Tag: Pollution

Campaigning, News, Wellbeing of Future Generations1 Comment

Dementia, pollution and blissful ignorance…

Gavin

It’s not often we get angry, but daily exposure to the “news” is having a detrimental effect on our mental health. The “news” may just be reaching peak idiocy. This week we read reports to suggest that the prevalence of dementia appears to be higher near busy roads. This distressing illness robs people of their lives and families of their loved ones. It’s incurable but it does look like it may be, at least in part, caused by our transport choices and the way planners have given our cities over to the car. As many as 11% of dementia cases in … Continue reading Dementia, pollution and blissful ignorance…

20mph, Active Travel Act (Wales) 2013, Campaigning, News, Wellbeing of Future Generations1 Comment

Pollution exposure out on the bike…

Gavin

It’s a widely held belief that people inside cars are protected from the pollution they create, yet we know this to be false. However, we’re not exactly immune to the carcinogenic cocktail of fumes out on our bikes either. Getting our heart rates up, whilst great for our cardiovascular health in ideal conditions, it’s not quite so great on the polluted streets of our city. A new study from the University of British Columbia says that cyclists who ride faster breath deeper, thus inhaling more toxic air pollution.Therefore, the scientists recommend that cyclists of both sexes over the age of 20 should … Continue reading Pollution exposure out on the bike…

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BBC Scotland Investigates: Car Sick

Gavin

BBC Scotland has just broadcast an excellent programme looking into the effects of car dependency on our health. Just what is coming out of your car’s exhaust and what is it doing to your health? The VW diesel emissions scandal has highlighted how little we know about cars and air pollution. But there are increasing… Source: BBC One – BBC Scotland Investigates, 2015, Car Sick While it’s still available on iPlayer, it’s worth taking a look… Continue reading BBC Scotland Investigates: Car Sick

Around the world, Campaigning, Public Health1 Comment

A look into the future…

Gavin

It was a 1963 report called Traffic in Towns, written for the Government by Professor Colin Buchanan that many will hold responsible for the sorry state of utility cycling in the UK. Indeed, many will argue Traffic in Towns was used as a means to drive a bulldozer through much of the cycle infrastructure we may have had back then. However, hindsight is a wonderful thing and it could also be argued that, at the time, we really didn’t appreciate how destructive motoring would become. Had we known that before long we’d have two or three car households; dangerous levels … Continue reading A look into the future…