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"Air pollution in Scotland 'creating public health crisis' "

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    Pedestrians breathe in 30bn tiny particles per hour in urban streets according to Panorama.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06q6nh2

    Posted 8 years ago #
  2. HankChief
    Member

    I have a 'friend' who has one of these diesels with a cheat device on it.

    Would should my their next steps be?

    The car fits my their needs very well and is still quite new and not intended to be replaced for many years to come.

    Having watched tonight's panorama programme it feels quite bad to keep using it, but it would be an extreme option to take the financial hit of replacing an otherwise perfect car.

    I think the only option is to hang on to it and hope that there is some compensation or scrappage scheme and try to use it less in the meantime...

    Posted 8 years ago #
  3. HankChief
    Member

    Double post. I blame VW.

    Posted 8 years ago #
  4. chdot
    Admin

    "it feels quite bad to keep using it"

    I understand why VW installed the cheating software, but I don't understand why the 'real' figures are much worse than other car manufacturers.

    It doesn't seem to make sense that VW can't (or just won't) make cars (about) as clean as others.

    Can't really just be that they can make cars for less. Can it??

    Posted 8 years ago #
  5. acsimpson
    Member

    Selling it wouldn't take it out of use and so I don't see a reason for your "friend" to do that.

    I don't understand why VW's solution appears to be updating the software on said cars to stop them cheating in a test they will never take. Surely there has to be a better solution or am I missing something (The power of big business perhaps).

    Posted 8 years ago #
  6. chdot
    Admin

  7. chdot
    Admin

    "

    “Environmental risk factors are an important new area to consider here, particularly since we might be able to do something about them. “We found that the evidence is particularly strong for air pollution and vitamin D deficiency.

    But we really need more research to find out whether these factors are actually causing dementia and how, and if so, what we can do to prevent this.”

    "

    http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-scientists-discover-dementia-risk-in-air-pollution-1-4255525

    Posted 7 years ago #
  8. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Spokes CycleCampaign (@SpokesLothian)
    12/01/2017, 12:57 pm
    Cycling budget 10% helps #AirQuality says Transport Convener @LAHinds-->

    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/2228/air_quality_improving_but_no_room_for_complacency_-_transport_convener

    @FoEScot @CyclingEdin @CyclingSurgeon @edfoc http://pic.twitter.com/nQhqQardk3

    "

    Posted 7 years ago #
  9. chdot
    Admin

  10. chdot
    Admin

    "

    In 2016 new official pollution zones were declared in Linlithgow and Newton in West Lothian, with Edinburgh’s Salamander Street coming into force later this month.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/three-new-air-pollution-zones-in-lothians-1-4340011

    Posted 7 years ago #
  11. HankChief
    Member

    Interesting response from Emilia Jane Hanna (FOE) on why St John's Road's score has dropped so much year over year.


    @trapprain @John_Lauder @FoEScot its a good question.there was a tarp screen on the guardrail by the st johns monitor all yr.....(1/2)

    @trapprain @John_Lauder @FoEScot (2/2) as part of an experiment to c if it wd affect readings. Its impact on readings as yet unknown

    Posted 7 years ago #
  12. chdot
    Admin

    "Its impact on readings as yet unknown"

    ??

    Posted 7 years ago #
  13. HankChief
    Member

    Quite

    Posted 7 years ago #
  14. chdot
    Admin

    "

    One of the main threats to Edinburgh – and the planet – is poor air quality. Air pollution is a major challenge for all cities and the Capital is no different. Poor air quality damages our health and impacts negatively on the environment, harming plants and animals and affecting biodiversity.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/lesley-hinds-everyone-has-a-right-to-a-little-breathing-space-1-4338981

    Posted 7 years ago #
  15. neddie
    Member

    Not only Scotland... When we buy stuff made in China (i.e. almost everything that's not food), this happens: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-38587580

    The smartphones, computers, TV screens, jeans and shoes that have been pouring out of its factories over the past few decades are cheap, in part at least, precisely because they're made without environmental safeguards.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  16. chdot
    Admin

  17. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Just spotted @HankChief's dilema from a year ago. Another aspect is that the car in question has relatively very low carbon dioxide output per mile. You might keep it on the grounds that the Keeling curve is more frightening than rural pollution from particulates which is the flip side, given that you cycle round town.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  18. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Andrea Jenkyns MP (@andreajenkyns)
    06/02/2017, 16:14
    Discussing diesel tax with @itvcalendar. There are better ways to tackle air quality than unfair regressive tax increases on motorists. pic.twitter.com/h3oGDfRxy7

    "

    https://twitter.com/andreajenkyns/status/828637966121721858

    Posted 7 years ago #
  19. PS
    Member

    Discussing diesel tax with @itvcalendar. There are better ways to tackle air quality than unfair regressive tax increases on motorists.

