Air Pollution

Erika

Hey all,

I'm a Product Design student In New Zealand and I'm currently looking into the issue of Respiratory Safety for exercising outdoors in Urban areas. To find a solution I need to find out as much as possible from those of you who feel affected/concerned by the issue. I will be designing a system or product that hopefully appeals to users and improves respiratory safety and performance but I need to know your thoughts/wants/needs/don't wants in a product!! If you've got a bit of time it would be great if you could answer the following survey to help my research along!

If you could just copy these questions into a reply message that would be awesome!

Thanks so much for your time, it's a huge help!

Erika


What Country and City do you live in?

What age group are you?

Are you Male or Female?

Do you live in an urban or suburban area?

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it?

If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health?

What do you feel prevents people from wearing a PPE mask for respiritory safety? (i.e not considered fashionable or reduced performance or just not concerned about the health effects of air pollution)?


Thanks again!

Headhuunter

What Country and City do you live in?
London, UK

Do you live in an urban or suburban area?
Hard to differentiate. I live within travel zone 2

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?
Cycle

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?
No

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?
I don't think so

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?
Yes

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?
Not very

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?
Yes

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it?
I couldn't get used to it, it inhibited my breathing too much

If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health?

If no, why would you prefer not to wear a PPE product (i.e not considered fashionable or concern about reduced performance or just not concerned about the issue)?

Erika

Thankyou!! your answers are greatly appreciated!

Agent57

What Country and City do you live in?
Morecambe, UK

What age group are you?
20-60 (41)

Are you Male or Female?
Yes (male)

Do you live in an urban or suburban area?
Yes (suburban, commute through urban)

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?
Yes (cycling)

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?
No

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?
No

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?
n/a

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?
Not really.

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?
Very uncommon (I don't think I've ever seen anyone wearing one)

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?
No

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it?
n/a

If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health?
Probably not

If no, why would you prefer not to wear a PPE product (i.e not considered fashionable or concern about reduced performance or just not concerned about the issue)?
I think my face would get too hot. I think breathing would be more difficult as I'd be drawing air through some sort of material or filter. I think exhaled breath would emerge from the top of the mask, fogging up my eyeshades. I think I'd look like a character in Half Life or something.

lost_in_thought

What Country and City do you live in?

London, UK

What age group are you?

I'm 27

Are you Male or Female?

Female

Do you live in an urban or suburban area?

Between the two.

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?

Cycling

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?

Rowing on the Thames

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?

No.

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?

No.

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?

Not common at all.

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?

No.

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it?

If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health?

If I knew it was seriously affecting my health? I think anyone would. However, I know it isn't.

What do you feel prevents people from wearing a PPE mask for respiritory safety? (i.e not considered fashionable or reduced performance or just not concerned about the health effects of air pollution)?

Were it the case that air pollution caused health problems, a mask would have to be very well-sealed to help, and by being well-sealed it becomes hard to breathe through efficiently while exercising.

Nobody I know feels that it's worth their bother wearing a mask. Apart from MonkeyMonster on here, and I don't really know why he bothers.

Kiblams

What Country and City do you live in?
Derby, UK

Do you live in an urban or suburban area?
Urban (Centre of Derby)

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?
Cycling

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?
Nope

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?
Nope

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?
n/a

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?
Nope

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?
I've never seen anyone wearing one

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?
Yes (but only for DIY)

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it?
Too hot and suffocating

If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health?
Possibly, I have a family history of Lung problems

If no, why would you prefer not to wear a PPE product (i.e not considered fashionable or concern about reduced performance or just not concerned about the issue)?

Cafewanda

It's interesting that, so far, LiT is the only person willing to include her age . Who you hiding from guys?


What Country and City do you live in? London, UK

What age group are you? 47

Are you Male or Female? Female

Do you live in an urban or suburban area? Urban

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling? Cycling

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas? Running

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting? Yes

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms? Asthma/allergic rhinitis

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution? Yes

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area? Not very common, I think.

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection? No

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it? N/A

If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health? Yes

What do you feel prevents people from wearing a PPE mask for respiritory safety? (i.e not considered fashionable or reduced performance or just not concerned about the health effects of air pollution)? Knowledge of and availability. How the mask looks would be another prime factor especially for the young.

Agent57

Cafewanda wrote:

It's interesting that, so far, LiT is the only person willing to include her age . Who you hiding from guys?

Odd, I'm sure I just copied and pasted the list of questions; and those weren't in there when I did so.

Erika

haha thats my fault sorry! I updated the questions. Cheers guys

owenlars

This smacks of a solution looking for a problem.

I'm 56 live in the suburbs of London, cycle to the centre every day and don't feel any respiratory problems, wouldn't use a mask and believe strongly that you don't need to. Indeed the accepted wisdom is that you inhale more pollutants sitting in a car in a traffic jam than you ever do on a bike or walking.

I'm old enough to remember the London smogs!

Sorry it's not in the correct format!

kingrollo

owenlars wrote:

This smacks of a solution looking for a problem.

