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Choked: The Age of Air Pollution and the Fight for a Cleaner Future
Every year, air pollution prematurely kills seven million people around the world, in rich countries and poor ones. It is strongly linked to strokes, heart attacks, many kinds of cancer, premature birth and dementia, among other ailments.In Choked, Beth Gardiner travels the world to meet the scientists who have transformed our understanding of pollution's effects on the human body, and to trace the economic forces and political decisions that have allowed it to remain at life-threatening levels. But she also focuses on real-world solutions, and on inspiring stories of people fighting for a healthier future. Compellingly written, and alive with the personalities of the people who study, breathe and fight bad air, Choked is a vital contribution on one of the most important - but too often ignored - issues of our time.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 4, 2019
46 people are currently reading
968 people want to read
About the author
Beth Gardiner
5 books19 followersBeth Gardiner is an American journalist based in London. Her work has appeared in publications including the New York Times, the Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian, Time and the Washington Post. These days, she focuses mainly on stories about environment, health and sustainability, but she’s written about everything from politics, education and feminism to food and the arts.
Choked, her first book, has been recommended by NPR's Science Friday, the Washington Post, Scientific American and Library Journal. The Guardian said "You couldn’t ask for a better guide for non-specialists and concerned citizens," and Refinery29 called it "incredibly readable."
Beth spent 10 years as a reporter for the Associated Press, based first in New York and then in London. She has discussed her reporting on NPR's All Things Considered, MSNBC, WNYC's Brian Lehrer show, the BBC's World at One, Sky News and Canada's CBC, among many others. In 2019, she was a speaker at TEDx London at the Royal Festival Hall.
Choked, her first book, has been recommended by NPR's Science Friday, the Washington Post, Scientific American and Library Journal. The Guardian said "You couldn’t ask for a better guide for non-specialists and concerned citizens," and Refinery29 called it "incredibly readable."
Beth spent 10 years as a reporter for the Associated Press, based first in New York and then in London. She has discussed her reporting on NPR's All Things Considered, MSNBC, WNYC's Brian Lehrer show, the BBC's World at One, Sky News and Canada's CBC, among many others. In 2019, she was a speaker at TEDx London at the Royal Festival Hall.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
January 23, 2020
Having worked in the field of air quality for nearly 25 years in both the private and public sector, I was mildly excited to hear that environmental journalist and former Associated Press writer Beth Gardiner had published a book about air pollution (who doesn’t love reading about work during their time off?).
The text mainly consists of Gardiner traveling to various polluted parts of the planet (London, New Delhi, Krakow, the San Joaquin Valley, Berlin and others) and talking to residents, activists and government officials about the polluted air they breathe. Along the way she throws in some information about CO2 and greenhouse gases, though these gases are not considered pollutants because of their effects on human health, but because of their contributions to global warming (and as such fit awkwardly into the book’s main premise).
The primary point Gardiner emphasizes (repeatedly) is that air pollution (fine particulates, nitrogen oxides and ground level ozone in particular) is terrible for your health. According to Gardiner, air pollution in the US is a contributing factor in more than 100,000 premature deaths each year. If you are someone who regularly respires, then this is an issue that directly affects your quality of life.
Unfortunately, the book is a lackluster effort right down to the lame one-word title (an annoying trend I lay at the feet of Mary Roach). The topic is covered in a way that is both obvious and lacking in novelty, and Gardiner (like every other writer with children) entirely misses the most important contributing factor with regards to air pollution … its direct relationship to population. Rather than admit to her own culpability as part of this complex issue, she opts for the trite and overly simplistic view that the problem is due to a lack of governmental regulation and that the solution is found in technological innovation that will one day (supposedly) eliminate our reliance on fossil fuels.
She makes one important point that bears repeating though, because it isn’t obvious to many (perhaps most) people.
If you live in an area where you can:
- Exercise outdoors
or:
- Enjoy a view unobstructed by haze
or:
- Go through the day without the air burning your eyes, nose, throat or lungs
You should feel lucky, because millions around the globe do not enjoy the same conditions.
