Is studying in London worth breathing in toxic air?
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Is studying in London worth breathing in toxic air?
The toxicity of London's air has been in the news a lot recently.
This Guardian article is by a woman who passed up on the chance to do a PhD at Imperial because of air pollution in London:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/20/air-pollution-london-health-deaths
It's an interesting perspective. Personally I would find it hard to turn down the opportunity to go to Imperial, LSE or UCL despite the health hazards.
But in the case of other London unis like QMUL and King's College London, there are many better alternatives around the country. In that case I'd look elsewhere.
This Guardian article is by a woman who passed up on the chance to do a PhD at Imperial because of air pollution in London:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/20/air-pollution-london-health-deaths
It's an interesting perspective. Personally I would find it hard to turn down the opportunity to go to Imperial, LSE or UCL despite the health hazards.
But in the case of other London unis like QMUL and King's College London, there are many better alternatives around the country. In that case I'd look elsewhere.
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I've got bad athsma and it clears up on a seaside town in a few hours. I cannot go near London but for a few hours then it will become really difficult to breathe.
Original post by Anfanny
I've got bad athsma and it clears up on a seaside town in a few hours. I cannot go near London but for a few hours then it will become really difficult to breathe.
I don't have any breathing conditions but the hazards of cumulative exposure would be a concern for me.
Would it be correct to assume that you'd follow suit with the woman in the article and wouldn't go for studying in London?
I felt like my eyes were going to pop out. I wouldn't study in London though I have better lung capacity than normal the symptoms of being in that big polluted city are worse than you could imagine. It's like being in a mild house fire.
Original post by Edulcorante
The toxicity of London's air has been in the news a lot recently.
This Guardian article is by a woman who passed up on the chance to do a PhD at Imperial because of air pollution in London:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/20/air-pollution-london-health-deaths
It's an interesting perspective. Personally I would find it hard to turn down the opportunity to go to Imperial, LSE or UCL despite the health hazards.
But in the case of other London unis like QMUL and King's College London, there are many better alternatives around the country. In that case I'd look elsewhere.
This Guardian article is by a woman who passed up on the chance to do a PhD at Imperial because of air pollution in London:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/20/air-pollution-london-health-deaths
It's an interesting perspective. Personally I would find it hard to turn down the opportunity to go to Imperial, LSE or UCL despite the health hazards.
But in the case of other London unis like QMUL and King's College London, there are many better alternatives around the country. In that case I'd look elsewhere.
It's been particularly bad on certain days this winter.
If you don't live against a main road, that helps reduce it - the peak particulate and NOx measurements are close to busy junctions and where the main arterial routes pass by.
It's absolutely disgraceful how bad air pollution now is in London, the main culprit is diesel engines and especially the SUVs, vans, lorries, taxis and coaches that constantly harass the city.
Original post by Anfanny
I felt like my eyes were going to pop out. I wouldn't study in London though I have better lung capacity than normal the symptoms of being in that big polluted city are worse than you could imagine. It's like being in a mild house fire.
Wow! So glad I don't suffer from asthma! Hope you find somewhere you can breathe comfortably.
Original post by Fullofsurprises
It's been particularly bad on certain days this winter.
If you don't live against a main road, that helps reduce it - the peak particulate and NOx measurements are close to busy junctions and where the main arterial routes pass by.
It's absolutely disgraceful how bad air pollution now is in London, the main culprit is diesel engines and especially the SUVs, vans, lorries, taxis and coaches that constantly harass the city.
If you don't live against a main road, that helps reduce it - the peak particulate and NOx measurements are close to busy junctions and where the main arterial routes pass by.
It's absolutely disgraceful how bad air pollution now is in London, the main culprit is diesel engines and especially the SUVs, vans, lorries, taxis and coaches that constantly harass the city.
Why has it got so bad recently? Is it caused by trends in vehicle/fuel types?
Original post by Edulcorante
Wow! So glad I don't suffer from asthma! Hope you find somewhere you can breathe comfortably.
Thanks
Original post by tobq
Wtf do you countrysiders think London is; have you seen places like China and India?
You read an article on London's bad air, and you start rejecting places at Imperial - I'm gobsmacked.
You read an article on London's bad air, and you start rejecting places at Imperial - I'm gobsmacked.
WTF do you Londoners think places like India and China are? You read one article in the Guardian or the Telegraph and feel you have the knowledge to pass judgement? I'm gobsmacked.
Original post by Aceadria
WTF do you Londoners think places like India and China are? You read one article in the Guardian or the Telegraph and feel you have the knowledge to pass judgement? I'm gobsmacked.
I've lived in London, my entire life, and am only hearing of this supposed air pollution, today.