I'm 56 live in the suburbs of London, cycle to the centre every day and don't feel any respiratory problems, wouldn't use a mask and believe strongly that you don't need to. Indeed the accepted wisdom is that you inhale more pollutants sitting in a car in a traffic jam than you ever do on a bike or walking.

I'm old enough to remember the London smogs!

Sorry it's not in the correct format!

I don't think this is true - you are breathing harder on a bike than sitting in a car - so you are taking in more.

Aidy

kingrollo wrote:

owenlars wrote:

This smacks of a solution looking for a problem.

I'm 56 live in the suburbs of London, cycle to the centre every day and don't feel any respiratory problems, wouldn't use a mask and believe strongly that you don't need to. Indeed the accepted wisdom is that you inhale more pollutants sitting in a car in a traffic jam than you ever do on a bike or walking.

I'm old enough to remember the London smogs!

Sorry it's not in the correct format!

I don't think this is true - you are breathing harder on a bike than sitting in a car - so you are taking in more.

But in a traffic jam, a car is stationary - and is positioned in front of the car in front's exhaust pipe.

A cyclist is higher up, allowing the pollutants to dissipate further, and moves through the traffic faster, thus spending less time in it.

Headhuunter

Aidy wrote:

kingrollo wrote:

owenlars wrote:

This smacks of a solution looking for a problem.

I'm 56 live in the suburbs of London, cycle to the centre every day and don't feel any respiratory problems, wouldn't use a mask and believe strongly that you don't need to. Indeed the accepted wisdom is that you inhale more pollutants sitting in a car in a traffic jam than you ever do on a bike or walking.

I'm old enough to remember the London smogs!

Sorry it's not in the correct format!

I don't think this is true - you are breathing harder on a bike than sitting in a car - so you are taking in more.

But in a traffic jam, a car is stationary - and is positioned in front of the car in front's exhaust pipe.

A cyclist is higher up, allowing the pollutants to dissipate further, and moves through the traffic faster, thus spending less time in it.

However as pointed out, cyclists breathe more deeply, so particulates and pollutants go deeper into the lungs. Re London pea soupers, I read somewhere that today's photochemical smog is actually far more dangerous than the old pea soupers, but because they're more or less invisible, people don't care about them as much

davmaggs

If you are looking at designing a new product it is worth looking around at existing suppliers to see how you would differentiate. As you are posting from NZ it is worth pointing out that the UK already has companies selling filters.


In terms of the peasoupers vs fine particulates debate there are two government sites that cover that:

http://www.londonair.org.uk/london/asp/ ... iew=whatis
http://www.airquality.co.uk/monitoring_ ... ?n=history

The view on the trend on fine particles (which masks would struggle with) seems unclear at the moment

iain_j

What Country and City do you live in?
Liverpool, UK

What age group are you?
29

Are you Male or Female?
Male

Do you live in an urban or suburban area?
Suburban. Commute to city centre.

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?
Cycling.

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?
No.

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?
No.

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?
n/a

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?
Yes.

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?
Very uncommon. Seen one or two in 10 years commuting here.

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?
No.

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it?
n/a

If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health?
Yes. I have asthma so it's a possibility that air pollution could start to affect me.

What do you feel prevents people from wearing a PPE mask for respiritory safety? (i.e not considered fashionable or reduced performance or just not concerned about the health effects of air pollution)?
Don't have experience of wearing one when exercising, but I feel it would be restrict my breathing and get hot, sweaty and uncomfortable.

CiB

What Country and City do you live in?
Buckinghamshire, in the sticks

What age group are you?
47

Are you Male or Female?
M

Do you live in an urban or suburban area?
V rural

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?
Cycle / car. Never walk.

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?
Golf, strangling animals and err... squash. I realise that golf's not very popular round here.

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?
Feel loads better for it ta.

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?
Fitness, cardio-vascular, all the stuff.

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?
No. Next.

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?
Unheard of.

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?
Pfft.

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it?

If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health?
No. Wouldn't even ponder the idea.

What do you feel prevents people from wearing a PPE mask for respiritory safety? (i.e not considered fashionable or reduced performance or just not concerned about the health effects of air pollution)?
As before, it's a solution looking for a problem.

Headhuunter

London air quality is certainly something to worry about though. I read that it regularly exceeds EU safe guidelines and that we pay regular fines to the EU for this. London air quality is one of the worst in Europe...

owenlars

kingrollo wrote:

I don't think this is true - you are breathing harder on a bike than sitting in a car - so you are taking in more.

Check this link

http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1062

il_principe

What Country and City do you live in?

London, UK

What age group are you?

I'm 30

Are you Male or Female?

Male

Do you live in an urban or suburban area?

Urban

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?

Cycling

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?

Aside from cycling - no.

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?

No.

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?

A Little

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?

Not common

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?

Yes

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it?

Hated it.

If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health?

Yes

What do you feel prevents people from wearing a PPE mask for respiritory safety? (i.e not considered fashionable or reduced performance or just not concerned about the health effects of air pollution)?

