All I need is the air that I breathe

This Hollies refrain pops in to my head as I see yet another burst of dirty exhaust smoke as cars and trucks accelerate away. We keep on hearing statistics on how pollutants from motor vehicles are killing hundreds of us a year, and more recently reports that those in the vicinity of busy roads are most at risk.

And the recommendation arising from the boffins behind the reports? Get unprotected people off the roads and footpaths! Excuse me??

What about some concerted action to tackle the problem at source?

How about we actually introduce stringent emission controls on vehicles? The present sop put in place by the Labour government is as effective as a slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket.

How about initiatives to reduce the many small trips that don’t actually require an engine? Pollutants are at their worst when engines are cold.

Although we’re blessed living in Auckland on a narrow isthmus where the prevailing winds blow our pollutants on to the lucky residents of Waiheke Island, we still have a significant problem here.

It should be possible for cyclists to ride on busy roads without sucking in lung-fulls of pollutants. It should similarly be possible for runners to pound the adjacent footpaths. It should be possible for parents and kids to enjoy a safe walk/ride down to the shops without being intimidated by vehicles and their exhaust fumes.

Don’t we want to live in a people-friendly city where we can breathe in a lung-full of air without worrying about carcinogens taking up residence in our bodies?

Addendum - a day after I made this post the Weekend Herald ran a story entitled "Toxic road fumes causing children's health problems". Read about it at

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=281&objectid=10465368

- excerpts in the Comments.