Clearing the air : the beginning and the end of air pollution

**SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY INSIGHT INVESTMENT SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2019** 'Read this book and join the effort to terminate air pollution.' Arnold Schwarzenegger Air pollution has become the world's greatest environmental health risk, and science is only beginning to reveal its wide-ranging effects. Globally, 19,000 people die each day from air pollution, killing more than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and car accidents combined. What happened to the air we breathe? Sustainability journalist Tim Smedley has travelled the world to try and find the answer, visiting cities at the forefront of the fight against air pollution, including Delhi, Beijing, London and Paris. With insights from the scientists and politicians leading the battle against it, and people whose lives have been affected by it, Clearing the Air tells the full story of air pollution for the first time: what it is, which pollutants are harmful, where they come from and – most importantly – what we can do about them. Air pollution is a problem that can be solved. The stories uncovered on this journey show us how. Clearing the Air is essential reading for anyone who cares about the air they breathe. And this much becomes clear: in the fight against air pollution, we all have a part to play. The fightback has begun. 'Compulsory reading' Chris Boardman Read This Book And Join The Effort To Terminate Air Pollution.--arnold Schwarzenegger, 38th Governor Of California The Story Of What's Happened To The Air We Breathe, The Impact It Has Had On Our Health And What We Can Do To Fight Back. Clearing The Air Tells The Full Story Of What's Happened To The Air We Breathe. Sustainability Journalist Tim Smedley Explains Exactly What Air Pollution Is, Which Chemicals Are The Dangerous Ones And Where They Come From. He Interviews The Scientists And Politicians At The Forefront Of Air Pollution Research As Well As Those Whose Lives Have Been Affected By Smog. This Groundbreaking Book Reveals The Extreme Instances Of Air Pollution That Have Happened Around The World, Including London, Beijing, Delhi And La, As Well As Examining Recent Stories Like The Vw Diesel Scandal. Globally, 18,000 People Die Each Day From Air Pollution. For The Most Part, Air Pollution Is Anonymous; An Invisible Killer Borne From The Cars In Our Driveways And The Industrial Processes Used To Make Stuff, But There Is So Much We Don't Know. Parents On The School Run In Their 4x4s Have Never Been Told That The Pollution Inside The Car Is 5 Times Worse Than That On The Street Outside, Or That Studies Show How Air Pollution Stunts Lung Growth In Children. Around The World, More Than Eight-out-of-ten People Who Live In Cities Breathe In Concentrations Of Air Pollutants That Exceed International Air Quality Guidelines. The Annual Number Of Deaths--6.5 Million--is Far Greater Than Those From Hiv/aids, Tuberculosis, Malaria And Car Crashes Combined, And It Is Getting Worse. These Problems Can Be Solved, And The Message Of The Book Is Positive. The Overwhelming Majority Of Air Pollutants Are Local, Short-lived, And Can Be Stopped At Source; The Benefits To Health, Instant And Dramatic. There Are Many Stories That Show How The Fightback Against Air Pollution Can And Does Work, And We Can All Play A Part To Clear Our Air. Cover Half-Title Series Dedication Title Contents Prologue Part I: Origins Chapter 1: The Greatest Smog? London: 1952 London: 2010s The Beijing 'Airpocalypse' Delhi, 2017 La's 'Photochemical Smog' Paris: NOx-ious gases The Global Air Con Chapter 2: Life's a Gas The leading actors Ammonia Ozone Volatile organic compounds The notable others Sulphur dioxide Carbon dioxide Carbon monoxide Methane The walk-on parts The sky's the limit Chapter 3: Particulate Matters Chapter 4: No Smoke Without Fire Chapter 5: The Dash for Diesel Chapter 6: Struggling to Breathe Part II: FightbackChapter 7: The Greatest Smog Solution? London: 2015-2020 Beijing's Olympian feat Delhi denial The Californian waiver Paris: A journey without cars The global awakening Chapter 8: Electric Dreams Chapter 9: Road Rage Chapter 10: What Price Fresh Air? Epilogue The Clean Air Blueprint: For Cities The Clean Air Blueprint: For You References Prologue Chapter 1: The Greatest Smog? Chapter 2: Life's A Gas Chapter 3: Particulate Matters Chapter 4: No Smoke Without Fire Chapter 5: The Dash For Diesel Chapter 6: Struggling To Breathe Chapter 7: The Greatest Smog Solution?Chapter 9: Road Rage Chapter 10: What Price, Fresh Air? Acknowledgements Index Copyright