But here’s the thing … ‘luck’ has nothing to do with it. The clean air you breathe is the direct result of the efforts of civil servants who have dedicated their professional careers to studying, legislating, regulating, inspecting and enforcing the activities and industries that produce air pollution. These individuals don’t receive money from lobbyists and they aren’t beholden to special interests. They are professionals with a passion for the work they perform who are dedicated to the public interest they serve. These efforts largely take place behind the scenes and thus are nearly invisible to the public.
It’s become tiresomely fashionable to repeat Reagan’s mantra that "Government is not the solution to our problem government IS the problem", but the undeniable fact is that environmental regulations have been remarkably successful in curbing pollution. For those dubious of this claim, answer the following:
- In the 100 years between 1868 – 1968 the Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire 13 times. Why are rivers no longer burning?
- In 1948 20 people died and 6,000 were sickened from air pollution from a zinc smelter in Donora Pennsylvania. Why aren’t news reports filled with stories of deadly manmade toxic clouds?
- The air quality in Los Angeles has improved significantly in the last 50 years despite increased population, while that in Mexico City, Beijing and New Delhi has become steadily worse. Why?
Answer: Because the regulatory approach to pollution mitigation works, and there’s a very good chance you take these protections entirely for granted. Many in the developing world are not afforded this luxury.
The text mainly consists of Gardiner traveling to various polluted parts of the planet (London, New Delhi, Krakow, the San Joaquin Valley, Berlin and others) and talking to residents, activists and government officials about the polluted air they breathe. Along the way she throws in some information about CO2 and greenhouse gases, though these gases are not considered pollutants because of their effects on human health, but because of their contributions to global warming (and as such fit awkwardly into the book’s main premise).
The primary point Gardiner emphasizes (repeatedly) is that air pollution (fine particulates, nitrogen oxides and ground level ozone in particular) is terrible for your health. According to Gardiner, air pollution in the US is a contributing factor in more than 100,000 premature deaths each year. If you are someone who regularly respires, then this is an issue that directly affects your quality of life.
Unfortunately, the book is a lackluster effort right down to the lame one-word title (an annoying trend I lay at the feet of Mary Roach). The topic is covered in a way that is both obvious and lacking in novelty, and Gardiner (like every other writer with children) entirely misses the most important contributing factor with regards to air pollution … its direct relationship to population. Rather than admit to her own culpability as part of this complex issue, she opts for the trite and overly simplistic view that the problem is due to a lack of governmental regulation and that the solution is found in technological innovation that will one day (supposedly) eliminate our reliance on fossil fuels.
She makes one important point that bears repeating though, because it isn’t obvious to many (perhaps most) people.
If you live in an area where you can:
- Exercise outdoors
or:
- Enjoy a view unobstructed by haze
or:
- Go through the day without the air burning your eyes, nose, throat or lungs
You should feel lucky, because millions around the globe do not enjoy the same conditions.
But here’s the thing … ‘luck’ has nothing to do with it. The clean air you breathe is the direct result of the efforts of civil servants who have dedicated their professional careers to studying, legislating, regulating, inspecting and enforcing the activities and industries that produce air pollution. These individuals don’t receive money from lobbyists and they aren’t beholden to special interests. They are professionals with a passion for the work they perform who are dedicated to the public interest they serve. These efforts largely take place behind the scenes and thus are nearly invisible to the public.
It’s become tiresomely fashionable to repeat Reagan’s mantra that "Government is not the solution to our problem government IS the problem", but the undeniable fact is that environmental regulations have been remarkably successful in curbing pollution. For those dubious of this claim, answer the following:
- In the 100 years between 1868 – 1968 the Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire 13 times. Why are rivers no longer burning?
- In 1948 20 people died and 6,000 were sickened from air pollution from a zinc smelter in Donora Pennsylvania. Why aren’t news reports filled with stories of deadly manmade toxic clouds?
