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mahatmakanejeeves

(64,520 posts)
Sun Apr 13, 2025, 02:33 AM Apr 13

Paris said au revoir to cars. Air pollution maps reveal a dramatic change.

Paris said au revoir to cars. Air pollution maps reveal a dramatic change.
Air pollution fell substantially as the city restricted car traffic and made way for parks and bike lanes.

Chico HarlanYesterday at 6:00 a.m. EDT

Over the past 20 years, Paris has undergone a major physical transformation, trading automotive arteries for bike lanes, adding green spaces and eliminating 50,000 parking spaces.

Part of the payoff has been invisible — in the air itself.

Airparif, an independent group that tracks air quality for France’s capital region, said this week that levels of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) have decreased 55 percent since 2005, while nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen 50 percent. It attributed this to “regulations and public policies,” including steps to limit traffic and ban the most polluting vehicles.

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Paris said au revoir to cars. Air pollution maps reveal a dramatic change. (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Apr 13 OP
It also helps that France has some of the cleanest electricity in the world. NNadir Apr 13 #1
I think we Americans need to take a long look in the mirror... Mister Ed Apr 13 #3
I agree; this said, the Germans are bigger energy assholes since they had clean infrastructure and deliberately ... NNadir Apr 13 #4
Huzzah for the French. LudwigPastorius Apr 13 #2

NNadir

(35,718 posts)
1. It also helps that France has some of the cleanest electricity in the world.
Sun Apr 13, 2025, 03:37 AM
Apr 13

Last edited Sun Apr 13, 2025, 04:39 AM - Edit history (1)

They're certainly not burning coal like the assholes in their neighboring country Germany.

Mister Ed

(6,586 posts)
3. I think we Americans need to take a long look in the mirror...
Sun Apr 13, 2025, 06:10 AM
Apr 13

...before calling the people of any other nation "assholes" for their energy policies.

NNadir

(35,718 posts)
4. I agree; this said, the Germans are bigger energy assholes since they had clean infrastructure and deliberately ...
Sun Apr 13, 2025, 09:36 AM
Apr 13

...shut it down in service to fear and ignorance.

The German energy decision to shut its functional nuclear plants was a decision to kill people and the planet which has destabilized the Western European electricity supply and raised costs.

It, like Brexit, and of course the election of an incompetent insane racist orange slime mold to inhabit the United States is the not exactly equivalent, except in quality, not quantity, but are all features of being resident of being residents of a nation of assholes.

LudwigPastorius

(12,327 posts)
2. Huzzah for the French.
Sun Apr 13, 2025, 04:02 AM
Apr 13

When I visited Paris 40 years ago I was greatly disappointed that the view of the city from atop the Eiffel Tower was mostly obscured by smog.

Heck, I may have to go back now just to see what I missed.

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