Clean Air Day

Theme: Nature-based projects
Company/charity name: University of Surrey & Clean Air Day
Where: Nation-wide
When: 15 June 2023

What is clean air day?

Clean Air Day is an annual event dedicated to raising awareness about air pollution and its detrimental impact on our health and the environment. It serves as a platform to educate communities, individuals, and organisations about the importance of clean air and the steps we can take to improve air quality.

Clean Air Day encourages everyone to make conscious choices to reduce air pollution, such as reducing vehicle emissions, promoting sustainable transportation, conserving energy, and supporting policies that prioritize clean air. It is a day to come together, share knowledge, and take collective action towards achieving cleaner and healthier air for all.

What's the data behind air pollution

The energy sector is the largest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, and air polluter.

We need to produce energy, and our demand isn’t decreasing any time soon. We need a means to charge our laptops, boil our kettles, and travel, BUT we need to demand (yes, demand) from our government that they invest in renewable and cleaner energy sources.

As of 2023, the UK Government is offering approximately 100 new oil & gas licenses in The North Sea. Yes, we need the energy, but HELL NO do we need it from oil and gas.

Putting the environmental disturbance of mining and the huge negative impact on the marine life to the side, we are at risk of significant health complications. The inhalation of particulate matter from burning fossil fuels cause more deaths than malaria, TB, and HIV/AIDS combined. One in five (20%) of premature deaths are directly linked to particulate matter..

… when I read this statistic, I go slightly into shock because I struggle to find any reason why our government would be risking human health and fuelling the climate crisis?

Let's look closer to home

OK, so we do need to do to make any dent in this narrative? Organisations such as Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion have chosen the path of non-violent civil resistance (such as slow-walk protests to slow traffic) to highlight the urgent need to stop oil and gas development.

Charities, such as Client Earth are taking legal action against the biggest polluters and fighting to change legislation in favour of clean air and a better world for all.

We can also take action with our councils to protect our health, especially our children’s health (who, being smaller, are closer to the car fumes generated close to schools and busy roads). The University of Surrey has produced a document in how to use tree- and hedgerow-planting to reduce the levels of CO2 and act as a ‘natural barrier’ for cleaner airs around schools and other buildings.

We can request our local councils to plant trees & shrubs around our schools, buildings and roads (as per the guidelines) to act as a natural barrier for improved air quality.

Yet, to reiterate, the biggest change has to come from the top – government needs to invest more in renewable energy and relevant infrastructure and step away from oil & gas.

Donate to & read about Client.Earth (legal charity)

Uni of Surrey minimise air pollution with shrubs

Sign to stop new oil & gas fields

Learn more & take part in Clean Air Day