- The air quality in Los Angeles has improved significantly in the last 50 years despite increased population, while that in Mexico City, Beijing and New Delhi has become steadily worse. Why?
Answer: Because the regulatory approach to pollution mitigation works, and there’s a very good chance you take these protections entirely for granted. Many in the developing world are not afforded this luxury.
April 8, 2019
I blurbed it! “'Choked' is an extraordinary history of the air we breathe. Brilliantly reported and beautifully written, it takes us on a global tour that illuminates what's at stake when we fail to prioritize people’s—and the planet’s—health. Gardiner sheds myths, wrestles with moral complexity, and reveals the social injustices that make air pollution a danger that both connects and divides us. Along the way, her candid interviews sketch an inspiring blueprint for how to move forward in one of our most elemental battles.”
November 20, 2019
Beth Gardiner, an under-appreciated environmental writer whose previous work has appeared in The New York Times and The Guardian, among other outlets, could've taken the easy way out. As smog mutated from a lingering scourge in developed country into a global Grim Reaper killing upwards of 7 million people a year, Gardiner could've sat back in her home base of London to knit together secondary sources and a few interviews to produce her debut book. Fortunately, she took a dramatically different approach. She hit the road to visit pollution hotspots around the globe, landing in destinations from California to Beijing to New Delhi to Poland & more to collect data, report front-line anecdotes, and relay human stories of respiratory agony and hope. Not only did she pile up air miles in pursuit of her unique approach, she added a medial/epidemiological slant in ways I've never seen done heretofore in popular science books. Combine that with crystal-clear writing that focuses on individuals and admirable compassion for children's health as a mother herself, Gardiner has quietly created an ecological tour-du-force, part travelogue, part air pollution history, part search for blue skies. Whether you're a casual reader, professional environmentalist or college professor in need of important books for your curriculum, I highly recommend 'Choked.' Bravo, Beth -- Chip Jacobs, co-author of Smogtown and The People's Republic of Chemicals.
December 21, 2023
Read for ESS23 Air Pollution class. I read this book out of order and also the class was boring so my 2/5 might be unfair. But what is really unfortunate is air pollution is a serious issue, but this book probably made me care about it less.
December 9, 2019
This is written in a format and style that I've come to loathe in science reporting. It is the travelogue/memoir where each chapter the author travels to a new place. Fills the chapter with details, like a description of the house that someone they interview lives in, that aren't about the science but to "humanize" everything. Who should I blame for the constant trend of books written like this? I guess it must sell and that's why editors still encourage it.
Before I tell you more about this book, let me first say why I hate this format. First, it is vaguely condescending; like the people actually from there couldn't possibly write something on their own and we need a white person to write it for them. Gardiner doesn't actually need to fly to India. India has lots of journalists, including those who have written a lot about air pollution. She could just use what they've already written. We don't need a white person from the developed world to fly there and write stories about India. All that money she spent flying there, paying for hotels, and so on? Commission a local journalist to write something.
But even worse, the main reason for this style undermines the entire point of the book. The author of a book like this will often say something like, "I could have read all the existing journalism from India about air pollution but I needed to see it for myself." When they say this they are explicitly saying that, since seeing is an fundamental part of understanding, people who read their book also won't do anything. If the author had to fly to India to understand air pollution, then why doesn't that hold for the book's readers as well?
Finally, there's always this egotistical need to insert themselves -- in ways that have nothing to do with the topic of the book -- into the story. When Gardiner is in Poland investigation air pollution caused by Polish coal we get a passage about how she sees a highway sign for Auschwitz and she was raised as an unobservant Jew. "I can’t help but feel their ghosts hanging over the landscape here, and I’m glad recent decades have brought peace to this place." Or how, on a free afternoon, she goes to the Warsaw Uprising Museum. And, hey, turns out she knew nothing about Polish history! Or, possibly the worst passage in the entire book, she mentions walking past a restaurant where she waitressed one summer in college 20 years ago.
