The Great Smog by Hallie Winslow

What was the Great Smog

790014 — 2025-08-22 19:35:26 UTC

The Great Smog occurred in London and it was a five day period from December 5th to 9th in 1952 where a lethal smog covered the city. It was caused by an anticyclone which created a barrier that trapped all the pollution from coal burning and other activities over the city. The anticyclone also trapped cold air so more coal had to be burned to keep people's homes warm and contributed more smog. All the pollution built up to create a lethal smog over London.

The impact on people

790014 — 2025-08-22 19:35:41 UTC

The Great Smog was lethal and caused about 4,000 deaths. The smog was so thick that most times a persons could not see their own feet. The low visibility made it so transportation was restricted and ambulances were not able to take people to the hospital so people had to find their own way there. This fact contributed to many of the deaths because they could not get the help they needed easily. There was a big increase in people being hospitilized or dying due to pneumonia and bronchitis. The effects of this five day period of smog were long lasting and although it was reported that only 4,000 people died, today it was estimated that it was closer to 12,000 deaths.

The impact on the environment and how it was adressed

790014 — 2025-08-22 19:36:03 UTC

London often had periods of thick smog prior to this event but none of them compared The Great Smog. All this smog in the atmosphere is negatively affecting the environment. To start London had poor air quality and and the Great Smog reportedly choked some animals to death and damaged vegetation. During the Great Smog 1,000 tons of smoke particles and 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide were released into the air daily for five days

The impact on economics

790014 — 2025-08-22 19:36:25 UTC

It was not very safe for people to go outside or travel so most people stayed shut up in their homes so businesses were not operating for a few days and there were not many consumers during the time and after it many people had medical issues due to the event and workers were less productive due to this so the Great Smog affected the economy negatively

The importance of this event in environmental history

790014 — 2025-08-22 20:18:19 UTC

It is important because it was an eye opening experience for London and it showed them how much emissions are actually emitted and how dangerous it can be for the planet. It also inspired Britain to pass the Clean Air Act and burn less coal so that something like that doesnt happen again.

The way the Great Smog changed how humans view eachother and the environment

790014 — 2025-08-22 20:19:06 UTC

This problem happened because of the weather event but also because everyone was burning coal to heat their houses and emission from industrial buildings. It showed them how harmful some of their activities can be and it inspired them to switch to alternative heating methods that dont produce as much smog.

How this issue was solved

790014 — 2025-08-25 04:37:20 UTC

The weather event that was trapping all the smog eventually let up and the smog was released into the air but in order to prevent this from happening again London passed the Clean Air Act four years later. The Act restricted burning coal in fires at home and furnaces industrially and incentivized citizens to heat their homes using alternative cleaner methods. This act led to improvements in London's air quality and less coal burning.