Lifetime Population Exposure to Air Pollution in Canada

Spatiotemporal air pollution exposure assessment for a Canadian population-based lung cancer case-control study (26 page pdf, Perry Hystad, Paul A Demers, Kenneth C Johnson, Jeff Brook, Aaron van Donkelaar, Lok Lamsal, Randall Martin and Michael Brauer, Environmental Health, Apr.4, 2012) Today, we review a report that develops a method of assessing exposure to air pollution [...]

Diesel Trucks, Oil-Heated Homes and Childhood Asthma

Domestic airborne black carbon and exhaled nitric oxide in children in NYC (Abstract, Alexandra G Cornell, Steven N Chillrud, Robert B Mellins, Luis M Acosta, Rachel L Miller, James W Quinn, Beizhan Yan, Adnan Divjan, Omar E Olmedo, Sara Lopez-Pintado, Patrick L Kinney, Frederica P Perera, Judith S Jacobson, Inge F Goldstein, Andrew G Rundle, [...]

Characteristics and Components of Particulate Matter

Characterization of Fine Particulate Matter and Associations between Particulate Chemical Constituents and Mortality in Seoul, Korea (34 page pdf, Ji-Young Son, Jong-Tae Lee, Ki-Hyun Kim, Kweon Jung, Michelle L. Bell, Environ Health Perspect ,  Mar.22, 2012) Today we review some leading edge research into the make-up of particulate pollution from the aspect of what associated [...]

Assessing Air Quality near Major Roads in Ontario, Canada

Environmental Guide for Assessing and Mitigating the Air Quality Impacts and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Provincial Transportation Projects (78 page pdf, Environmental Policy Office, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Jan. 2012) Also discussed here: Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Impacts of Transportation (Dianne Saxe, Envirolaw, Mar. 1, 2012) Although it is considered still a “draft”, the [...]

Climate Change, Air Pollution and Corrosion of Buildings

Climate change impact on building surfaces and facades (12 page pdf, Terje Grøntoft, International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 2011) As more and more countries fail to meet the international agreements to reduce carbon emissions in a timely manner – either in terms of absolute emissions (China, USA and others) or per capita [...]

Sustainable Transportation and Mobility for Seniors

Great Ideas for Senior-Friendly Communities (US News, Jan. 12, 2012) Also discussed here: Age friendliness — sounds good, where is it? (Laurie Orlov , Aging in Place Technology, Jan. 14, 2012) And here: Aging in Place:A State Survey of Livability Policies and Practices (84 page pdf, Nicholas Farber, JD, and Douglas Shinkle,  National Conference of [...]

GEO Medicine and Lifetime Exposure to Poor Air Quality

Bill Davenhall: Your health depends on where you live (9 min video, TED, Oct. 2009) Also shown here: Bill Davenhall: Your health depends on where you live (9 min You-Tube) And discussed here: Heart Attack Rates (Acute Myocardial Infarction per 100,000 Medicare Enrollees) (ERSI, 2005) The focus today is on a new branch of environmental [...]

Health Impact of Exposure to Particulate Matter in Beijing, China

Effects of Particulate Air Pollution on Blood Pressure in a Highly Exposed Population in Beijing, China: A repeated-measure study (32 page pdf, Andrea Baccarelli, Francesco Barretta, Chang Dou, Xiao Zhang, John P McCracken, Anaite Diaz, Pier Alberto Bertazzi, Joel Schwartz, Sheng Wang, Lifang Hou, Environmental Health, Dec. 21, 2011) Today’s review article looks at the [...]

Health Impacts of Electric Railway Noise

Transportation Noise and Blood Pressure in a Population-Based Sample of Adults (6 page pdf, Julia Dratva, Harish C. Phuleria, Maria Foraster, Jean-Michel Gaspoz, Dirk Keidel, Nino Künzli, L.-J. Sally Liu, Marco Pons, Elisabeth Zemp, Margaret W. Gerbase, Christian Schindler, Environ Health Perspect, Jan. 2012) Today, the focus is on a study of the impacts of [...]

Speed Kills, But So Do Speed Bumps

Urban Traffic Calming and Health: A Literature Review ( 152 page pdf, Olivier Bellefleur & François Gagnon, National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy, Institut national de santé publique du Québec,  Nov. 2011) Today, the focus is on a report that reviews the literature on health aspects of traffic calming. Among several surprising points is [...]

Road Noise from Motor Vehicles in Europe

Proposal for a Regulation on the Sound Level of Motor Vehicles (12 gage pdf, Commission Staff Working Paper- Executive Summary of the Impact Assessment, Dec. 9, 2011) The focus today is on a new proposal to reduce by 25% the vehicle noise which impacts the health of almost 21 million citizens of European cities. Past [...]

