Thread by @Plume_Labs

On this #WorldEnvironmentDay, we’re taking time to reflect on air pollution, environmental inequalities and systemic racism. 🌎🖤

A thread. ⤵️

In Paris 🇫🇷, where we hail from, people living in the city’s poorer neighborhoods have a 5x higher risk of death in the aftermath of NO2 peaks.

journals.plos.org/plosone/articl…

In London 🇬🇧, @jessicafurseth of @VICEUK used our air quality sensor Flow to track how pollution changes from the richest to the poorest boroughs.

Here’s her 2019 piece:
vice.com/en_uk/article/…

In the US 🇺🇸, the @EPA found “strong evidence demonstrating that Black and Hispanic populations have higher PM2.5 exposures than non-Hispanic white populations’’ and face “an increase in risk.”

2020 Review of National Ambiant AQ Standards for PM:
federalregister.gov/documents/2020…

The American @LungAssociation has compiled years of research exploring environmental injustice and the disparities in harm to racial groups from air pollution.

This is well worth a read today: lung.org/clean-air/outd…

A few highlights [1/3]. ⤵️

A 2016 study of the Medicaid population found that those who live in predominantly African-American communities suffered greater risk of premature death from #PM25 particle pollution than those living in predominantly white communities.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26600257/ (1/3)

A 2017 @NEJM study found that African-Americans had a higher risk of premature death from particle pollution.

The lack of correlation to income suggests other factors may be at play, such as chronic stress as a result of discrimination.

nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NE… (2/3)

Decades of residential segregation also mean African Americans tend to live where there is greater exposure to air pollution.

A study in the @TheLancetPlanet finds ER admissions due to asthma are 2.4 times higher in formerly redlined districts!

thelancet.com/journals/lanpl… (3/3)

🌎 Beyond the West, environmental injustice is global.

Coal is a major source of pollution in the emerging world, but what if you can’t afford electricity?

In South Africa 🇿🇦, half of all air pollution deaths come from burning wood or coal inside:

mg.co.za/article/2019-0…

In the end, how we breathe is how we live.

In the @WHO's own words: "addressing inequalities in environmental risk will help to mitigate health inequalities and contribute to fairer and more socially cohesive societies."

euro.who.int/__data/assets/…

Ever wondered why the “wrong side of the tracks” is oftentimes east?

Because disenfranchised communities were pushed downwind and denied clean air.

This @TEDTalks by @stephendeberry ends with a message of hope for environmental justice. 🖤

ted.com/talks/stephen_…