Reconceiving Domestic Burning Controls: Air Quality Alerts, Behavioural Responsive Regulation, and Designing for Compliance.

Domestic combustion emissions pose a growing risk to public health, especially in the UK. Existing responses are polarised, with government advocating use of lower emission fuels and stoves while clean air campaigners call for blanket bans on burning. However, each approach is limited in its ability to control these emissions. An alternative can be found in the U.S.A., where 'burn alert' systems require stove and fireplace users to avoid lighting during periods of actual or projected poor air quality. Given the effectiveness of these regimes, the current study designs and evaluates the effectiveness and acceptability of a burn alert system in the UK for the first time, drawing on the theoretical perspective of behavioural responsive regulation. Fifty participants were recruited to use the system over 2 weeks in winter. The findings illustrate that a voluntary burn alert system can dissuade burning among users. Of those in receipt of an alert, 74% reduced burning frequency or burned for a shorter duration. In total, the alert system prevented at least 178 hours of burning for this group. Qualitative findings show that the consistency of the behavioural response is influenced by technical, structural, and environmental factors, providing key insight into how UK-based burn alert systems could be modified to increase the consistency of compliance in future. The overall conclusion is that burn alerts could be introduced in the UK and beyond, as a means of reducing domestic combustion emissions and their associated public health risks.

Impact of COVID-19 on mode choice behavior: A case study for Dhaka, Bangladesh.

To ensure safety against the COVID-19, along with all other countries, Bangladesh as a least-developed country needs to deal with the changes in travel behavior, particularly changes in mode choice behavior. As Dhaka has been marked as a hotspot for the virus contagion, this paper has focused on the changes in mode choice behavior of Dhaka people due to the COVID-19 pandemic while they are on the road. A web-based questionnaire survey was conducted to capture the information on mode preferences and perspectives on travel characteristics for commute and discretionary trips before and during COVID-19. Multinomial Logit (MNL) model based on a utility function has been used to investigate the significance of the socio-demographic attributes and travel characteristics of the trips on the mode choice behavior and to calculate the maximum utility of the mode choice. This study highlighted some noticeable changes in perspective towards mode choice. People prefer walking, private cars, and rickshaw more during the pandemic as they feel these modes are more reliable, available, and cost-effective in this crucial time. Usage of public transportation dropped drastically for discretionary purposes. Additionally, usage of the on-demand vehicle increased during the pandemic as a large portion of commuters shifted to on-demand vehicles from public transportation. Furthermore, this paper suggested some viable policy-making implications to cope with the current pandemic and relatable future national and global crises. Finally, the paper concludes by suggesting some future research insights.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the atmospheric boundary layer and instability process over Indian region.

The abrupt reduction in the human activities during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented changes in the background atmospheric conditions. Several studies reported the anthropogenic and air quality changes observed during the lockdown. However, no attempts are made to investigate the lockdown effects on the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) and background instability processes. In this study, we assess the lockdown impacts on the ABL altitude and instability parameters (Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) and Convective Inhibition Energy (CINE)) using WRF model simulations. Results showed a unique footprint of COVID-19 lockdown in all these parameters. Increase in the visibility, surface temperature and wind speed and decrease in relative humidity during the lockdown is noticed. However, these responses are not uniform throughout India and are significant in the inland compared to the coastal regions. The spatial variation of temperature (wind speed) and relative humidity shows an increase and decrease over the Indo Gangetic Plain (IGP) and central parts of India by 20% (100%) and 40%, respectively. Increase (80%) in the ABL altitude is larger over the IGP and central parts of India during lockdown of 2020 compared to similar time period in 2015-2019. This increase is attributed to the stronger insolation due to absence of anthropogenic activity and other background conditions. At the same time, CAPE decreased by 98% in the IGP and central parts of India, where it shows an increase in other parts of India. A prominent strengthening of CINE in the IGP and a weakening elsewhere is also noticed. These changes in CAPE and CINE are mainly attributed to the dearth of saturation in lower troposphere levels, which prevented the development of strong adiabatic ascent during the lockdown. These results provide a comprehensive observation and model-based insight for lockdown induced changes in the meteorological and thermo-dynamical parameters.

Assessment of COVID-19 induced travel pattern changes in Dhaka City.

In response to Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Bangladesh enforced social distancing measures to mitigate the virus transmission rate through lockdowns. However, it is challenging for people to follow through and stay home in developing nations where socio-economic conditions are divergent from developed countries. This research aims to investigate COVID-19 induced travel pattern changes of residents and significant demographic factors affecting the trip generation in Dhaka City, the most densely populated Bangladeshi city. A questionnaire survey was used to extract information on demographic characteristics of respondents in Dhaka City and their travel patterns in the pre-pandemic era and during the pandemic. Analyses reveal striking differences in work trips except for workers and craftsmen. The use of telemedicine facilities is noticeable. Preference for public transport has decreased yet a decent percentage (9%) of people use buses during the pandemic. However, non-motorized modes are also very popular (19.93%) in the pandemic. The findings offer major implications for transportation planners and policymakers on how to dynamically plan for such crisis by combining a range of strategies so that safe and sustainable urban mobility and reduction of unnecessary travel demand can be ensured.

Can portable air quality monitors protect children from air pollution on the school run? An exploratory study.

With air quality issues in urban areas garnering increasing media attention, concerned citizens are beginning to engage with the technology as a means of identifying and responding to the environmental risks posed. However, while much has been written about the accuracy of the units, little research has been conducted into its effects on users. As such, this research deploys coping theory to explore the specific ways in which portable air quality sensors influence user behaviour. This is done using a qualitative exploratory design, targeting parents and carers of children on the school run. Drawing from survey and interview responses, the article illustrates the decision-making pathways underpinning engagement with monitors and the ways in which they influence behaviour and disrupt misconceptions around air pollution. The study demonstrates that personal environmental monitors can play a role in protecting children from air pollution on the school run. They can raise awareness about air pollution and disrupt misconceptions about where does and does not occur. They can also encourage the public to change their behaviour in an attempt to mitigate and manage risks. However, the findings additionally reveal that sensor technology does not generate a simple binary response among users, of behavioural change or not. When attempts at behavioural change fail to reduce risk, resulting negative feelings can lead to inaction. Hence, the relationship between the technology and the individual is entwined with various social circumstances often beyond a parent or carer's control. Thus, top-down support aimed at tackling air pollution at source is essential if this bottom-up technology is to fulfil its full potential.