Fossil fuels are harming our brains: identifying key messages about the health effects of air pollution from fossil fuels
The most concerning message about air pollution’s impacts is how it can affect the brain health of babies and children. This survey experiment tested which messages about the impacts of air pollution are most concerning to people. The message about the effects on the neurology of babies and children was more concerning to people than other messages that included: a general impact on all adults’ brain health, impacts on children and older adults and people living close to pollution sources, impacts on hearts and lungs and brains, and impacts on older adults and the likelihood of dementia and Alzheimer’s.