Tech Millionaire Bryan Johnson Leaves Podcast Due to India’s Air Quality
Tech millionaire Bryan Johnson, known for his anti-ageing research, left a podcast recording midway in India due to poor air quality. He was a guest on Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath’s podcast “WTF”. Mr. Johnson experienced discomfort from the air pollution, which caused his skin to break out in a rash and left his eyes and throat burning. This incident brings [[air pollution]] and its health impacts into sharp focus.
Air Purifier Proves Ineffective Against Delhi’s Air
The podcast was being recorded at a five-star hotel in Delhi, and despite having an air purifier in the room and wearing an N95 mask, Mr. Johnson couldn’t tolerate the air quality. The room was circulating outside air, which made the air purifier ineffective. The AQI was around 120 when he arrived and climbed to 130 by the time he left. The PM2.5 levels reached 75 micrograms per cubic meter, which is like smoking 3.4 cigarettes in a day. Mr. Kamath was a gracious host, but the air quality issue [[forced]] Mr. Johnson to cut the podcast short.
Air Pollution: A National Health Crisis?
Mr. Johnson, 47, expressed his concern over how normalized air pollution seems to be in India. He observed people exercising outdoors, and babies and children exposed to the pollution with no one wearing masks. This raised questions for him about why India’s leaders haven’t declared air pollution a national emergency. He pointed out studies highlighting the [[severe]] health effects of air pollution and argued that addressing it would improve the nation’s health more than curing all cancers.
India’s Air Vs. America’s Obesity
After his return to the US, Mr. Johnson drew a parallel between India’s pollution crisis and America’s obesity problem. He noticed the pervasiveness of obesity in the US, something he’d become largely oblivious to due to constant exposure. He stated that 42.4 per cent of Americans are obese.
Johnson’s Previous Efforts to Combat Air Pollution
Last month, Mr. Johnson shared tips on dealing with air pollution in India, including the use of portable air quality monitors, N96 masks, and portable air purifiers. He emphasized that solving the air pollution issue in India would be a significant step towards better public health.
Recent Updates on Delhi’s Air Quality
In related news, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) recently revoked Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi as the AQI dropped below 300. This offers a temporary respite, but long-term solutions are needed to address the persistent air quality issues in the capital and across India.
