The Fight Against Pollution: Taking a Stand for Our Planet

it’s time to banish those greenwashing ads and hold these polluters accountable. Let’s talk about how the powerful car industry has been blocking change to keep us hooked on fossil fuels. And hey, have you ever thought about the impact of air pollution on your community? We’ve got some real stories from the northeast of England that will make you think twice. But don’t worry, dirty air is not an impossible problem. There are places out there that are cleaning up their act, and we’ll tell you all about it. And let’s not forget about Nigeria, where dirty air is taking a huge toll on lives and livelihoods. But there’s hope for change, and we’ll explore some of the ideas civil society has for making a difference. Oh, and did you know that agricultural air pollution is a tough nut to crack? We’ll take a closer look at the air-pollution problem down on the farm. And over in India, the air pollution crisis is affecting millions of people, not just in Delhi. We’ll meet some of the people forced to live and resist at Mumbai’s toxic perimeter. Now, let’s talk about Covid-19. It has shown us that swift action on global health is possible, so why not take an urgent approach to air pollution, another widespread killer? We can’t let Covid-19 be an excuse for more toxic air. Air pollution kills millions of people each year, and we can’t afford to let it get worse. It’s time for radical changes. And hey, let’s not forget about the environment in trade talks. Something vital is being omitted, and we need to talk about it. The packaging industry loves shunting the blame on individual consumers, but we’re not buying it. And what really happens to our recycling? We need a less rosy notion of the recycling process. There’s a lot going on at the UN climate meetings, and we’ll highlight the issues up for debate, obstacles to negotiations, and where all this leaves the majority world. And over in Poland, reliance on coal is killing thousands of people each year. It’s time to take a stand. Residents from a coastal village in the Gambia are suing a Chinese-owned fishmeal plant accused of pollution. We’ll take a closer look at the impact of transnational mining companies on the Indonesian occupation. And the British-Australian mine of Cerro Matoso has been linked to birth defects, pollution, poverty, and paramilitary pay-offs. It’s time to investigate. A new climate deal on aviation emissions is expected to be agreed upon soon, but is it really a cop-out? Critics are protesting against a British mining company’s reported practice of pollution, tax evasion, and capital flight. And let’s not forget about the mass action against coal in Germany. We’ll take a look at the civil disobedience that’s been happening. Máxima Acuña has just won the Goldman Prize for her resistance against a gold mine, but why are women’s bodies on the frontlines of resistance to extractivism? We’ll explore that question. Researchers from the Ocean Clean Up will place a 100-kilometre-long floating barrier off the Dutch coastline to tackle ocean litter. And let’s not forget about the history of the climate negotiations. It’s time to ditch the guilt and get active because the answer to climate change is social change. Carbon offsets are not a solution, and it’s time to make a real difference.