Let's balance out

It isn't as bad as you think. Or maybe it is.

Another week has passed and we're back with the climate updates! This is "Let's balance out" and you'll read one good news and one bad news about the climate crisis. Shall we begin?

So what do you want first? The good news or the bad news?

Exactly one week ago something we have not seen much of in the last year has made a comeback. We are talking about the climate strikes. The location is the one country in which it seems they have long forgotten the pandemic, Australia.

In 47 different cities in Australia, on the 21st of May, thousands of teenagers have taken the climate cause back to the street. From this article by The Guardian, it seems that the spark may have been the government's decision to fund a $600m gas-fired power plant.

Generally speaking, the Australian government has been very criticised in the past for its poor climate effort. As one of the organizers of the strike said: "The government's decision to put $600 million towards a gas plant, in addition to allocating so much money in the budget towards gas and fossil fuels, will only drive us further into the climate crisis."

Today we're back talking about the negative consequences pollution has on our health. In particular, we read on this article by The Guardian that a study shows that toddlers whose mothers were exposed to tiny air pollution particles during pregnancy are more likely to develop asthma.

These particles are called UFPs (ultra-fine particles) and they usually come from vehicles and wood burners, and the research shows that they pass through the mothers' lungs and consequently in their bloodstream. From there they could arrive to the foetus's circulation.

These particles have already been linked to other diseases such as brain cancer and the scientists said that demonstrating the health impacts of them should push policymakers to action to reduce dirty air.

Illustrations by Gabriela