Despite all of that....I thought Choked started off well enough before eventually floudering and not really exploring some of what I thought were the obvious things to do.
Choked is part of the small but growing literature about how air pollution is possibly the biggest health threat on the planet. This year has seen major newspapers and magazines with headlines like "Air Pollution Ranked as Biggest Environmental Threat to Human Health", "Air Pollution Kills as Many People as Cigarettes", and "The Biggest News and Health Story in the U.S. That Nobody Paid Attention To".
After a brief global overview, Gardiner shows us air pollution in a few places. And in each place she shows us how hard and complicated the root causes are. London is being choked by diesel fuel. But the adoption of diesel fuel was an attempt to increase fuel efficiency and reduce global warming. Poland is being choked by coal. They have memories of Putin shutting off the natural gas pipelines and, especially in wintry Poland, some sense of self-sufficiency for home warming is deeply entrenched. India is being choked by biomass burned for cooking. But there's no infrastructure for propane gas distribution and the costs -- to buy new stoves, to buy the fuel -- are prohibitive for these desperately poor.
These sections are very effective and often touching. Gardiner talks about girls in rural India whose highest dream is to be married into a family that has a gas stove. And it conveys that these aren't easy problems to solve. But eventually you're left wondering...yeah okay, I get it. What's your next move going to be? You can't just fill up a book with anecdotes.
And that's where the book stumbles. We get two long chapters that are basically history lessons. A history of how America's Clear Air Act came to be. A history of smog in Los Angeles and how unleaded fuel and the catalytic converted (eventually) became standard. A history of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). I found these chapters to be overly focused on the US and just generally ancient history. Other than the lesson of "corporations will fight tooth and nail" it is hard to know what to take away from this chapters -- and they make up nearly 1/3rd of the book.
As I read, I realized what I think the two biggest shortcomings of the book are. Gardiner never even tries to address two related topics. Early on she writes, "What is perhaps most worrying is that the more scientists learn about dirty air, the clearer it becomes that there is no safe level." But she never really explores what this actually means. Most things in life & politics are about tradeoffs. How much money are we willing to spend for clean air? If there is no truly no safe level then where do we draw the line? Where do we say "this amount of people dead from air pollution is what we're willing to accept in order to have modern civilization"? And, related to this, Gardiner only ever really interviews clear air advocates. There are a handful of Polish coal merchants who grumble about why poor Poland has to give up coal when rich Germany hasn't even done it. But Gardiner never really explores this very valid question.
She writes that "more than 40 percent of Americans breathe unhealthy levels of pollution". If the richest country in the history of the world can't afford clean air, then what hope is there for India or Poland? Gardiner has a line about a Californian "struggling to make ends meet" and how that makes it hard for her to do things that reduce air pollution. But if a Californian, a person from the richest state in the richest country, can't afford to do it...where does that leave us?
Gardiner never really approaches these questions and that's a big part my three-star rating. She convinced me with anecdotes that air pollution is a huge problem. But what comes next?
Before I tell you more about this book, let me first say why I hate this format. First, it is vaguely condescending; like the people actually from there couldn't possibly write something on their own and we need a white person to write it for them. Gardiner doesn't actually need to fly to India. India has lots of journalists, including those who have written a lot about air pollution. She could just use what they've already written. We don't need a white person from the developed world to fly there and write stories about India. All that money she spent flying there, paying for hotels, and so on? Commission a local journalist to write something.
But even worse, the main reason for this style undermines the entire point of the book. The author of a book like this will often say something like, "I could have read all the existing journalism from India about air pollution but I needed to see it for myself." When they say this they are explicitly saying that, since seeing is an fundamental part of understanding, people who read their book also won't do anything. If the author had to fly to India to understand air pollution, then why doesn't that hold for the book's readers as well?
