Pollution Topics

28
July 22, 2026

Episode 26: Tire Pollution Is Not Just a Salmon Problem + The Takes We’re Taking Back

Tire Pollution - David & Wes look at tire pollution and why the harms may be broader than most people realize. What started as a story about 6PPD-Q washing into streams and devastating coho salmon is now raising new questions about human health, including a recent study linking tire-related pollution to Alzheimer’s-related pathways. They talk through what we know, what we still do not know, and why tire wear should be part of the transportation pollution conversation, even in a world with more e...
8
Oct. 21, 2025

Episode 8: The Hidden Harm of Traffic Noise + Advice for a Young Engineer

Traffic Noise – David & Wes dig into traffic noise as an overlooked public health problem and a quiet but pervasive form of harm in cities. Moving beyond annoyance, we explore how constant exposure to noise affects health, equity, and quality of life, and why it remains largely invisible in transportation decision-making. Listeners will come away with a better understanding of why noise matters, how it reflects deeper design choices, and what acknowledging this externality would change about how...