Undark & the Pulitzer Center visited seven countries on five continents to examine the impacts of particulate pollution on the lives of everyday people, and to uncover what’s being done — or not — to address it. The project is comprised of data visualizations, short narratives, on-the-ground 360-degree videos, an explainer film, and photos from Pulitzer prizewinning photographer Larry Price.
What's interesting is that PM2.5 is a measurement used by policymakers and organizations all over the world, yet the average person doesn't really know what it is, or why it matters. (I know I didn't until we began work on the project.) And it turns out that while developing nations bear the brunt of it, this kind of pollution doesn't discriminate, and it's a problem everywhere from India to Nigeria to California. In fact, a full 90% of people live in areas that exceed World Health Organization guidelines for exposure, so the odds are high that wherever you live, you’re breathing it in, too.
[full disclosure: I work for Undark. We're a non-profit science and society magazine published under the auspices of the Knight Science Journalism program]
Do you work with the people at QUT (Brisbane) or Floreanopolis (Brazil) doing fine particulate work near airports and in hospitals? my partner did some proofreading and english-as-a-second-language with these people, fascinating stuff (as a complete outsider) and very important.
We don't. While we do often publish stories on public health issues, we don't conduct any of the research, we just report on the science. Australia and Brazil aren't regions we visited for this project, although I wouldn't be surprised to hear that there are areas experiencing extreme events in both.
Australia has a huge depndency on air and road freight with massive diesel subsidy to truckers and more air miles per Citizen than many other economies. We also have long hot dry weather. So the fine particulate matter issue here. Brazil has inadequate health funding and high humidity so gets mould..
What's interesting is that PM2.5 is a measurement used by policymakers and organizations all over the world, yet the average person doesn't really know what it is, or why it matters. (I know I didn't until we began work on the project.) And it turns out that while developing nations bear the brunt of it, this kind of pollution doesn't discriminate, and it's a problem everywhere from India to Nigeria to California. In fact, a full 90% of people live in areas that exceed World Health Organization guidelines for exposure, so the odds are high that wherever you live, you’re breathing it in, too.
[full disclosure: I work for Undark. We're a non-profit science and society magazine published under the auspices of the Knight Science Journalism program]