The winter is coming, as one would say and
with it abundance of modern problems striking our cities all across
the globe. Still the greatest danger in big city isn’t car traffic, depression,
hikikomori or rugged pavements. It is something we usually debunk as conspiracy
theory or marginal flaw of living in a metropolis and it is called smog. Please
watch this short video about the history of this unhealthy phenomenon before proceeding
further.
Smog is getting bigger and bigger like a
dragon in a fairy tale. Difference is only one may and will hurt us. It will
take our health, closest friends and family members. In 2018 Polish Ministry of
Health give a dreadful report about smog as little more then 67 thousand of
people died because of it. Like you would just snapped and few little cities are
gone, just like this. No one really knows how many people are damaged by this
as smog not only hurts our eyes, lungs and throats it also can give enhance
allergies or even fall for a new allergy we never had. The horrific fog we all
created and we all will pay for it sooner then later.
Some extra questions as I would like to learn your opinion on the matter:
1. Did you know about smog previous to this video? Do you think there is a raise in recognition for this particular problem?
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
Some extra questions as I would like to learn your opinion on the matter:
1. Did you know about smog previous to this video? Do you think there is a raise in recognition for this particular problem?
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is
it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in
public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
Comments
2. Well I think smog is bad for us and we should do something about it but I think something else will doom us all.
3. I think that situation is changing right now. We are starting to use electric cars, bikes and other ways of transportation but still there are a lot of factories that produce a lot of pollution. In Poland many people tend to heat their homes with rubbish that is polluting the air even more simply because they have no money to do so with something else. I think people should be rewarded for fighting with it but maybe some thing should be listened as not allowed as many people won't participate in the change.
Yes I think so. Smog problem is real and we should get educated about it and I can see more events and awareness of it.
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
I don't think it will doom us but it is a problem that requires solution
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
Bit of both. We should reward and make it possible for people to choose better option and we should give less credits for smog generating things.
Yes i knew. I think this phenomenon isn't strange to anyone, because everyone probably experienced it on their own scraps. The occurrence of smog is very easy to recognize, personally I always feel the characteristic smell of air and a strange taste in my mouth. I think that nowadays technology allows us to accurately predict the occurrence of a great smog threat, and to inform all citizens of the country - this in Poland is known as the "Alert RCB".
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
I think that smog will be a more and more frequent problem occurring in large cities where air flow is lacking. In cities such as Warsaw, green spaces are more and more often not thought about, many such places are put into buildings, large buildings are erected in places where air flow should normally be. Due to such accumulation and squeeze of buildings, polluted air has no way to escape and stays at a low level, where each of us feels it.
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
I think that the fault is on the authorities side, not the users of the technologies that produce smog. Governors of large cities should think about good land use and promotion of air-healthy solutions. Categorical ban on smoking in fireplaces with unsuitable materials, reduction of exhaust emissions, investing in public transport, investing in other means of transport, limiting the construction of large factories and building them away from the metropolis.
2. I think there won't be one thing that will doom us all. Many factors will contribute to the possible extinction of human kind. I believe that pollution, including smog, may be one of them.
3. I think that the best idea is to adapt a bit of both. Some people can be motivated by a carrot, e.g. tax reduction for some environmental efforts. Others need stick to be punished for the most irresponsible actions.
Unfortunately, I've known about the problem of smog for a long time... I think there is an increase in recognition of this problem, but unfortunately it's still not enough. Many people ignore the problem and do not take any steps to fight it.
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
Smog won't disappear and we probably won't beat it. This is a very serious and real problem. I was recently in India in Delhi, where the level of smog goes beyond the rock. You can't live there, breathe, you're dizzy all the time and you're sick.
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
We should take all possible steps to reduce the smog. It is also worth considering limiting the consumption of meat, because the farming and production of meat produce a lot of smog. In addition, we must also limit the amount of platic products for single use, because their excess is often burned, which creates a lot of smog.
