According to an article published in today’s Guardian newspaper, almost a quarter of people in the UK are being exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution with potentially devastating health consequences. This finding comes from a study by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) which found that about 15 million people in the UK live in areas where average levels of PM2.5 – a tiny toxic particle that predominantly comes from vehicle emissions, wood burning and construction – exceeds guidelines set by the World Health Foundation. Exposure to PM2.5 has serious health implications, especially for children, increasing the likelihood of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Jacob West of the BHF said everyone has a role to play in demanding a healthier environment. “We are urging people to write to their MP to demand a change to the law. The more pressure we put on decision makers, the better our chances of cleaning up our air.” Perhaps we should pass this information on to Leeds City Council. Perhaps then, they would stop building car parks on public parks in deprived inner city areas.