August 6 2011 Development Update

[louisv]

Originally Posted by Peril

I am a little concerned that the reference haze we see in 2011 Europe is NOT the same as 1940. Pollution was not as great in 1940 as it is there today, don't make the mistake of looking out your window and thinking it was always this way..

If you want to see skies with less haze, perhaps come visit Australia

Actually, pollution in London was at its worst well before the 60's...
There were smog alerts in the 50's that killed thousands, because of coal used extensively in England. Birds in the air and fish in the Tames were mostly gone since the 19th century. Now with strict anti-coal burning laws, the birds and the fish are back.

So its quite possible that the haze was worse then. Even in the summer, plants used a lot of coal in this uber-industrial time and place. There were smokestacks then that are gone now.

Louis