Name: Sacha Wright
Location: Scotland
Sacha’s Story: I am Sacha and I live in the Orkney Islands in Scotland. I think our air is pretty clean but it’s difficult to know. However, I do live next to a main road and as it’s peak tourist season we have lots of buses coming by us. When you ask me if I know how I could reduce air pollution I think of heavy industry and that I have no control over that plus it’s not so much of an issue here. We do burn fossil fuels such as coal and oil for heating. I need to be more mindful about how we use them. We are hoping to re-insulate our old house which would really help. If I had local data I would want to use it. After all I have two young boys and whilst I can control what they eat to an extent as let’s face it, they don’t always eat what I cook), I can’t control the air they breathe. After living in China, I know what bad air pollution looks like and it’s scary to think about the impact on your body.
Name: Heidi Cullip
Location: London
Heidi’s Story: Air pollution is something I am very aware of. Having lived in many locations around the UK, most of them a long way from London, I am very aware of how polluted the air actually is in London. You can see it on the street with the queues of cars, you can see it in the sink when you wash your face at night and you can see it in your system when you blow your nose! I am a hayfever sufferer and the air pollution in London makes this so much worse. The pollen literally sticks in the air, affecting my breathing.
To tackle the problem, I’d happily ban cars throughout much of London but money would have to be spent on upgrading our public transport system as anyone who travels on the tube at 6pm will tell you. Even though I can drive, I don’t have a car – I travel to work on public transport. It’s a great network (when it works!) and it is usually quicker than using the car. It is also cheaper – parking costs in the city are ridiculous, not to mention having to pay for a permit to park your car outside of your own home. I’d also like to cycle to work however it feels very unsafe. I’d be massively supportive of a safer cycle network across the city. Not only would this mean that people could cycle without fear of accidents, but we’d also be removed from the traffic and the fumes coming out of the back of every vehicle.
If I had data about my street, I would use it. My street is terrible for traffic and for parking. I would use that data to petition the council to make safer road areas and ask councillors to campaign in parliament for a city-wide cycle scheme. I don’t feel that it would be something I could tackle on my own – it’s got to be bigger than that. Most people in my street have a car (and struggle to park it) and many of my friends can’t understand when I don’t have a car, even when I can afford to buy one, so I don’t think everyone will be so happy to give theirs up overnight! The sharing of the data would highlight the extent of the problem though and may encourage others to be more receptive to change.
Name: Elisa Henderson
Location: Edinburgh
Elisa’s Story: Air pollution is a real concern as we are always being told in Edinburgh it’s too high yet it’s invisible – we rely on expertise to tell us this. Different to Asia where I think of the smog. I don’t have physical symptoms from air pollution but I do harbour deep concerns and a hopelessness about the environment generally. I am concerned for our children.
I try my best to take the bus and avoid short journeys in the car to help avoid adding to the toxins but at the same time, I’m going on a long haul flight so I’m inconsistent! I know they had a car-free day in the city centre recently. I try to mend things or buy less to help the environment. I have come to the conclusion that what we need to do is get substantial change at the governmental level to enforce change in corporate behaviour though consumer power has helped with the plastic bags for instance. I also think we need to regulate to help alter personal behaviour too.
Name: Mei Fong
Location: Washington DC
Mei’s Story: The air quality in the outskirts of Washington DC is pretty good, well compared to other cities I have lived such as Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and New York! I do wish we weren’t so reliant on cars to get to places though. One of my sons has asthma and so air quality is a concern, however right now in the US I worry more for my family about the gun laws.
Name: Karen Nielsen
Location: The Black Hills, South Dakota
Karen’s Story: I have mainly lived in two very low populated areas of the world. I was born and raised in Orkney, Scotland, UK. I have now lived nearly as long in The Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. There isn’t a lot of obvious air pollution in either place. I believe this is due to the low population and lack of industry.
Some members of our family suffer from seasonal hay fever-type allergies in both places. We feel these are caused by sensitivities to natural conditions and are not exacerbated by air pollution.
In Orkney, the wind and sea generate very fresh air. I only have a few memories of smellings chemicals and fire when I was young. This is probably from living on a farm. I still enjoy the fresh, crisp air in Orkney when I visit home.
The Black Hills have wonderfully clear air also. Air pollution is most obvious here when a wildfire is burning. Wildfires are fought aggressively here.
The majority of our energy here is generated from coal-fired electric power plants. We have lots of sunshine and some wind here. These alternative energy sources would reduce air pollution. There wouldn’t be as many jobs though (the coal fields and power plants are within commutable distance) and that would be a major concern in a poorer state such as South Dakota.
In this area the collected garbage is not burnt but buried – that’s another issue though.
On cold, still winter days the wood smoke from fireplaces is very apparent hanging in the air. This is a popular heat source here in our wooded, poorer area.
As a family, we try to keep what we can out of the landfills by recycling. We don’t have a wood stove or fireplace. We have hens to eat our kitchen waste. We do burn our personal rubbish though. The air pollution issues in our area seem larger than what we can change as many of the political decisions made here are financially driven not environmentally driven.