2. If we don't do something about it, it would certainly harm our healths as the chemical compounds are toxic. Fortunately more and more people seem to start paying attention to the case and they are for example stop burning trash in stoves. There are also fundings from an EU that encourage to mount modern sources of heat, solar cells and so on.
3. Certainly a bit of both, in Poland I think if we don't punish people they will never do the right thing. Investing in public transport alone also won't do much as many people just don't like to use it as they prefer a privacy and convinience of a car. The rewarding case is an interesting point. Today I read about testing a new way of fighing a speeding in The Netherlands. They put speed cameras that will reward you when you go with the desired speed. In a result you gain 10 eurocents for a good ride, up to 50 cents during a day. In my opinion it's a brilliant idea.
A couple kilometers from my house there is some sign before a crossing that displays your speed with red font when you go above 40 kph and when you slow down it changes to green and says "Thank you". It's so satisfying that I always see everyone do this just to see that green.
2. It will happen when all countries won’t come to a general agreement. The EU restrictions can make the air better in our region. While Europe produces much less pollution than US or China, those countries don’t have such restrictions, it won’t change anything.
3. The best solution is in the middle. It’s important to have high quality and fast public transport because it can convince some people to abandon their cars while it’s not necessary. There should be high restrictions all over the world regarding the production of pollution in big amounts and the regulations should be respected by all of us.
2. The smog will not disappear, but it will affect us. Maybe we will only be sick. But it is unlikely that we will all suffocate because of this and we will all die. Because there are many factors that negatively affect our lives.
3. In the case of Warsaw, the main factors affecting the state of air are the cars and heating our homes. As for cars, if we want to reduce their number, we should invest in the metro. And when it comes to houses, there should be penalties for people who heat the house with rubbish. Not everyone can afford to replace the heating in the house, but they should at least do it without poisoning neighbors so much.
1. Yes, I knew about the existence of smog since I moved to Warsaw a few years ago. I was aware of its effects and this problem affects many major cities in the world and beyond.
2. No, the smog won't just disappear. There is simply no chance and nothing disappears on its own. For something to disappear, there must be a logical reason. And what are the reasons, I will answer the next question below.
3. To make smog less dangerous, I think that early education and awareness of its existence is very important. When it comes to active action, I think that investing in public transport, improving road infrastructure and logical spatial planning will certainly improve the situation year by year, and smog may even disappear over the years. Rewarding people fighting smog is also a good solution, but temporary and not for long and sensible.
Yes, I knew the problem of smog before watching this movie. However, the problem of smog will continue until our government changes the situation regarding home heating. Smoking, for example, various types of rubbish, pallets and papers in the furnace is a result of poverty, that's why burning in a wood-burning stove is expensive and not everyone can afford it.
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
Without exaggeration. The problem of smog will persist for a long time, which I referred to in the comments above. Not the buyers but the car manufacturers are responsible for the smog arising from cars.
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
To fight this effectively, we should propose inexpensive solutions to replace these things with ecological ones. Everything is a matter of approach, if we impose on a statistical person who smokes in the furnace with waste, he will probably still do it, because for other means he has no money.
Yes, I knew about the smog before watching this video. This problem isn't new one but when something getting too serious then everyone started noticed that. Besides, if there wouldn't be a consumer of products wich increases smog then no one would produce this products.
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
Well, we don't live in a fairy tale. Nothing disappears on its own.
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
In my opinion a bit of both. Consumer decides what use and producer decides what to produce. We, buyers, can choose only if there is plenty choose from.
2. I don't think it's our doom, but it leads to serious enviromental problems that may just create bigger problems. We just have to avoid using devices that produce harmful gases.
3. Investing in public transport wouldn't be the best solution. Every idea has it's advantages and disatvantages. Mixing both ideas mentioned in the question woudld be a good start to make smog less dangerous in Poland
Yes i was aware of the problem and i believe that right now there is a raise in a recognition but it's focus wanders in the wrong direction i believe.
