@jljcolorado In a similar vein https://med-mastodon.com/@auscandoc/110850715060253735

@jljcolorado
WHO have been saying for years now that air quality is the biggest predictor of life expectancy.

@jljcolorado I grew up in Pittsburgh and all through my childhood I had horrible allergies and at least one yearly case of bronchitis (that often would develop into pneumonia).

I moved to a much less developed area and it all stopped. Allergies got better, stopped getting sick on the regular.

I realize this anecdotal but my experience definitely tracks with your data. (I lived in proximity to the Clairton coke plant.)

@jljcolorado “Our study provides clear evidence that this intervention lowering fossil fuel-associated air pollution benefited public health in both the short and longer term, while also providing validation of the past use of observational air pollution epidemiology effect estimates in policy analyses.” #publichealth #airpollution #airquality #pittsburgh #climate

@jljcolorado This is a major reason I support national healthcare, at the cabinet level. If a new energy or manufacturing plant will have negative health impacts, I want a cabinet secretary to stride angrily down the hall and scream "you're hurting my budget!"

@jljcolorado@qoto.org People left for other cities to look for work.
🤷‍♂️

@jljcolorado hence the value of ULEZ and low traffic neighbourhoods.... Both children and adults benefit.

@jljcolorado @harshad I get so ill when we have wildfire smoke here in California, that I can totally believe this. 64 years old.

@jljcolorado

That's one of the biggest short-term benefits of removing cars from cities: reducing particle pollution (from brake pads and tyres) and exhaust pollution, resulting in better quality of life and reduced medical expenses across the board. And reducing infrastructure maintenance cost, and shrinking cities (less need for broad parkings and roads) which pushes cities into positive feedback loops of wellness: shorter distances, more walking, better health, and happy businesses too.

In addition to, of course, reducing acoustic pollution (always insidious) and direct deaths and injuries by impact.

#WarOnCars