic controls like ULEZ in London. Pedestrians experience less pollution than drivers and passengers inside vehicles. Its even better if you can walk along side roads. …

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What about my work? DRAFT

In Camden, the single biggest source of gaseous and particulate pollution is ‘commercial buildings’. Do you know about the causes of your local air pollution?There are so many sorts of commercial buildings where you might be working – but lets pick out three: – Office / desk work– Construction– Restaurants, especially meat cooking Of course, …

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Am I – and my family – at risk? DRAFT

There is no safe level for air pollution. But some groups of people are more at risk. Both from spikes, and with ongoing levels of dirty air: Children and young people have lungs that are growing (until age 20). Younger people are physically smaller, and breathe faster – so air pollution has worse effects. And …

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How can schools have safer air? DRAFT

Ella Kissi Debra - on the left as you face the image - and her mum Rosamund

Children and young people are particularly vulnerable to the adverse health effects of poor air quality as their bodies (including lungs and brains) are still developing and they breathe faster than adults – so take in proportionally more air. 99.8% of schools in England are in areas where outdoor PM2.5 is modelled above WHO levels. …

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Air pollution: what can I do?

Air pollution is a Big Deal!It’s the Biggest environmental health hazard – causing many more problems all the way through all of our lives – its NOT just the obvious chest/ asthma. So what can I do: Am I – and my family – at risk? Is the area where I live / work a problem? What …

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Glasgow photography competition: movement

Showing brutalist Brunswick Centre with sun rising on the left - reflecting off the window glass - and the moon going down on the right

Ive been trying to submit to this competitition They seem to be looking for photographs showing rapid small-scale movement? I want to show much more fundamental movement: that of the Earth rotating round the Sun, and the Moon rotating round the Earth and Sun.Of course it appears as though we on the Earth are stationary – and …

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Marchmont community centre: discussing air pollution

poster in street says: you wouldnt drink it - so why breath it

I talked to community members about air pollution – theory and some practical ideas about mitigation. First, lets remember the Clean Air Wins campaign up above: I started with some questions: Almost everyone didnt believe they had a pollution problem – not in their area, no, no, no!I talked about Ella Kissi-Debrah and her mum …

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