Health Benefits from Mitigating Climate Change in Transportation

Health co-benefits of climate change mitigation – Transport sector (156 page pdf, Jamie Hosking, Pierpaolo Mudu, Carlos Dora, Health Impact Assessment, World health Organization, Dec., 2011) Today the focus is on a report issued by the World Health Organization in connection with the Climate Change  Conference held at Durban, South Africa. The report examines the [...]

Are Pollution Hotspots Legal in Ontario?

Pollution, hot spots and environmental justice (Dianne Saxe, Environmental Law and Litigation, Dec. 5, 2011     Topping the reviews today is a blog post by a lawyer who examines the potential inconsistency of environmental law, as expressed by the 1993 Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights, when applied to varying levels of air pollution across [...]

The State of Air Pollution in Europe

The European Environment – State and Outlook 2010 – Air Pollution (46 page pdf, European Environment Agency, 2010) The report reviewed today is an overview of the progress (or lack of progress) being made or forecast in Europe to meet EU objectives. Clearly, the main challenge has to do with particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide [...]

Particulate Hot-Spot Analyses

Transportation Conformity Guidance for Quantitative Hot-spot Analyses in PM2.5 and PM10 Nonattainment and Maintenance Areas (143 page pdf, Transportation and Regional Programs Division, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Dec. 2010) Today’s focus is on a guide to analyse PM hotspots in order to assess non-compliance with federal air quality standards [...]

NOx Emission Ceiling and Local Air Quality in the UK

Multi-Pollutant Measures Database – Final Interim Report: Meeting the NOx National Emission Ceiling for 2010 (100 page pdf, Entec UK Limited, DEFRA, June 2008) Putting a ceiling on nitrogen oxides is part of a broader plan by DEFRA in the United Kingdom which has the highest NOx levels in Europe. An interim report on the [...]

Is Urban Intensification the Best Way to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

Dense downtown living more carbon intense due to higher consumption: a case study of Helsinki (10 page pdf, Jukka Heinonen, Riikka Kyr¨o and Seppo Junnila, Environ. Res. Lett., Sep. 26, 2011) Today’s review article (partly) turns on its head the assumption by urban planners that intensification of the urban population is a worthy objective from [...]

Vehicle Emissions in Some Irish Cities

Air Quality in Ireland 2010 Key Indicators of Ambient Air Quality (61 page pdf, Environmental Protection Agency, Irleand, Sep. 2011) Today we review a report from the Environmental Protection Agency of Ireland which notes concern about NO2 and particulate emissions from  vehicle emissions and the burning of coal to heat homes. While the latter is [...]

EPA Statement on Health Impacts from Roadside NO2 Emissions

US Environmental Protection Agency- Six Common Pollutants, Nitrogen Dioxide, Health The EPA’s summary of health impacts from exposure to nitrogen oxides (which also produce ozone with health impacts) is worth noting, especially the scale of the problem- affecting 16% of the entire  U.S. population who live within 300 ft of  transportation emissions from traffic- and [...]

Impacts of Climate Change on Indoor Air Quality and Health

Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health (in brief) (4 page pdf, source document is 348 pages, Committee on the Effect of Climate Change on Indoor Air Quality and Public Health; Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, June 2011) The report reviewed today is a summary of a major report on the kinds of [...]

Getting People out of Cars- What does it Take?

Public attitudes to transport: Knowledge review of existing evidence (171 page pdf, Glenn Lyons, Phil Goodwin, Mark Hanly, Geoff Dudley, Kiron Chatterjee, Jillian Anable, Peter Wiltshire, and Yusak Susilo, Final report to the Department for Transport , Centre for Transport and Society, Bristol University, June 2008) The report reviewed today looks at the ways that [...]

Reaching Climate Stabilization by Reducing Non-CO2 emissions

Non-CO2 greenhouse gases and climate change (Abstract, S. A. Montzka, E. J. Dlugokencky & J. H. Butler, Nature 476, 43–50, Aug.4, 2011) Stabilizing climate change  requires reducing emissions from carbon fuels alone by almost 100%.  It is clear that even if the world found a way of doing this that it would not be achieved [...]

What is the Better Indicator of Health Impacts from Particles- Black Carbon or PM?

Black carbon as an Additional Indicator of the Adverse Health Effects of Airborne Particles Compared to PM10 and PM2.5 (44 page pdf, Nicole AH Janssen, Gerard Hoek, Milena Simic-Lawson, Paul Fischer, Leendert van Bree, Harry ten Brink, Menno Keuken, Richard W Atkinson, H Ross Anderson, Bert Brunekreef, Flemming R Cassee, Environmental Health Perspectives, Aug. 2, [...]

