To: Government
Air Pollution
Air pollution is choking our cities and causing a global health crisis. Most pollution on our roads comes from burning fossil fuels and main culprit is diesel used in cars and vans. Switching to electric vehicles will not only provide us with cleaner air, it will slash carbon emissions which cause climate change.
Why is this important?
fossil fuels not only accelerates climate change, it also pollutes the air we breathe. Burning oil and coal releases carbon dioxide along with a host of other pollutants. Gases such as nitrogen oxides and ozone fill the surrounding air and tiny particles work their way deep into our lungs.
The impacts on our health are profound, including respiratory problems, heart disease and shortened life expectancy. The head of the World Health Organisation called air pollution “the new tobacco”, although he noted that you can move away from cigarette smoke. In contrast, when your home or school is surrounded by air pollution, there’s no escape.
Nearly half of all vehicles on roads run on diesel. It used to be seen by the government as a more climate-friendly fuel than petrol because it releases less carbon dioxide. As a result, incentives for diesel vehicles encouraged us to buy them. However, we know now that those claims were exaggerated by car manufacturers. Also, simply switching from one fossil fuel to another ignores the fact that we need to stop burning them altogether. Additionally, diesel cars produce more nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution. Most urban areas have illegal levels of NO2 pollution, which can stunt lung development in children
The impacts on our health are profound, including respiratory problems, heart disease and shortened life expectancy. The head of the World Health Organisation called air pollution “the new tobacco”, although he noted that you can move away from cigarette smoke. In contrast, when your home or school is surrounded by air pollution, there’s no escape.
Nearly half of all vehicles on roads run on diesel. It used to be seen by the government as a more climate-friendly fuel than petrol because it releases less carbon dioxide. As a result, incentives for diesel vehicles encouraged us to buy them. However, we know now that those claims were exaggerated by car manufacturers. Also, simply switching from one fossil fuel to another ignores the fact that we need to stop burning them altogether. Additionally, diesel cars produce more nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution. Most urban areas have illegal levels of NO2 pollution, which can stunt lung development in children