Air pollution contributes to 40,000 deaths a year in the UK. That’s 112 every day. It’s a problem for every city in the country but how many of us know how to make ourselves a little bit safer?
Georgina Wilson-Powell
Thu 8 Jun 2017
The first Clean Air Day will take place on Thursday 15 June. Coordinated by environmental charity Global Action Plan, it’s designed to share information with communities, schools and hospitals on the causes of air pollution, the effects it has on our health and how to reduce them.
Want to reduce your exposure to polluted air? Think about walking down side streets not main roads, not travelling at rush hour and turning off the AC if you’re a traffic jam. Surprisingly drivers are more exposed to air pollution than pedestrians or cyclists. Inside the house, plants can help filter out daily air toxins.
But it’s not just advice, there are also events happening in major cities including Nottingham, Leeds and Manchester.
Use this first awareness day to make a pledge - whether it’s walking to work or the kids to school, leaving the car at home for the day or committing to turning the car engine off when you’re waiting, the small steps everyone can do, all make a big difference.
