Cleaning up London’s toxic air

Reducing meat intake (with the end goal of being completely plant based) is the most effective action individuals can take, in my opinion, as such a huge amount of our planet is dedicated to cattle farms and growing food to feed to said cattle (who are then eaten by us!). 

 Also using public transport, but for people to be encouraged to do that the UK needs to stop increasing the cost of trains and tubes! How can they say they encourage us to use public transport more whilst simultaneously making it more and more expensive?! 

I have always been an environmentalist since at Uni in the 70's, nothing new to me and certainly not a fad, but it really really hurts to see my local environment being attacked yet again after the deluge of high rise within my Royal Borough of Greenwich, by a Mayor backtracking on the proposed Silvertown road tunnel. Does he really think that adding a bus lane will reduce the HGV traffic this will generate in an area of high density population (thats human beings by the way, adults and children, those things who suffer lungs getting clogged by diesel particulates and suffering horrible lingering deaths as a result). Time and again we see politicians excited by the prospect of a legacy, but with no true regard to our fragile environment. If you are to attract and keep the young professionals and techies crucial to a modern cities prosperity, you need an environment acceptable to them, and not to pander to the lobbying by the road haulage assoc et al. It would not be a problem to re route this away from population high density areas. Please think again Sadiq, your legacy will not be a positive one. 

i recycle, save energy, use public transport and avoid meat. I feel I am fighting an uphill battle while the traffic still thunders through my town centre and the incinerator stinks us all out every month

I strongly believe that every time I spend money (or not) it is a vote for the kind of city, and world, I want to see. Lots of small changes add up, individually and collectively. But it’s not just up to consumers to make change this has to be in conjunction with businesses and governments. However they have to feel consumers are ready for change. We can show this in our actions. 

I have switched to green energy, don’t have a car, cycle where possible, eat more plant based, local and seasonal, buy second hand clothes, make some of my own cleaning products, practice conscious consumption. Also reduced my single use plastic consumption, grow food at my allotment, and on my balcony, compost and blog about sustainability to share what I have learnt. These have been small changes over a number of years. If you don’t know where to start check out #PlasticFreeJuly for inspiration. 

A big visible change recently has been the number of people carrying reusable water bottles and coffee cups, helping reduce the amount of single use items being created and recycled / or not. It is great the mayor has pledged 100 fountains, and Network Rail have installed theirs, but we also need TFL to put them in more of their stations too.

Ihave  got  an old diesel W.A.V  2007 but  it  has only done 16000 miles,in theory I like to replace it with a nil. Emission vehicle but where am I going to get the £40,000+ required?

Anybody know of any grants or charity that can help?

What I would do if it were within my powers would be to cancel the planned expansion of Heathrow.  London is already the most over-flown city in the world and flights add substantially to air and noise pollutioln.  One of the most ridiculous aspects of the proxity of Heathrow to London is that the vehicle emissions charge is going to be expanded to Heathrow - this is surreal in the light of plans to expand the number of flights by 50%, with or without expanding the airport and is clearly a money making exercise.

Another thing I would like to see is more major roads being routed through tunnels or underground to cut pollution. The A4 in west London is one of the busiest roads in the counry, it runs through residential streets as a result of which the air quality in and around local schools substantially exceeds EC emission standards.  Britain has excellent tunneling capability and there is already a scheme to run the A4 under Hammersmith flyover, i.e. to get rid of the aging flyover and liberate open ground for residents.  Boris Johnson turned this down on grounds of cost (he did suggest having a toll road!) and I have written to the current mayor, Sadiq Khan but there is no response.  it's time some money was spent by the Mayor of London as well as the government to improve our air quality.

Yes I have cut down on meat consumption, take public transit everywhere, and walk a lot.  However individual actions are not enough.  We need robust action, particularly from the utterly ineffectual UK government.  The time is now, to address the climate emergency.

Successes

- tree planting scheme 

- the new money availble to "green" boroughs and improve urban centres having a visable impact

To do 

- put green NGOs and Charities at the centre of descision making in order to achieve more sustainable urban planning; creating a network of schools and local charities to get children engaging with nature/understanding the real, massive threats to their future posed by the climate crisis; get NGOs as unpaid consultants in EVERYWHERE - work with the organisations dedicated to solving these issues!

- make sure all large stores provide space for advertising of green/community initiatives - whitechapel ASDA certainly doesn't have one

- stop the use of glycophoshapte and summer mowing of grassy borders on council land - these could be vital wildflower habitat! Also the glycophosphate is a risk to human health

- subsidise public transport through a two-car tax --- taxing those with more than 1 car

- ensure that all public funds (i.e. Tower Hamlets pension fund (worth BILLIONS)) divest from fossil fuels with immediate effect

- ensure all boroughs derive their power from 100% renewable, green energy

- establishing many more community allotment spaces to ensure everyone has the opportunity to grow their own food - not just the privalleged few who have had their allotments for 20 years.

- public education campaign on the threat of the climate crisis, biodiversity collapse, plastic pollution - if 1 in 10 public/TFL adversiting spaces were devoted to this people would be much better informed!

Use public transport, cycling and walking as much as possible. Try to reduce flying. Try to reduce unnecesary utility usage at home.

TfL has cut bus routes and bus numbers in the centre of London, leaving many less abled residents with no alternative but to use taxis or cars for all or part of journeys.   