Finally, there's always this egotistical need to insert themselves -- in ways that have nothing to do with the topic of the book -- into the story. When Gardiner is in Poland investigation air pollution caused by Polish coal we get a passage about how she sees a highway sign for Auschwitz and she was raised as an unobservant Jew. "I can’t help but feel their ghosts hanging over the landscape here, and I’m glad recent decades have brought peace to this place." Or how, on a free afternoon, she goes to the Warsaw Uprising Museum. And, hey, turns out she knew nothing about Polish history! Or, possibly the worst passage in the entire book, she mentions walking past a restaurant where she waitressed one summer in college 20 years ago.
Despite all of that....I thought Choked started off well enough before eventually floudering and not really exploring some of what I thought were the obvious things to do.
Choked is part of the small but growing literature about how air pollution is possibly the biggest health threat on the planet. This year has seen major newspapers and magazines with headlines like "Air Pollution Ranked as Biggest Environmental Threat to Human Health", "Air Pollution Kills as Many People as Cigarettes", and "The Biggest News and Health Story in the U.S. That Nobody Paid Attention To".
After a brief global overview, Gardiner shows us air pollution in a few places. And in each place she shows us how hard and complicated the root causes are. London is being choked by diesel fuel. But the adoption of diesel fuel was an attempt to increase fuel efficiency and reduce global warming. Poland is being choked by coal. They have memories of Putin shutting off the natural gas pipelines and, especially in wintry Poland, some sense of self-sufficiency for home warming is deeply entrenched. India is being choked by biomass burned for cooking. But there's no infrastructure for propane gas distribution and the costs -- to buy new stoves, to buy the fuel -- are prohibitive for these desperately poor.
These sections are very effective and often touching. Gardiner talks about girls in rural India whose highest dream is to be married into a family that has a gas stove. And it conveys that these aren't easy problems to solve. But eventually you're left wondering...yeah okay, I get it. What's your next move going to be? You can't just fill up a book with anecdotes.
And that's where the book stumbles. We get two long chapters that are basically history lessons. A history of how America's Clear Air Act came to be. A history of smog in Los Angeles and how unleaded fuel and the catalytic converted (eventually) became standard. A history of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). I found these chapters to be overly focused on the US and just generally ancient history. Other than the lesson of "corporations will fight tooth and nail" it is hard to know what to take away from this chapters -- and they make up nearly 1/3rd of the book.
As I read, I realized what I think the two biggest shortcomings of the book are. Gardiner never even tries to address two related topics. Early on she writes, "What is perhaps most worrying is that the more scientists learn about dirty air, the clearer it becomes that there is no safe level." But she never really explores what this actually means. Most things in life & politics are about tradeoffs. How much money are we willing to spend for clean air? If there is no truly no safe level then where do we draw the line? Where do we say "this amount of people dead from air pollution is what we're willing to accept in order to have modern civilization"? And, related to this, Gardiner only ever really interviews clear air advocates. There are a handful of Polish coal merchants who grumble about why poor Poland has to give up coal when rich Germany hasn't even done it. But Gardiner never really explores this very valid question.
She writes that "more than 40 percent of Americans breathe unhealthy levels of pollution". If the richest country in the history of the world can't afford clean air, then what hope is there for India or Poland? Gardiner has a line about a Californian "struggling to make ends meet" and how that makes it hard for her to do things that reduce air pollution. But if a Californian, a person from the richest state in the richest country, can't afford to do it...where does that leave us?
Gardiner never really approaches these questions and that's a big part my three-star rating. She convinced me with anecdotes that air pollution is a huge problem. But what comes next?
June 17, 2019
A hystertical "we're all going to die if we do not repent" about quite a common fact. It was worse a hundred years ago. It still is in the developing world. It even happens naturally, for example when a volcano erupts.
November 15, 2019
Very informative book, everyone should be aware of the incredible pervasive presence of air pollutants
October 26, 2019
An extremely informative new nonfiction book about air pollution around the world and how various countries are fighting to combat it.
Sadly, while China, in particular, is working to clean up their air, the USA under Trump is rolling backwards.
Sadly, while China, in particular, is working to clean up their air, the USA under Trump is rolling backwards.