Vehicle Emissions in Chinese Cities

Poor air quality hits many big cities (Li Jing, China Daily, Aug. 2, 2011) Today the focus is on the state of air quality in China’s cities, 40% of which are rated “poor” according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection. The main source of the pollution, as in major cities elsewhere, is vehicle emissions which [...]

Monitoring Local Pollution Across Canada

Creating National Air Pollution Models for Population Exposure Assessment in Canada (7 Page pdf, Perry Hystad, Eleanor Setton, Alejandro Cervantes, Karla Poplawski, Steeve Deschenes, Michael Brauer, Aaron van Donkelaar, Lok Lamsal, Randall Martin, Michael Jerrett, and Paul Demers, Environmental Health Perspectives, volume 119, number 8, August 2011) Today’s focus is on a study of how [...]

Managing Hot Spots in Urban Municipalities in England

Mapping Air Quality Action Plan Guidance available to Local Authorities (52 page pdf, prepared by Entec UK Limited for DEFRA, Apr. 14, 2011) Since legislation was enacted in 1995 to improve urban air quality in the UK,  over 200 local authorities have declared over 500 Air Quality Management  Areas (AQMA). The report reviewed today critically [...]

Car Dependency and Exclusion from Social Mobility

Transport & Social Exclusion – A survey of the Group of Seven nations (44 page pdf, Summary Report, Editor: Dr Karen Lucas, Transport Studies Group, University of Westminster, the FIA Foundation, Feb. 2004) Today’s focus is on the many ways that the mobility needs of the poor and disadvantaged are met (or not) in G7 [...]

Ambient Air Pollution in Canada and Environmental Pricing

Background Report: Managing Industrial Air Emissions in Canada (22 page pdf, Prepared for Sustainable Prosperity by Nashina Shariff, June 2011) The article under review today is a rare (public) look at the state of how the management of air pollution is carried out in Canada. The study concludes that the historic top-down, national/ provincial  command [...]

Air Pollution at Airports

Gate Wait for Better Air (1 page pdf, Environmental Health Perspectives, Forum, Jul. 1, 2011) Today’s review article looks at ways to reduce emissions at airports by reducing taxiing times for aircraft preparing to take-off. Statistics indicate that an aircraft may spend as much as 30% of its time between push-off at the gate and [...]

How Can Transportation Technology and Practices Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

Technologies for Climate Change Mitigation: Transport Sector (250 page pdf, United Nations Environment Programme Risø Centre on Energy, Climate and Sustainable Development, March 2011) The focus today is on a comprehensive guide to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transportation- either through improved technologies or in reducing travel with carbon consuming vehicles by such options as [...]

Greenest Cities in the U.S. and Canada

US and Canada Green City Index – Assessing the environmental performance of 27 major US and Canadian cities (71 page pdf, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, sponsored by Siemens, July 2011) Today’s review article comes from the Economist which assessed over two dozen cities in the US and Canada in terms of performance under [...]

Sustainable Urban Transportation Principles

Cars and cities: Time for a paradigm change (World Streets, Apr. 20, 2009) Today’s focus is a 2009 post from Australian Jeff Noteworthy who points out 10 characteristics of a modern city undergoing a paradigm shift toward sustainability, removing the bias toward unsustainable support of roads built and used solely for vehicles. To see Key [...]

Urban Form and Greenhouse Gas Reductions

An Assessment of Urban Form and Pedestrian and Transit Improvements as an Integrated GHG Reduction Strategy (117 page pdf, Dr. Lawrence D. Frank, Michael J. Greenwald, Sarah Kavage, Andrew Devlin, Washington State Department of Transportation, Apr. 1, 2011) Today’s article under review looks at transportation demand management in and around Seattle, Washington as a way [...]

Mapping Environmental Security

2010 Environmental Performance Index (Environmental Performance Index, Yale University) Today’s focus is on a global mapping project begun at Yale 5 years ago to display 25 indicators of health and the environment for all the reporting countries of the world- the map below shows the relative CO2 emissions. Maps such as these can be very [...]

Urban Health Impacts of Climate Change and Air Pollution in Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec

Possible Impacts of Climate Change on Economic Losses and Health Care Costs due to Heat- and Air Pollution-related Premature Mortality in South-central Canada Using Downscaled Future Climate Scenarios (Abstract, Qian Li, Chad S. Cheng, Guilong Li, Heather Auld, Congress, Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, Victoria, June 2011) The key health impact report in 2005 for [...]

How Can Large Cities Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

How urban societies can adapt to resource shortage and climate change (22 page pdf, David Satterthwaite, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A (2011) 369, 1762–1783, May 2011) The focus today is on an analysis of greenhouse gas emissions in cities and how they can be reduced while maintaining a high quality of life. One suggestion is [...]