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
I dont think so, when it will be really with danger to our lives, than there are going to be the funds to fix this problem.
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
Punishing people for doing something doesnt work, it's scientificly proven, but as You said, rewarding is a completly different case, it could result in demanded outcome :-)
1. Yes, I've heard of smog before. The problem is constantly raised in the media and on
Internet forums. I believe that the problem is constantly rising in recognition.
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
I think smog is very dangerous but not enough to contribute to the destruction of humanity. Humanity has had many enemies in its history, I think even more terrible like epidemics and natural cataracts. After all, we were always emerged victorious. I hope it will be the same in this case.
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
Fighting smog is very difficult because people are the main winners. Large companies do not want to expose themselves to financial losses due to a change in technology, while ordinary people, even if they want to fight smog, often cannot, because their lack of money. Rich countries can afford a more effective fight against smog because they have the resources and have already passed the technological stage where their economy is not dependent so much on coal. Poor countries should fight smog, but in such a way as long as they have enough money. In my opinion, it is better to reward and co-finance. Of course, people who despite the large budget harm the environment should be severely punished.
I knew about that beforehand. Now it’s one of the biggest public concerns, so almost everyone is talking about it.
2. Is smog going to doom us all? What is your opinion?
I think it’s one of the factors that contributes to overall health deterioration and it will affect us and the environment, unless we do something to stop it
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
I think we should raise awareness among people that smog is bad for everyone, the ones that don’t care about the environment and the more eco-friendly people and only by working together we can cope with this issue.
2. I think that on the long term will cause more and more damage.
3. Planting more and more trees and public transport is a way to fight with it. still there should be some sort of punishement for those who ignore complitly and as a winter fire burn all sorts of garbage that should be utilised in other way.
2. I think it can doom us all becuse of how high smog is now. Every day we produce more and more of it when we drive to work or when factories make some stuff.
3. In my opinion punishing people for using equipment that produce smog will do more effects because people will stop doing thing that will costs a lot of money.
Yes, I have heard about smog before. I think that everybody knows about it, It has become really big problem in Poland, especially in winter. It’s a matter of days, and we will listen about smog in the news literally everyday.
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
It might be much bigger problem than it is today, and we will only see if it will be our doom just as lead in ancient Rome or just a bump on a road in our lives.
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
I think that it’s always better to invest and show people the better way than to punish them. But I think that in some cases only the punishments are going to stop some people from killing our planet just for profit.
2. Smog will kill us if we don't do anything about it.
3. Both options are needed. Some people are more prone to punishment and some nore prone to rewardning. The law is already changing. Public transport is promoted and people who burn garbage are punished.
Yes, I’ve known about it before. For about 3 years I’ve been wearing the smog mask every winter. In my opinion people are more and more aware of the problem and the changes are slowly amended but it’s a battle that can’t be won overnight. It takes time to change people’s habits and what’s more important, way of thinking. As long as they reject the fact that their behaviour and actions also make the change, healthy air will be unattainable goal.
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
Smog is undoubtedly on of the unhealthiest factors in our everyday life. It’s more discernible during colder part of the year, but the truth is, it’s with us every single day. Nevertheless, some actions are taken, to make our planet a healthier place. In Poland more and more households have gas-fired heating and the awareness of the problem urges people to use alternative means of transport instead of cars. As long as people will introduce this environment-friendly policy I hope that smog won’t kill us all.
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
I’m not sure any of this is a good idea. When it comes to environmental problems, it’s important to work as a one, big organism. Cheaper or free transport wouldn’t make much of a difference for people living in the countryside (as nowadays they tend to use cars) and punishing them for using equipment that produces smog wouldn’t change anything if they were unable to afford that. Considering the fact, that some people are simply too poor and uneducated to be aware of their actions the best policy would be to help them with some kind of funding to replace the old, dangerous equipment with new, healthier one, as city of Warsaw does subsidizing upgrading the heaters. Also, it would be helpful to oblige those people to introduce separation of the waste in their households. Many European cities limits access to downtown for cars, making it more pedestrian-friendly and public transport-oriented. Expanding bus lanes and making every day commuting for users of the public transport is a good place to start.