January 20, 2021
2,5 ⭐
Książkę czytałam długo - za długo. Temat ważny i potrzeby, jednak uważam, że styl pisania autorki odstrasza.
Momentami za mocno przegadana, za dużo wchodzenia w niepotrzebne szczegóły typu strój rozmówcy czy jego wygląd, który defacto nic nie wnosi do treści.
Plus za rozdział o Polsce i temacie węgla - trochę krótki w porównaniu z innymi miejscami opisanymi, ale cóż, ważne, że autorka w ogóle pokusiła się o jego poruszenie.
Książkę czytałam długo - za długo. Temat ważny i potrzeby, jednak uważam, że styl pisania autorki odstrasza.
Momentami za mocno przegadana, za dużo wchodzenia w niepotrzebne szczegóły typu strój rozmówcy czy jego wygląd, który defacto nic nie wnosi do treści.
Plus za rozdział o Polsce i temacie węgla - trochę krótki w porównaniu z innymi miejscami opisanymi, ale cóż, ważne, że autorka w ogóle pokusiła się o jego poruszenie.
December 22, 2019
A good introduction on the issue of air pollution, especially for someone who's only just starting to seek out info past the simple "pollution is a Problem" such as yours truly. Gardiner explains the details of why it's a Problem in a way that's accessible to the newcomer. Jargon rarely became a barrier to understanding the text, and the chapters relaying historical/current events (the Clean Air Act, the accomplishments of Mary Nichols, Chai Jing's Under The Dome) helped provide much-needed context of steps that had been made to mend or call attention to the Problem.
Where this book falls short is Gardiner's failure to decide whether to take a realist's or and idealist's approach to all the information she provides. The statistics and personal accounts she brings forward are solid; there's no doubt that there's injustice in air pollution. Once she proceeds past the reporting and onto steps that are being taken, or steps that should be taken, her position becomes wishy-washy. This is what should be done, she says on one page. And then the next is riddled with doubt: there's so much stacked against us - will this actually work?
Again, an eye-opening account if you're new to reading up on air pollution and need to orient yourself. The wealth of perspective Gardiner brings definitely outweighs the shortcomings.
Where this book falls short is Gardiner's failure to decide whether to take a realist's or and idealist's approach to all the information she provides. The statistics and personal accounts she brings forward are solid; there's no doubt that there's injustice in air pollution. Once she proceeds past the reporting and onto steps that are being taken, or steps that should be taken, her position becomes wishy-washy. This is what should be done, she says on one page. And then the next is riddled with doubt: there's so much stacked against us - will this actually work?
Again, an eye-opening account if you're new to reading up on air pollution and need to orient yourself. The wealth of perspective Gardiner brings definitely outweighs the shortcomings.
September 16, 2021
I appreciated many things about this book. First and foremost, its chapters have momentum, with vivid characters and scenes. I valued its global perspective, and it’s emphasis on population health and the responsibility of governments to enforce regulations that protect the people they represent. This is not an argument for individuals to plant a tree or buy a Tesla. But mostly, I found the stories were as inspiring as they were concerning. It’s not alarmist, though Gardiner is emphatic that the stakes are high. It’s complex—individual action isn’t going to make change but individual activists can do so much to pressure governments and corporations for change; people have economic needs that conflict with their health; “solutions” can have unintended consequences—but we have the capacity and resilience to make progress.
June 26, 2025
One of the books that merit a rating halfway through. She has put in so much work into visiting places and understanding why the air is the way it is, how people are living within the systems that generate the pollution, why it hasn't been fixed yet. Incredibly rich with insights from both people affected and people trying to solve. She takes us with her on her travels - which makes a dreary topic rather engaging.
edit: After reading other reviews, I should flag that if you are looking for science only, go read a report or a lit review. This book is telling a story so that it is easier to read. Moreover, she devotes a lot of space to perspectives from policymakers and citizens because she wants to give us a complete picture of what change requires and who is suffering in the meanwhile. It's not a health/tech/data-only book.
edit: After reading other reviews, I should flag that if you are looking for science only, go read a report or a lit review. This book is telling a story so that it is easier to read. Moreover, she devotes a lot of space to perspectives from policymakers and citizens because she wants to give us a complete picture of what change requires and who is suffering in the meanwhile. It's not a health/tech/data-only book.
