Podcast appearance for Bucks teen and dog air pollution duo

Back in February, Tom and Baggy’s story went around the world, when 14 year-old Tom decided to measure pollution by attaching a monitor to Baggy’s collar.

The Government tests air pollution at nine feet, and the results picked up by Baggy, who is the same height as a toddler or pushchair showed that down there pollution is far, far worse.

Since then the pair have appeared in national newspapers, on television and even in a university entrance exam for Chinese students!

On A Dog’s Life host and BBC dog guru Anna Webb asked the pollution duo all about their findings, and also wanted to know how air pollution affects our dogs.

Tom said: “Because of the dogs’ faster metabolism they process things quicker, so if there wasn’t as much air pollution our dogs would probably live longer.”

As part of the appearance the pair, who live near Wendover, also unveiled an exclusive video showing shocking air quality testing results for dog dry shampoo.

Tom used a toy Labrador for the test, and sprayed the dry shampoo on the toy in Tom’s bedroom.

Then, using the Atmotube Pro, which allows the team to test at Government standards they tested the quality of the air in the room, and the monitor gave such a high reading that it advised everyone present to leave the room.

On the show Anna also asked about the countryside, and whether the countryside was as pollution free as it felt?

She said: “I guess we have to consider that everywhere in the UK is n’t? that far away from a major motorway.”

Baggy and Tom were joined on the programme by Tom’s dad Matt, who agreed, and explained about how tree canopies, at places like Wendover Woods and Burnham Beeches, can actually trap pollution from car exhausts when people park in the associated car parks.

When lockdown began Tom got to work on his indoor air pollution testing book entitled Baggy and Me: An Indoor Air Pollution Survival Guide, which is out now on Amazon.co.uk

The pair have also been the subject of numerous news articles, as they continued that air pollution testing work indoors.

And recently they were mentioned in ‘House of Commons’ by Rt Hon Dame Cheryl GIllan, who supported their calls for manufacturers to make prams which are higher from the ground.

The full episode of “A Dog’s Life” is available on Spotify and iTunes now. HEREHave you done something amazing during lockdown which you would like to shout about?

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