I have heard about it but I do not care much about it.
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
I think people say everything will doom as so I don't believe in those theories. If it will I will be dead already.
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
When I see how the world works I would say we would only punish people for using equipment that produces smog so the government will earn more money.
2. I thing that smog is dangerous, but it isn't something that can do damage on such scale, that it will cause human extinction. Probably even if humans did nothing, it wouldn't become grave danger, but it still is harmful to us. Moreover I think that sooner or later our species would come up with some way to fight off smog completely, so our current actions feel more like 'delaying' smog till we have solution.
3. Neither. Equipment that produces smog is often important in our daily life. There's no need to give up on it. I wish people used them in correct way though. For example I see no point in prohibiting people from using furnaces to warm their homes, but they shouldn't burn trash in them. While it comes to public transport - public transport is really nice and I support its further development. I even praised public transport in another post, but I don't think it's a way to fight smog as it won't have too much impact. In my opinion smog should be fought with science. We're living in a great Information Age. If government really cared about this problem, then I'm sure that with enough funds we'd be able to solve it in relatively decent time. But even in video it was clearly shown that some people simply don't care and sadly our country leading party is among those them. I don't know how situation looks in China which was mentioned together with us as coal dependant, but Poland is mostly making loses on coal extraction and should change to nuclear energy years ago. Doesn't it clearly show how they don't care at all? And I'm sure that such change would yield better effects than better public transport or penalties to individual inhabitants.
1. Yes, I did. I think there is a rise in recognition of this problem, however, not everyone knows what it is about and how it feels. Since I started studying in Warsaw I managed to feel the affect smog/bad air has on us. I remeber once I got out of train in ochota station and I immediately felt a bad difference in the air.
2. In a longer term, yes. If people will breathe polluted air for many years there will be some health issues. We are unfortunately yet to experience that. It sounds really horrible, but in few years I think there will be a lot health troubles in Poland due to this.
3. Definitely both. Public transport needs a huge enhancement. Already in many european cities car aren't allowed into city centre. This causes a lot of trouble though, as infrastructure would need to be adjusted to transport that many more. Also I think that law should be ruthless for those who pollute the air we all breathe. One ticket for like a few thousands pln would be people reconsider their future steps.
2. The smog won't go away on its own. So if we do nothing, it could cause serious problems, even climate change, which could lead to the death of all of us.
3. A bit of both. If we don't punish people, it will continue. Just as if we don't reward people who fight with it.
Sure, I've been living in a city that had red smog due to it's iron ore mines. So I'm familiar with a problem.
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
I don't think this might happen. It would be ecological catastrophie. People will find decisions when the problem starts hitting most of them.
Most income of smog comes from different facilities but not people. So laws and governments should ensure that facilities produce the least amount of ecological damage and especially smog. Also people should be well informed about the danger so they might make proper decisions, to make their children live long time, and see sun but not smog.
2. Well smog is huge problem. It is silent killer. It requires solution specially for future
3. Not only there should be actions to prevent people from using these kind of equipments by teaching them but also there should be money punishments.
Yes, that's why I wear a mask when I am on the streets for long:). There is some recognition, and it is getting bigger here, in Warsaw, for sure.
2. Is smog going to doom as all? What is your opinion?
I think that it is just a side problem. Yess people die, but have you ever thought that 100% who have died have been consuming water at least once in their lives, so, maybe smog is not the biggest problem?
3. In order to make smog less dangerous is it better to punish people for using equipment that produce smog or invest in public transport while rewarding those that fights with it? Or a bit of both?
I think that the public transport is nice, when it is not a part of a problem. Yes, I have seen few buses around the city with hybrid engines, but most of them run on diesel - the most polluting type of fuel. Trams? Where does their energy come from? From eco-friendly solar panels or polluting charcoal stations?