Tolling the Future

Toll interoperability could set pattern for national road pricing (Ed Regan, TollRoadNews, May 22, 2011) Today’s review article points out the need for standards and compatibility between tolling systems using advanced GPS/RFID technology, as they become implemented at urban centres and on the highway network connecting those centres. To see Key Quotes and Links to [...]

Indoor Air Quality Standards

WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality : Selected Pollutants (484 page pdf, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, 2010)   The focus for today’s review are WHO guidelines to regulate the acceptable or safe levels of indoor pollutants. Such guidelines has lagged those for outdoor pollution, even though most of us spend most of [...]

Lichens as Air Pollution Biomonitors

lichens as biomonitors (Lichens of Ireland project)   Lichens have long been known for their ability to indicate the state of air quality because pollutants accumulate in them. This results in either further growth or decay depending on the concentration and type of pollutant and lichen. A number of references have been collected here which [...]

Zero Energy Houses and The Cube Project

The Cube Project   The focus of today’s review is a Zero Energy House conceived in the UK, suitable for one person (but can be scaled up for larger homes or buildings). In addition to generating zero waste and energy self-sufficient, it can produce  £1000 per year by feeding unused electricity from solar panels back [...]

Highest Ranked Cities in USA for Air Quality

Air Quality (SustainLane, 2008 Rankings)   This annual ranking of the most sustainable cities in the USA points to cities in the Northwest at the top across all categories (Portland was #1 overall) and to the Pacific coast for both the best  and worst for air quality. Some lessons learned from looking at cities which [...]

A New Look at the Ecological Footprint

Development of Ecological Footprint to an Essential Economic and Political Tool (17 page pdf, Hans P. Aubauer, Sustainability, Apr. 12, 2011)   The concept of a single measure of sustainability, the basis for the Ecological Footprint, is analyzed in the article reviewed today.  The various deficiencies are addressed by combining the EF with three other [...]

Are There Health Impacts from Incinerators?

Mortality and morbidity among people living close to incinerators: a cohort study based on dispersion modeling for exposure assessment (12 page pdf, Andrea Ranzi, Valeria Fano, Laura Erspamer, Paolo Lauriola, Carlo A Perucci and Francesco Forastiere, Environmental Health, Mar. 24 , 2011)   The advent of incineration or plasma-arc technology to dispose of waste is [...]

Urban Vulnerability to Climate Change

Conceptualizing urban vulnerability to global climate and environmental change (Abstract, Patricia Romero Lankaoa, and Hua Qina, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Feb. 10, 2011)   The focus of the review article today is on the lack of action by many large cities world-wide. The author suggests that a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of urban [...]

Adapting to Climate Change in Australia

Climate Change- Science and Solutions for Australia (168 page pdf, Editors: Helen Cleugh, Mark Stafford Smith, Michael Battaglia, and Paul Graham, CSIRO, April 2011) The report reviewed today come from CSIRO, Australia’s lead agency for climate (and other areas of scientific research) which describes the adaptation needed for a range of climate impacts in this [...]

The EU White Paper for Transportation to 2050

WHITE PAPER – Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system (31 page pdf, European Commission, Mar. 28, 2011) The focus today is on the recently released White Paper from the EU which outlines various steps to move toward a carbon free major cities within the next [...]

The Impact of Cities on the Environment

The environmental impact of cities (22 page pdf, Peter Newman, Environment and Urbanization, Oct. 2006)   Today’s review is of a paper by Prof Newman, recently the environment commissioner for Sydney, Australia. The paper compares three methods of estimating urban impacts: population impact method, ecological footprint and sustainability assessment, concluding that the latter offers the [...]

Hockey, Indoor Rinks and Health Risks

Hidden Dangers at Indoor Ice Rinks (NBC 7 minute video)   Today’s review post comes thanks to the blog on “Effects of Air Pollution on Health” which highlighted the health risks faced by skaters in indoor rinks from fuel-powered resurfacing machines- known in Canada as Zambonis-  which emit CO2 and PM (as opposed to electric [...]

Are Roads a Public Good?

Urban[ism] Legend: Transportation is a Public Good (Market Urbanism, Feb. 22, 2011)   Today’s review article looks at the concept of a public good as applied to roads (and by extension to road tolls) and to transit, showing that is how the good is used or overused that something becomes public or private. To see [...]

Vulnerability of Communities to Climate Change Impacts

Assessing the Impacts of Local Knowledge and Technology on Climate Change Vulnerability in Remote Communities (29 page pdf, Christopher Bone, Lilian Alessa, Mark Altaweel, Andrew Kliskey and Richard Lammers, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2011, Mar. 4, 2011)   The article reviewed today looks at the vulnerability of a community to environmental change, [...]