December 6, 2020
This book is an excellent overview of the state of the science; the global perspective is particularly valuable because it gives you a sense of the extent to which the causes of pollution and thus the particular types of pollutant differ by place. I would have liked more on how this work relates to climate change mitigation versus adaptation, and when there are trade offs versus when there are win-win scenarios (I.e. health cobenefits of climate change mitigation efforts) - but the gap here feels reflective of a bigger disconnect between the climate science and public health literatures, so it’s a big ask of a single writer to fix. Overall a great introductory book on air pollution and health.
February 14, 2021
Although my degree is in environmental studies and one of my favorite university professors was an attorney who helped stand up the Environmental Protection Agency in the US in the 1970s, my knowledge on the effects of air pollution on humans was really shallow despite having some training in this area. This book helped fix this. I really get now just how harmful air pollution is to people and how fragile human lungs can be. This book goes into detail from the medical effects and looks at the society and economic problems with solving air pollution problems in different countries around the world. All environmental problems are economic problems and it looks like the world is making some progress with air pollution. A good book -- quite thought provoking.
March 28, 2022
The narrative style of this book makes it a lot easier to engage with and, perhaps, appeal to more individuals without a scientific background. The book is structured in case studies that have a global reach. The ability of Gardiner to encapsulate the economic, social, and environmental aspects holistically encompasses the vastness of air quality. The only space that the book left me wanting more is the connection between pollution and invisible disability, cancers, diseases, etc. There was a brief mention of these, but I would have preferred more in-depth coverage. The focus appeared to be more on the political inertia perpetuating the status quo, the corporate interests skewing the system, and only the most extreme of social implications (early deaths).
January 17, 2023
This book though non fiction is written in a narrative way.
At first I liked it as it made it easier to read and understand, but the authors opinions and views are intertwined in the facts.
Some of the opinions the author gives I agree with…others not as much. With the author giving only a small paragraph to the major negative effects of a new product that can help with air pollution then giving 5-10 on the one major benefit of said product (which is how it doesn’t release toxins into the air).
Besides that I definitely recommend this book if you struggle with getting through non fiction. :D
At first I liked it as it made it easier to read and understand, but the authors opinions and views are intertwined in the facts.
Some of the opinions the author gives I agree with…others not as much. With the author giving only a small paragraph to the major negative effects of a new product that can help with air pollution then giving 5-10 on the one major benefit of said product (which is how it doesn’t release toxins into the air).
Besides that I definitely recommend this book if you struggle with getting through non fiction. :D
January 27, 2024
I must say my privilege that I have almost never have breathing trouble. Yet last 5 years or so, the issue about air pollution surrounding area where I live often become the talk of town. Reading this book widens the horizon about this invisible enemy that we face together. Many root of problems and orchestrated efforts to overcome air pollution in many countries tie tightly with climate change - it piques my interest. This book is more like a summary of study cases (of cause and possible solution), so don't expect to have a big revelation at the end. Still, it's a great read to understand the topic.
December 22, 2019
Our world's future is unclear and the author describes, in terms of the air we breath, how it has been and what may happen. Without action, breathing due to pollution will become dire. But there are many rays of hope. The book outlines both. In this country, the Clean Air Act has done so much. But as the author indicates, the current administration is doing all it can to dismantle it. But they just do not understand the progress that has been made. If anyone cares about the future, this book should be required reading.
July 26, 2020
Beth Gardiner’s book is a great non-fiction read for those of us dealing with the crushing anxiety brought on by climate change and the pollution causing it. It’s helped me to realize the environmental privilege of living in Canada, the long term health impacts of air pollution, and the successes and failures that governments around the world have had in regulating pollution.
