Here are two images of air quality taken on the same time from two different web sites. This is the first time I’ve used images to show my point, and I think it is important to highlight a point. The first one is from https://aqicn.org/map/unitedkingdom/ which is used by my local council. Everything is green, not perfect, but green. So, I decided to go for a run, but not too fast because I could taste the air. In short, I was fooling myself and didn’t trust my instinct. The air quality was green!

When I arrive home, I decide to add an air quality widget on to my Garmin running watch which takes data from here: https://aqicn.org/map/unitedkingdom/ and this was my surprise that wasn’t a surprise, and I’m not happy about it.

Why would the local government site give good news and the independent site show bad news? Why, oh why? You can find this information if you want it, and air is very important. So, why if the air is bad, would local government give misleading bad good news? This is a serious health issue and this information is not being made public.

To be honest, I only care about me. I don’t have time to worry about other people. But my better air quality will help others if I fight my corner. Fighting a battle for everyone is too much, but I think I could fight a battle for one. First, things first I’ve plugged my ionizers back in. They probably don’t make too much of an improvement, but it makes me a little happier. They seem to attract some dirt from the air and that will do me. I can by some plants, but these need to to ones that are easy to look after. The plants that are very low maintenance probably work to hard on filtering air, though. I could stay indoors, but that isn’t a great life strategy.

I need something to focus on, something I care about. The birds have given me a focus. They even got a new bird feeder today. I decided that I was a little selfish with the window feeder, so they have less tasty peanuts hanging from a feeder on a tree.

Now that I have the time and the drive I can contact the council and see what their plans are. This has to change and could spark a separate blog to bug them.