5 min read
To mark Clean Air Day 2022 on 16 June, we've listed a few easy things you can do to help us make the case for walking in the fight against air pollution.
Air pollution is one of the greatest environmental and health challenges in our time. Against this backdrop, the need to rethink how our streets work has never been more urgent.
At Living Streets we see promoting walking as a vital tool in reducing the motor traffic that generates so many emissions.
And remember that all evidence suggests that we are no less exposed to the effects of pollution in a car than we are while outside.
At the same time though we know that poor air quality is something that prevents plenty of people from walking.
So that’s why tackling pollution is central to so much of our work – from supporting anti-idling projects and calling for car-free school gates, to calling on local authorities to take the strongest action possible.
We know we can do more, and here are some ways you can help.
"If we want to reduce air pollution, we must design our towns and cities around people, not motor vehicles."
Breathe Scotland is a cleaner air initiative run by Environmental Protection Scotland aimed at raising awareness of air pollution and its impacts on public health and our environment.
As the UK government is consults on new air pollution targets in England, our friends at the Healthy Air Campaign have put together a simple online form so you can call for bolder, swifter action on air pollution. Deadline is 28 June.
Living Streets Cymru is part of the Healthy Air Cymru coalition calling for a Clean Air Act sooner rather than later. To celebrate Clean Air Day we caught up with MSs at the Senedd and received crossed party support for action.
Everything Living Streets has achieved in over 90 years has been thanks to its members.
By becoming one today you can help Living Streets make the case for investing in and prioritising walking and cycling.
"We should be informed by those who currently walk but also include people who don’t, to explore the reasons behind this and inform decision making in a much more diverse and holistic manner."
If walking has a part to play in cleaning our air, it must be for everybody. Our Vice President, Susan Claris blogs for us on a new report.
Want to make a street outside a local school car-free, reduce congestion, cut pollution and increase walking? Our online form and download our toolkit has all you need.
Idling is often a problem outside schools, hospitals and near bus stops, so why not work together with your neighbours to improve air quality for everyone who lives, works or studies nearby? Give our toolkit a try.
>70%
Over 70% of air pollution is produced by road traffic.
By prioritising cleaner air and investing in walking and cycling, our decision makers can help turn this around.
40,000
Premature deaths each year in the UK are attributable to air pollution.
In March, the European Heart Journal found toxic air is killing more people than tobacco smoking.
Visit the Clean Air Day website for free resources and more about what's happening on the day.
☁️ @UoMPolicy's #OnAirQuality explores how air pollution affects public health, economic outcomes & widens existing inequalities.
— Living Streets (@livingstreets) June 17, 2021
📜 This timely publication highlights why air quality should be at the top of everyone's agenda. #CleanAirDay https://t.co/LaiG3Mskrx
Our children should not be surrounded by toxic air.
— Living Streets (@livingstreets) June 17, 2021
The need to work together to tackle air pollution has never been more urgent. #CleanAirDay https://t.co/HnUSCnU16t
☁️ Celebrating #CleanAirDay at @SandfieldClose in Leicester with a School Street - closed to traffic at drop off time to allow children to #WalkToSchool free from traffic and air pollution 🤸🏾♀️
— Living Streets (@livingstreets) June 17, 2021
🦊 Even @LCFC's Filbert Fox joined in the #CleanAir fun! pic.twitter.com/Qr1kAuHjUu
🎨 We're thrilled to announce the winners of our WOW Badge Design Competition 2021!
— Living Streets (@livingstreets) June 17, 2021
🐻❄️ We invited pupils to submit designs that reflect habitats & species at risk of extinction because of #climatechange.
🏆 Check out the winning designs!#CleanAirDay https://t.co/9vvBeonn3P
We were honoured to contribute to #OnAirQuality - the latest report from @UoMPolicy.#OnAirQuality identifies some of the impacts of poor air quality and puts forward recommendations on how they can be addressed.
— Living Streets (@livingstreets) June 17, 2021
Read the report > https://t.co/KxyLrwLCW6#CleanAirDay pic.twitter.com/ocuJ5kg5xA
Do you believe in clean air and safer streets for ALL?
— Living Streets (@livingstreets) June 17, 2021
Walking more won't end #airpollution on its own. But if we want cleaner air, we need to make our streets more walkable.
Join us and let's make it happen, starting this #CleanAirDay.https://t.co/Zg2P84b9ij pic.twitter.com/yE4KkwuQRC
☁️ Happy #CleanAirDay!
— Living Streets (@livingstreets) June 17, 2021
👣 There are easy steps we can all take to tackle #airpollution. #CleanAirDay is the perfect chance to give them a go!
🚶🏿♀️ Can you leave the car at home for your short journeys today?https://t.co/wFGlGiI8mN #airpollution #CleanAir @globalactplan
We've been campaigning for years for Oxford Street to be pedestrianised to improve air quality & make it a world-class destination.
— Living Streets (@livingstreets) June 16, 2021
Transforming the area around Oxford Circus into two pedestrianised piazzas is a step in the right direction. #CleanAirDayhttps://t.co/TViJnsswgl
A coroner recently concluded that air pollution contributed to the death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah.
— Living Streets (@livingstreets) June 16, 2021
The govt’s deadline to respond to the coroner’s report is tomorrow - #CleanAirDay. They must not miss this opportunity.
Our joint letter ⤵️https://t.co/fp39La3cx3