We have a Figaro - one of those cute cars you see around London - they make people smile. Not because they are a Ferrari or an Aston - but because they look fun.

They aren't expensive and are easy to look after - we have ours serviced every year and if anything ever goes wrong - it's sorted.

All Figaros were made in 1992 to celebrate Nissan's 75th year of car production. They were only sold in Japan - but a small number have made it over here and have popped up on TV a number of times, Doctor Who, Andrew Marr, Marina and the Diamonds video (Blue) - because they are cool.

Now, we are told it has to go because it falls foul of the ULEZ regs. We live inside the South Circular. We will not be the only ones - all of these great cars will be sold and will disappear from London. It will be a real shame.

Are they high pollutant? No. They have small 1000cc petrol engines fitted with catalytic converters. Generally, they are looked after by enthusiasts - people for whom their cars are not just a means of getting from A to B - but something to be proud of and look after.

So - here's the thing. We wholeheartedly want London to be a cleaner and healthier and safer and happier place to live. 

Let the Figaro's be exempt from ULEZ on grounds of being a design classic - it will make the place happier. They are clean and safe cars in any case. 

So what I am asking for in an exemption for a car that is a one off - I guess there must only be a 100 or so in the city - if that - but the impact they have is considerable - kids in particular love seeing them - they look like Noddy cars - so - i think there's a good case to look at bending rules for the Figaro - over to you Mr Khan - we all know you aren't a Stone Cold Loser :)

Helicopter pollution - both air and noise - is a significant problem that seems to be overlooked.

The focus at the London Heliport particularly affects areas of Battersea, Wandsworth and Fulham but also vast areas under the flight path are affected up and down the river and along the flight corridors into and out of London. 

Helicopters fly lower than planes making the problem worse. Take off and landing produce more emissions and considerable noise. Often the flights are for single passengers only, which represents a truly dreadful individual carbon footprint. Particularly when alternative, efficient, more environmentally friendly means of transport already exist into the heart of London (and Crossrail soon).

While some flights may be felt to be necessary, many are not. eg There are multiple sightseeing flights up and down the Thames every hour. 

I fully support the mayor's plan to make London "a global leader" on the environment and create a zero carbon city.

Helicopter use over our city has to be included in this plan.

We recycle everything that is suitable for recycling and have done for maybe 30yrs. We use public transport and no longer drive (we're old) nor do we use planes anymore. If we have work done on the house we make sure it's high insulation standard. We recently used cork as a wall insulation. We try to buy food that's not been flown in so preferably UK or EU produce. We only buy essentials. We try to use power sparingly as a valued commodity

I too would love to drive electric but realistically this is not a option for the majority of city dwellers. Why? Because, even if all current private car owners could afford electric vehicles it is impossible to provide sufficient charging points given the number of car owners that do not have access to off-street parking.   Unlike current cars using current refuelling facilities electric cars cannot currently fill up and drive away in minutes. Imagine the queues and the chaos as drivers with low charge desperately seek unoccupied charging stations.

There is another solution.   Dare I say it - stop building cycle highways!   Why? Because it does not solve the problem which is - too many cars on city roads!  Reduce the number cars on the roads and you would not need separate cycle highways.  

Consider, with the wide spread introduction of electric driverless vehicles, ownership of private diesel/petrol driven cars becomes superfluous.  Electric cars arrive on demand and return after each trip to a central charging station.  Authorities could then demand that private cars are not used within certain metropolitan boundaries or impose such high tariffs as to make them uneconomic. Roads will then be so empty that we will view the money spent on creating cycle highways as wasted.   Better to spend the money now on introducing new and improved bus routes, better (and driverless) electric buses. This will encourage more people to use public transport and therefore reduce the number of private cars on the road anyway.  Simples. 

I changed my older car for a newer more efficent petrol car. Hybrid cars were too expensive and electric cars impractical for long journies. I try not use my car for short trips and walk or use public transport as much possible.

I have reduced the amount of meat I eat. I have reduced the number of times I fly on holiday each year. 

I wish I had invested in solar panels when incentives were greater, but  didin't as i did not forsee how long I would be living in this home. 

I am recycling as much as possible. I am wearing out my clothes before i sent them to recycling.I buy many clothes  from charity shops.

Even though I know how to drive I have never needed to use a car in London myself. Beyond the difficulties with parking and traffic, I find public transport quick and easy to use. I do think that a lot of tube stations need to be improved to assist those with disabilities who are not able to use the stairs (this would also be helpful generally if you have a lot of stuff to carry as well). The outer and west of london could do with more tube services.

Supermarkets wrap everything in plastic and it is the most frustrating thing for a day to day consideration. I try to go to local markets as the traders don't wrap vegetables (which have a skin! natural protection already) in 3 layers of plastic, however this is not always possible.

I have just started using soap nuts (which are biodegradable) combined with essential oils for my washing, to be confirmed if my skin agrees with it but they do the job just as well as the giant tubs of detergent and no chemicals!

To mark Climate Action Week could we not issue an restriction on all journeys by privately owned vehicles within the low emission zone?  For example, "no cars permitted to travel within the zone between 08:00 and 18:00 Monday, Wednesday and Friday".   In fact it would a sound and effective longer term initiative to address air pollution in our City.