Poland and the Problem of Smog – Political Action Versus Social Expectations

Abstract

The aim of the article is to draw the European readers’ attention to the problem that the citizens of Poland must face every year during the heating season – the danger of smog. The article is divided into several parts. The first one shows the scale of the problem – the enormous danger to human health posed by breathing bad quality air. The second part discusses the cause of the lack of serious action taken by the Polish government, namely the power of the mining lobby. The third part focuses on those aspects of contemporary reality that do not allow politicians to fully manipulate society (in the context of the smog problem). The fourth part contains a closer look at the grassroots social initiatives of the citizens; it describes the activities of Poles who try to counter smog. The last part includes the conclusions as well as some ideas on how to help Poles breathe better quality air.