I must be retarded, somewhere.
My god:
Delhi #1
Doha #12
Beijing #76
California #160 !
and then there's
Berlin #596
Paris #749
Barcelona #823
London #829
You might as well stick to your fish'n'chip shops, never leaving your villages.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by tobq
I've lived in London, my entire life, and am only hearing of this supposed air pollution, today.
I must be retarded, somewhere.
My god:
Delhi #1
Doha #12
Beijing #76
and then there's
Paris #749
Barcelona #823
London #829
You might as well stay in your fish'n'chip shop's and never leave your villages.
I must be retarded, somewhere.
My god:
Delhi #1
Doha #12
Beijing #76
and then there's
Paris #749
Barcelona #823
London #829
You might as well stay in your fish'n'chip shop's and never leave your villages.
You still haven't addressed my point, have you? Delhi does not represent India; Beijing does not represent China. So, try again.
Original post by Aceadria
You still haven't addressed my point, have you? Delhi does not represent India; Beijing does not represent China. So, try again.
What is your point?
The question asked about the city of London - do you wish for me to list every city in China and India?#
Nowadays, people believe anything they read, I must've missed the industrial revolution happening in London right now - I should get out more, in that case.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by tobq
I've lived in London, my entire life, and am only hearing of this supposed air pollution, today.
I must be retarded, somewhere.
My god:
Delhi #1
Doha #12
Beijing #76
California #160 !
and then there's
Berlin #596
Paris #749
Barcelona #823
London #829
You might as well stick to your fish'n'chip shops, never leaving your villages.
I must be retarded, somewhere.
My god:
Delhi #1
Doha #12
Beijing #76
California #160 !
and then there's
Berlin #596
Paris #749
Barcelona #823
London #829
You might as well stick to your fish'n'chip shops, never leaving your villages.
Compared to the rest of the world then the UK is relatively good.
Compared to the rest of Europe or more relevant the rest of the UK then air quality in London is relatively poor. If youve ever lived anywhere else in the country then you notice it.
Unsurprising London has the poorest quality air in the UK. What i was surprised at was how many people it kills.
Btw what was the relevance of fish and chip shops? Don't you have them in London?
Are life expectancies not vastly reduced when people live in these places?
Original post by Anfanny
Are life expectancies not vastly reduced when people live in these places?
Probably not across the entire population, but some vulnerable people with existing respiratory issues will be adversely affected and I imagine it increases cancer rates and so on.
Original post by MrIso
Wtf, I live in London and feel no pollution whatsoever ???
Some people notice it much more than others. Where do you live, out of interest? In E. London it feels very noticeable - I work at Mile End and it was staggeringly awful there back in some weeks in December and January.
Original post by Edulcorante
Why has it got so bad recently? Is it caused by trends in vehicle/fuel types?
Diesel engines have risen dramatically compared to petrol - diesel was favoured by the government as it contributes less to CO2 levels, but it increases outputs of particulates and NOx, both of which are quite harmful to human health. There are also big increases in the numbers of vehicles on the roads across all categories. Then you have the fact that London has been undergoing a construction boom, which brings thousands of heavy lorry movements onto the roads, day and night. Add SUVs to the mix (SUV owners in Central London areas often sit in them with engines idling for long periods, which considerably increases local pollution on the pavements where people are) and big numbers of coaches and taxis and you have the current situation.
Original post by Fullofsurprises
It's been particularly bad on certain days this winter.
If you don't live against a main road, that helps reduce it - the peak particulate and NOx measurements are close to busy junctions and where the main arterial routes pass by.
It's absolutely disgraceful how bad air pollution now is in London, the main culprit is diesel engines and especially the SUVs, vans, lorries, taxis and coaches that constantly harass the city.
If you don't live against a main road, that helps reduce it - the peak particulate and NOx measurements are close to busy junctions and where the main arterial routes pass by.
It's absolutely disgraceful how bad air pollution now is in London, the main culprit is diesel engines and especially the SUVs, vans, lorries, taxis and coaches that constantly harass the city.
I'll give you that the SUVs are unnecessary, but everything else?
Vans: do you know how difficult it is to fit a cement mixer in the boot of a car?
Lorries: good luck getting your shopping done when nobody stocks anything due to a sudden and unexplained banning of lorries. Everything will have to be delivered by car, so have fun trying to find a parking space amidst the amount of loading bays that immediately get installed.
Taxis: you... don't want people to be able to get around? Whilst putting several thousand people out of work?
Coaches: given that trains have been a thing for a while, I'm on the fence on this one. But no doubt a banning of coaches would lead to a slight drop in tourism to London.
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