• The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Air Pollution

Mar 5, 2010
2
0
0
Visit site
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!


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!
 
Sep 11, 2009
307
0
0
Visit site

What Country and City do you live in?
Canada, Calgary
What age group are you?
19
Are you Male or Female?
M
Do you live in an urban or suburban area?
Suburban
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?

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?
Not something I think about very often.
How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?
Slim to none
Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?
Nope
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 it was seriously effecting my health sure.
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)?
Not considered fashionable, and not concerned about the health effects of air pollution
 
Nov 24, 2009
1,602
0
0
Visit site

What Country and City do you live in?

ShangHai, P.R. China
What age group are you?
18 - 25
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?
Walking / Metro
Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?
Yes. Cycling, Basketball, Crew
Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?
Yes. However the air pollution is primarily dust from industrial construction, rather than pollution emission, I do not know which area you are concerned with.
If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?
Reduced breathing capacity/Stamina
Increases breathing rate and coughing in comparision to Sub-Urban Areas

Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?
Not explicitly on the Global scale, most on a regional level, although this does in
How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?
High.
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?
No, I would move locations. (As it is I am in Shanghai for a further 3 months).
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)?
In the west, primarily the stigma attached to wearing one, i.e. you look like an over concern environmental zealot. Secondly compared to say 40+ years ago there is little physical manifestation of pollution in many western Cities, less of a smog effect etc. Mainly because they look ridiculous though.
 
Mar 18, 2009
2,442
0
0
Visit site
Here are my answers:

Productdesign said:

What Country and City do you live in?
Ottawa, Canada

What age group are you?
41

Are you Male or Female?
M

Do you live in an urban or suburban area?
Suburban

Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?
Cycling (6-9 months/year)

Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?
Yes - skating, running, cycling

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?
Infrequent

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, but with difficulty during exercise.

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)?
Fashion, self-image, reduced performance during exercise
 
Apr 12, 2009
1,087
2
0
Visit site
What Country and City do you live in?
Madrid, Spain and Montego Bay, Jamaica
What age group are you?
41
Are you Male or Female?
Male
Do you live in an urban or suburban area?
Suburban in Spain Urban in Jamaica
Do you commute to work by walking or cycling?
Cycling and sometimes by car
Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?
Cycling and soccer
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?
not really
How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?
In spain rarely, Jamaica non existent
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?
Only if it was necessary
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)?
Fashion reasons
 
Apr 12, 2009
1,087
2
0
Visit site
What Country and City do you live in?
Madrid, Spain and Montego Bay, Jamaica
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)?
 
Oct 29, 2009
1,095
0
0
Visit site
Productdesign said:
Hey all,


What Country and City do you live in?
South Florida, US

What age group are you?
25-30

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?
Cycle on Occasional, but drive more often

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

Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?
Not that I've noticed no.

If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?
N/A

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

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?
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?
Depends how much pollution was affecting my health and if the equipment affected my performance

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)?
No concern for the pollution and reduced performance


Best wishes...
 
What Country and City do you live in?
Cairo, Egypt
What age group are you?
39
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?
Walk (cycling would be suicidal)
Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?
mtb, some road (very dangerous)
Do you feel any health effects due to air pollution during these sporting activities or commuting?
Yes
If yes, what are the effects/symptoms?
coughing, sinusitis, wheezing
Are you concerned by the global increases in air pollution?
Of course
How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?
They don't exist here.
Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?
I've never even seen one.
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)?
Being shunned (a BS reason, but also a legitimate factor)
 
Dec 5, 2009
77
0
0
Visit site
What Country and City do you live in?
- WA, USA
What age group are you?
- young adult
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?
- no my uniform restricts me from cycling to work so i drive
Do you participate in any outdoor sports in Urban areas?
- not yet
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?
- yeah
How common are respiratory masks to for respiratory safety in your country/urban area?
- not so unless badly needed
Have you ever worn a mask for respiratory protection?
- yes, once
If yes, how did you feel about wearing it?
- stupid
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?
- n/a
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)?
- Not concerned of health effects