Environmental pollution and mitigation

Question 1

what is particulate air pollution

Answer 1

the release of particles and noxious gases into the atmosphere (often from fossil fuel combustion)

Question 2

what is photochemical air pollution

Answer 2

creates smogs consisting of ozone and PAN

Question 3

when was londons ‘pea souper’

Answer 3

1953

Question 4

what did the pea souper lead to

Answer 4

the clean air act 1956

Question 5

what percentage of carbon monoxide emissions is road transport responsible for

Answer 5

90%

Question 6

what can high levels of carbon monoxide lead to

Answer 6

headaches, nausea, fatigue and death

Question 7

what percentage of nitrogen dioxide emissions is road transport responsible for

Answer 7

50%

Question 8

what can high levels of nitrogen dioxide cause

Answer 8

asthma (and serious lung issues) and acid rain

Question 9

3 reasons why HICs have less of an air pollution problem than LICs

Answer 9

HICs have developed faster so now have now developed methods to combat air pollution
HICs have passed laws and legislation (eg clean air act 1956) which prohibit the burning of fossil fuels in urban areas - reduce air pollution
In HICs jobs are now not centred around manufacturing (instead in service sector)

Question 10

3 reasons why LICs have more of an air pollution problem than HICs

Answer 10

LICs are only industrialising now– have to rely on cheap fuel to meet demands and make enough money
LICs have no laws against environmental offences
LICs are still centred around a manufacturing based economy and jobs

Question 11

economic issues caused by pollution in the long term (3)

Answer 11

loss of tourism
loss of investment as companies don’t want to be associated with being the source of the pollution problem
companies have to pay for new facilities and new staff in HICs with lots of laws so move to LICs (less regulations)

Question 12

what is urban greening

Answer 12

refers to the public landscaping and urban forestry projects that create mutually beneficial relationships between city dwellers and their environments

Question 13

example of a place that has urban greening

Answer 13

Birmingham

Question 14

where in Birmingham is there further plans for urban greening

Answer 14

landscape architect Chris Rance plans to trail a green screen on the A38 Bristol Street in the city’s Southside District. there will also be a pedestrian guard that will trap air pollutants - particularly particulates from diesel engine

Question 15

example of a place with industrial zoning

Answer 15

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Question 16

what does industrial zoning take into account

Answer 16

the size and scale of the buildings, the amount of parking required and other aspects of urban design and development

Question 17

drawback of industrial zoning

Answer 17

hard to do in areas that are already developed

Question 18

what have they put in in London to help limit the amount of traffic

Answer 18

congestion charge

Question 19

what does the congestion charge reduce

Answer 19

reduces the amount of traffic on the roads that were not designed for any traffic
reduces pollution in inner cities

Question 20

describe the bus system in Curitiba

Answer 20

5 main arterial traffic roads into and out of the city w/ central bus lane
triple articulate buses=more passengers (4,000 per day)
wide bus doors- more people get in- reduce bus times

Question 21

what does all the transport opportunities in Curitiba lead to

Answer 21

has led to Curitiba being one of the lowest levels of pollution w/ no government subsidy

Question 22

example of bicycle scheme in London

Answer 22

Santander cycles (‘Borris Bikes’)

Question 23

what is the minimum amount it costs to hire a borris bike

Answer 23

£2

Question 24

how many borris bikes are there across the city and how many docking stations are there

Answer 24

more than 11,500 bikes at 750 docking stations

Question 25

what is carpooling

Answer 25

means people share a car ride = a reduction in congestion and pollution

Question 26

what did the clean air act of 1956 do

Answer 26

‘smoke control areas’- only smokeless fuels can be burned
relocate power stations away from cities
height of chimneys increased

Question 27

how effective has the clean air act 1956 been

Answer 27

very effective as it is still used in parts of urban planning policy

Question 28

how can dereliction impact the environmental quality of an area (and social effects)

Answer 28

broken window effect- cycle of decline
aesthetic impact- visual pollution leads to reduced land value – can lead to higher crime levels
the buildings themselves are dangerous

Question 29

solving urban dereliction: build on brownfield sites- example

Answer 29

battersea powerstation

Question 30

what is a brownfield site

Answer 30

a piece of land that has already had some construction, but may well now be derelict

Question 31

key facts for battersea powerstation redevelopment

Answer 31

4,200 apartments 
4 years to build
multi-use building (will have shops)
will take until 2020 until shoppers can go there
total regeneration cost: £9 billion