Sustainable Warwickshire

Thursday 15 June is National Clean Air Day 2023, which is the UK’s largest air pollution awareness campaign. This year’s theme is ‘Clean up our air to look after your mind’ which focuses on the fact that reducing air pollution is good for us in many ways: it not only benefits our physical health and the environment, but can also protect our mental and brain health.

Every year, air pollution causes around 36,000 deaths in the UK.  The World Health Organisation and the UK Government recognise that air pollution is the single largest environmental health risk facing the nation.

To mark Clean Air Day, Warwickshire County Council is reminding residents of the things that they can do to minimise the amount of air pollution that they are responsible for. The top actions are:

• Walk, cycle and scoot more, especially using the back streets and cycle routes that are away from polluting traffic;
• Try to use electric vehicles where possible;
• Avoid unnecessary burning at home (e.g. in a stove or open fire) unless it is your only source of heat;
• If you rely on wood for your heating, use 'ready to burn' materials (e.g. dry wood or approved manufactured solid fuels), and try to ensure that your appliance is eco-design accredited; and
• If you do have to drive, switch your engine off when you're stationary.

Cllr Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate & Culture, said: “It’s easy to think that air pollution is such a large issue that we, as individuals, only have limited ability to create change, but the contrary is true. By making little changes in our behaviour – choosing active travel for short journeys and limiting the amount that we burn – we can actually make a big difference to air quality in Warwickshire.

“The core aims of the Clean Air Day campaign are all very close to our strategic objectives in facing the challenges of the climate change emergency. We are working hard to minimise our own production of air pollution through the steady decarbonisation of our fleet of vehicles and helping the whole of Warwickshire to choose active travel through the creation of extensive countywide infrastructure.

“I sincerely hope our residents and businesses will see Clean Air Day 2023 as the perfect opportunity to make a commitment to making some of these small changes that lead to big differences.”

Find out more about Clean Air Day 2023: https://www.actionforcleanair.org.uk/campaigns/clean-air-day

For more information about how Warwickshire County Council is facing the challenges of the climate change emergency, visit: https://www.warwickshireclimateemergency.org.uk/

To sign-up to the Warwickshire County Council climate change and sustainability newsletter, visit: www.eepurl.com/hrk-zf