I don't think they work - for cycling at any rate.

iPad

What Country and City do you live in?
England - Sheffield

What age group are you?
40 - 50

Are you Male or Female?
Male

Do you live in an urban or suburban area?
Live: Suburban
Work: Urban

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?
Cycling

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?
No

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?
Yes

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?
Shortness or breath, asthma

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?
Yes

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?
No very

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?
Yes

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it?
It made my glasses steam up

If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health?
Yes

What do you feel prevents people from wearing a PPE mask for respiritory safety? (i.e not considered fashionable or reduced performance or just not concerned about the health effects of air pollution)?
Lack of vision due to glasses steaming up

Canny Jock

I like this, I'm finding out how old everyone is

What Country and City do you live in?

London, UK

What age group are you?

36

Are you Male or Female?

Male

Do you live in an urban or suburban area?

Urban, I think? South East London, Zone 3.

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?

Cycling

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?

Football once or twice a week, for around an hour a time.

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?

No

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?

Yes

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?

Rare, maybe 1 in 100 cyclists if that?

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?

No

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it?


If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health?

Yes

What do you feel prevents people from wearing a PPE mask for respiritory safety? (i.e not considered fashionable or reduced performance or just not concerned about the health effects of air pollution)?

Firstly that there is not a clear sign that air pollution is causing problems in my area, therefore no perceived need, and secondly there seems to be a lot of reports of decreased airflow and lack of effectiveness of existing products, coupled with the need to change filters often.

Erika

Thankyou everyone for all of your replies! They are very helpful! Does anyone know a good forum site based in any other country (Asia, China, US, Auzzie etc)? Feedback from people in other big urban areas would be a huge help.

Thanks again everyone - keep them coming!!

Erika

Thank you to everyone who completed the first questionnaire on respiratory safety and air pollution! All of your feedback has sparked more and more broader questions! Sorry for a repeat of the first few short questions; these answers are most valuable when comparing the rest of your feedback. If you didn't complete the first questionnaire, not to worry - it would be great to get your feedback on this one!

Thanks again in advance for your prompt response!

Erika

1) What Country/City do you live in?

2) What Nationality are you?

3) What age group are you from?

4) What is your occupation?

5) How long have you bicycle commuted for?

6) How long do you ride for at any one time when commuting?

7) How would you describe the environments you commute through? (e.g. clean air/countryside or dusty roads/countryside or clean air/city or City smog).

8 ) Does exposure to 'particle' air pollution concern you? (e.g. road dust etc.)

9) Does exposure to 'vapours/gases concern you? (e.g. Carbon Monoxide)

10) Have you seen anyone wearing a PPE product to aid respiratory protection when bicycle commuting?

11) What products do you wear on your head/face/mouth when bicycle commuting? (e.g. Helmet, sunglasses, any form of head/face warmer, mouth guard etc)

12) Have you ever worn a mouth guard (For cycling or other), what was your reason for doing so? and how did it make you feel? (e.g. uncomfortable, protected)

13) Do you listen to music when bicycle commuting?

14) If so, what sort of headphones/method do you use for sound transfer?

16) Are you concerned with your visibility when bicycle commuting?

17) If any, what products do you wear to aid visibility? (e.g. reflective/ florescent clothing or products).

18 ) What are your concerns and anxieties when bicycle commuting? (e.g. visibility, air pollution, accidents with cars etc.)

Further comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated...

always_tyred

Erika wrote:

Thankyou everyone for all of your replies! They are very helpful! Does anyone know a good forum site based in any other country (Asia, China, US, Auzzie etc)? Feedback from people in other big urban areas would be a huge help.

Thanks again everyone - keep them coming!!

Try urban velo for the US.
www.cyclingnews.com is now affiliated with this site, but originated in Oz. It has a forum.

shouldbeinbed

Already answered your other survey so I'll just answer the different Q's in this to save space.




Are you Male or Female? Male

Do you live in an urban or suburban area? suburb

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling? cycle

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas? bike but not for sport

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting? no

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms? n/a

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution? possibly a loooooooong way down my list of more immediate concerns.

How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area? think hens teeth.

Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection? yes at work - various from simple masks to full body protection

If yes, how did you feel about wearing it? uncomfortable. I wear glasses and they always mist up. I need my eyes more generally in these situations.

If no, would you consider wearing a PPE product (personal protection equipment) to aid respiratory safety if you knew air pollution was seriously affecting your health?
if it was that definite I'd consider it. but where would I stop wearing it? at work, in my home, when asleep? at best it'd be mitigating against risk, not removing it. my bike is only a small part of the time I spend breathing every day

What do you feel prevents people from wearing a PPE mask for respiritory safety? (i.e not considered fashionable or reduced performance or just not concerned about the health effects of air pollution)? see above glasses. its a wierd feeling generally having my mouth covered, In my work environment it is H&S overkill often not considered necessary by the regular staff. Outside - if I'm honest the air quality round here seems better with the closure of the heavy industry (and the pig farm) I lived through that without respiratory problems I'll take my chances now its cars and call centres.

Have you done a historical angle to your research, if not google some pictures of old industrial towns look at the fug in the air and colour of the buildings - then and now. it'd be interesting to see if the smog now compares to the massive filthy particulate discharge of the old mills and industries

[/color]