[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/6643\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ETraffic pollution prevents children\u2019s brains from reaching their full potential\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers involved in the BREATHE project found that the distance to the nearest road significantly influenced the levels of harmful invisible particles in classrooms and ultimately slowed brain growth in children.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project, funded by the EU\u0027s European Research Council,\u0026nbsp;examined 3\u0026nbsp;000 children in 40 different schools across Barcelona and discovered that those that inhaled more air pollution performed worse on computer tests. The harmful effects are due to tiny particles released from vehicles, especially diesel engines. The invisible flecks of carbon are so small that once you breathe them in, they can cross from the lung into the bloodstream and then travel to the brain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018They stimulate immune cells and produce an inflammatory effect at various levels of the brain,\u2019 explained Professor Jordi Sunyer, lead scientists on the BREATHE project and senior researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Spain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach student was tested four times, leading researchers to find that a high-pollution day before a test could even affect a child\u2019s performance. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were even more susceptible to pollution particles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe tiny particles of carbon are often surrounded by heavy metals, hydrocarbons and other chemicals known to be bad for health, which are already linked to heart disease, lung cancer and stroke, as well as pre-term births and diabetes.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018If you move traffic 50 metres from a school, ultrafine particle amounts drop by more than half. At 200 metres, you get 10 times less.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EProfessor Jordi Sunyer, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Spain \u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was also used to examine 350 children. This showed that high pollution was linked to slower growth in the front of the brain, in an area believed to be important in decision-making, social behaviour and complex thinking.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProf. Sunyer says cities and schools should take action to protect their children since inaction means they are allowing brain impairment in children.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018If you move traffic 50 metres from a school, ultrafine particle amounts drop by more than half. At 200 metres, you get 10 times less,\u2019 he explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProf. Sunyer advocates policies that will reduce the number of diesel cars in Europe along with short-term actions that local authorities can take to create barriers between air pollution and citizens.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We have produced data that trees and walls reduce air pollution too. Trees reduced it by 60\u0026nbsp;% (inside schools).\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGreen walls\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is growing evidence for using trees and hedges to protect people from particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, the pollutants that come out of the tailpipes of cars.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApplying the most effective green walls is the aim behind the EU-funded project iSCAPE, which will tackle air pollution in six cities across Europe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr Francesco Pilla, project coordinator of iSCAPE, and lecturer at University College Dublin, Ireland, said: \u2018In all the cities we are targeting particulate matter, because of the health issues it can cause.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bit.ly\/newsalertsignup\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/horizon-magazine.eu\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/news-alert-final.jpg\u0022 width=\u0022983\u0022 height=\u0022222\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Guildford in the UK, hedging will be placed along roadsides. In Bologna, Italy, the impact of trees on air quality will be examined. In Vantaa, Finland, green walls and roofs will be assessed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile in Dublin, Ireland, colourful walls will spring up along roadsides. They will have sensors to measure air pollution and encourage citizens to talk about what can be done to reduce exposure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We want to engage people and attract their support to change cities,\u2019 Dr Pilla said. \u2018We will give away low-cost monitoring kits, too, so that people may see how walking down one road or another might mean they are exposed to lower levels of pollution.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPractical benefits will be demonstrated and the designs in real cities are aimed to encourage other European cities to look at what solutions might suit them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMoss\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother quick-fix could involve moss, which has the ability to effectively trap air pollutants better than trees or bushes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe EU-funded MossTree project is developing walls of moss to devour air pollution. The company behind the project, Green City Solutions from Dresden, Germany, estimates their walls will have the same impact as 275 urban trees, but take up 99\u0026nbsp;% less space and require 90\u0026nbsp;% less investment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMossTree will build upon Green City Solutions\u2019 first generation 4-metre high, 3-metre wide green walls called CityTrees, which can already be found around Europe, including in Germany, Belgium, Italy, the UK and Norway.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022 class=\u0022@aligncenter@\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022In 2016 CityTrees were visible in Dresden, Germany, as part of a scientific exhibition showcasing future materials that could help address key issues in society. Image credit \u2013 Green City Solutions\u0022 height=\u00222848\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/horizon-magazine.eu\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/CityTrees%20Dresden_7_crop.jpg\u0022 title=\u0022In 2016 CityTrees were visible in Dresden, Germany, as part of a scientific exhibition showcasing future materials that could help address key issues in society. Image credit \u2013 Green City Solutions\u0022 width=\u00224272\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003EIn 2016 CityTrees were visible in Dresden, Germany, as part of a scientific exhibition showcasing future materials that could help address key issues in society. Image credit \u2013 Green City Solutions\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022font-size: 13.008px;\u0022\u003EEach CityTree unit contains smart sensors collecting environmental as well as climatic data, which regulate and control the unit to ensure moss cultures survive and also acts as an air-quality control station. A solar panel also generates its electricity and rain water is gathered for irrigating the moss.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe MossTree pilot project will generate an improved version of the CityTree with more advanced sensors to further help control the unit so the moss culture thrives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMalgorzata Olesiewicz of Green City Solutions said: \u2018In this way, we hope to have a higher impact on air quality and help citizens live healthier lives.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIf you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022moreinfoblock\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3\u003EThe Issue\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EAir pollution is the top environmental risk factor for premature death\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.eea.europa.eu\/publications\/air-quality-in-europe-2014\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein Europe\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGrowing more plants and trees within our cities could greatly reduce the levels of air pollution in urban areas, which would then improve the health of citizens.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022font-size: 13.008px;\u0022\u003ETo support the development of innovative nature-based solutions,\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;t\u003Cspan\u003Ehe European Commission has\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003Eallocated approximately\u0026nbsp;EUR 130\u0026nbsp;million\u0026nbsp;from its\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;current research fund\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003Efor 2016-2017\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-uki1ow0nt2nzaa-9cna-2zwwtgae7dmmzjosjn66f28\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-Uki1oW0nt2nZAA_9CNA-2ZWWtGae7DmMzJosJn66f28\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]