    Closing roads to traffic?

    Posted 7 years ago #
  20. gembo
    Member

    Join this thread to the parking thread. It is a war on the motorist. A just war.

    All motorists can see the issue if it is about other motorists, but same as anyone else, they struggle to apply the idea of their vehicle emitting pollution, their driving being at times dangerous and their cars taking up space that needs to be paid for.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  21. chdot
    Admin

    "

    European Commission issues 'final warning' to UK over air pollution
    Legal air pollution limits repeatedly surpassed in 16 areas, including London, Leeds and Glasgow

    "

    http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/air-pollution-final-warning-european-commission-uk-breaches-failure-latest-environment-16-areas-a7581191.html

    Posted 7 years ago #
  22. neddie
    Member

    The BBC seem to be running "A week of coverage by BBC News examining possible solutions to the problems caused by air pollution." e.g.

    http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39132679

    So far the answers are:

    - electric cars
    - jet engines
    - trees
    - pollution masks for children
    - individual pollution monitors so people (esp. children) can avoid hotspots
    - it's bad, it's really bad

    Nothing yet about active travel or reducing the need to travel... (I'm not holding my breath*)

    Le sigh.

    *No pun intended

    Posted 7 years ago #
  23. LaidBack
    Member

    Yes... cars are comfort food for those in power having to make 'austere' decisions.

    Of course we can't suggest bikes because that would be a sign of austerity - despite the fact other wealthy N European countries use (!). But of course the new Brextannia takes its lead from global economies. We need to be more like the rest of the world - particularly hot places with oil and mineral reserves!

    I've just tweeted Rob Edwards and BBC's John Beattie on this as Radio Scotland were doing another EV themed article. JB knows electric bikes work as he saw one in action carrying the cameraman for the Medal Myth.

    Ed Festival Cycling Retweeted your Tweet
    16m: EVs are only part of the mix. @UrbanArrowcom does short journeys fast + lighter on road + environ.

    John Beattie liked your Tweet
    13m: @robedwards53 @BBCJohnBeattie Maybe time electric bikes were looked at as part of improving the mix and reducing strain on roads and health? pic.twitter.com/aD9iJrmxMl

    They are trying to find electric car users though as they think are more likely to become normal - as long as the government subsidises people for running them. With bikes there's not enough finance in the business it seems. Really too cheap a solution so not valid in the 'real' economy. Much better to do an update of the existing 'non-solution'. Wouldn't want roads to go to waste.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  24. crowriver
    Member

    "Wouldn't want roads to go to waste."

    Of course not. Perfect excuse to build more motorways, dual carriageways, etc. Business As Usual for the government's friends in civil engineering and construction: kerching!

    Posted 7 years ago #
  25. acsimpson
    Member

    I'm not against EVs in their rightful place but providing polution masks to children is a horrible idea. What will happen next, kids will breathing difficulties will be told it's their own fault for not wearing masks?

    Victim blaming at it's worst.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  26. nobrakes
    Member

    Maybe velomobiles with E-Assist would be more appealing if in future they come down in price a bit. They 'look' more like a car after all.

    Posted 7 years ago #
  27. HankChief
    Member

    What air traffic pollution is doing to our kids...

    A brilliant short factsheet to explain it to your school.

    http://www.monbiot.com/2017/03/05/car-sick/

    Posted 7 years ago #
  28. neddie
    Member

    Oooh, that's a cracker from the BBC:

    https://twitter.com/loudmouthman/status/839938757147115520

    Posted 7 years ago #
  29. neddie
    Member

    It's OK, we can all continue driving - we just need to take a few vitamins:

    http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39231896

    Posted 7 years ago #
  30. chdot
    Admin

    "

    But by the time kids turned 18, those who lived in areas with high levels of air pollution had 13% less-than-normal efficiency in their insulin-producing cells, making them more prone to eventually developing diabetes, according to USC news.

    "

    http://www.momscleanairforce.org/study-air-pollution-diabetes-latino-kids/

    Posted 7 years ago #

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