The travelogue approach keeps things light and approachable. It’s a great first or second read for those interested in the subject and unsure of where to start.
The travelogue approach keeps things light and approachable. It’s a great first or second read for those interested in the subject and unsure of where to start.
February 21, 2024
Pomaga spojrzeć na problem zanieczyszczenia powietrza ze znacznie szerszej perspektywy, nie tylko (jak nam się w Polsce wydaje) węgla. Autorka we wszystkich odwiedzanych krajach rozmawia z lokalnymi aktywistami i przeciętnymi obywatelami by dokładnie opisać koszty i korzyści z wprowadzenia zmian. (Zawsze podając przykłady-dowody na to, że korzyści są nieporównywalnie większe)
Nie obwinia Kowalskiego za to, że jeździ dieslem i nie stać go na wymianę - tylko rząd za to, że go do zakupu tego diesla namawiał i nie robi nic w stronę poprawy sytuacji.
Nie obwinia Kowalskiego za to, że jeździ dieslem i nie stać go na wymianę - tylko rząd za to, że go do zakupu tego diesla namawiał i nie robi nic w stronę poprawy sytuacji.
June 25, 2020
There’s some interesting science in here, but for the most part, it’s full of anecdotal evidence. Aside from the author literally contributing to the very air pollution she’s writing about by flying all over the planet, almost all of her interviews are with individuals who are not scientists and who are, often, working alone. It doesn’t inspire confidence in her sources. Maybe I’m just no longer as easily swayed by popular science books like this anymore.
October 16, 2020
Beth Gardiner highlights the key issue of air quality facing the world. It starts with the science and then wanders into travelogue territory as the author travels to parts of the world either suffering from poor air quality or innovating to improve. She visits Delhi, Beijing, Berlin and many other cities to find out about policy innovations and how air quality impacts daily life.
In my opinion the strongest section is on the history of the US clean air act. Well worth a read!
In my opinion the strongest section is on the history of the US clean air act. Well worth a read!
June 21, 2022
Part personal story, part science textbook, the author takes us on a world tour of some of the most polluted places on earth - including: India, London, Poland, Southern California- both rural and urban, Africa, and China. She tells the stories of courageous individuals and governments who have begun to recognize and act to clean up our air. Progress is uneven around the world and the ultimate effect of pollution on climate change is only hinted at.
December 3, 2019
A compelling and not hopeless read (unless you live in Delhi or other particularly impoverished, polluted places). In fact, Gardiner's coverage of China's changing ways and the passage of the 1970 Clean Air Act (with Nixon's stamp of approval ) make you want to cheer. Government at its best can force private industry to seek the greater good, to everyone's longterm benefit.
March 29, 2022
Temat bardzo ważny, ale przez konstrukcję książki bardzo ciężko mi się to czytało.
To jest taki reportaż podróżniczy, w którym autorka odwiedza różne miejsca i opisuje ich problemy.
Wolałabym, żeby jednak rozdziały były tematyczny, a konkretne miejsca podawane jako przykłady.
To jest taki reportaż podróżniczy, w którym autorka odwiedza różne miejsca i opisuje ich problemy.
Wolałabym, żeby jednak rozdziały były tematyczny, a konkretne miejsca podawane jako przykłady.
March 10, 2020
What an eye-opener!
January 25, 2021
A book about air pollution that will shock you. The writing is so clear and evocative, but the topic is scary and will make you rethink your daily walk (if you live in a city, anyway).
May 23, 2021
W obecnej sytuacji w Polsce - lektura obowiązkowa.
January 15, 2022
Must have for.. everybody.
Book discussing air pollution issues and history but taking care about important fact - world inequalities, showing far bigger view of the pollution problem.
Book discussing air pollution issues and history but taking care about important fact - world inequalities, showing far bigger view of the pollution problem.
Currently reading
January 20, 2022615.902 G221 2019
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