Is studying in London worth breathing in toxic air?

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I've lived in London, my entire life, and am only hearing of this supposed air pollution, today.

I must be retarded, somewhere.

Not retarded, but definitely experiencing some deficiency in the mental faculties if you think that London isn't polluted.
Of course you don't realise how polluted London is, you ****ing live there. Ever heard of being nose blind? As someone who doesn't live anywhere near London, allow me to inform you that London is noticeably more polluted than anywhere within 50 miles of where I live.

Reply 21

MrIso

Original post by Fullofsurprises

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.

I live in Lewisham in the south east and don't really leave South/Central London so it may be certain areas more than others.

Reply 22

prazzyjazzy

Yeah, why wouldn't I? I've been living in a developing country for some time and the air quality isn't the best--but it's no big deal. I actually went back to the UK and visited London for a few days, and the air quality was the least of my concern...

Reply 23

Fadel

Stop being a drama queen.

Reply 24

WhiteScythe

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.

This statement is of poor comedic value.

Reply 25

Fullofsurprises

Original post by MrIso

I live in Lewisham in the south east and don't really leave South/Central London so it may be certain areas more than others.

Lewisham is one of the most polluted districts in terms of vehicle emissions - it has the main A2 and other big roads.

Reply 26

MrIso

Original post by Fullofsurprises

Lewisham is one of the most polluted districts in terms of vehicle emissions - it has the main A2 and other big roads.

Funny, I live about a 5 minutes drive from the A2 and have never felt a thing, even my friends with asthma have little problem.

Reply 27

Fullofsurprises

Original post by MrIso

Funny, I live about a 5 minutes drive from the A2 and have never felt a thing, even my friends with asthma have little problem.

Then you are lucky basically. Lots of people do. It tends to affect people who are already sick more though.

However, I also wonder if you aren't just used to it. I wasn't brought up in London and I notice it very strongly.

Reply 28

maroumarou

Personally no, I've lived in central london for most of my life and I've never experienced/ had friends experience issues. I realise, however, that it is obviously an issue that affects a considerable number of people, and so I'd understand choosing to study somewhere equally as good in a less polluted area if I knew it was going to affect me.

Reply 29

Joinedup

Usually doesn't seem too terrible if there's any sort of breeze - though I was near London Bridge station on a still, hot summer day... it was pretty stinky & I'd have worried about breathing that every day.

--edit--
by pretty stinky I mean completely unlike anything I've experienced in any northern cities, more like you'd expect in the third world

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 30

niteninja1

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.

even if the air quality is as bad as they say you dont actually notice it on a day to
day basis.

Also not all london unis are in central brunel is in a fairly nice area

Reply 31

Kravence

The statements made by some people here makes London seem like the air is flowing with toxic radiation.

It really isn't as bad as media outlets like to make everything out to be.

Reply 32

Fullofsurprises

Original post by Kravence

The statements made by some people here makes London seem like the air is flowing with toxic radiation.

It really isn't as bad as media outlets like to make everything out to be.

On some days, I would say it is. When we had those days in January with freezing fog and no wind, the pollution absolutely filled the air. I remember walking across Victoria Park in E. London feeling like it really wasn't possible to breath in without dying a little bit each time.

Reply 33

username2228735

Original post by tobq

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?#

If you are going to make a fair comparison, then yes. It's simply ignorant to compare a city with a nation more than fifteen times its population and far more diverse in both demographics and geography.

Original post by tobq

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.