Why you should care about Clean Air Day (and what you can do to mark the occasion)
Thursday 17th June is Clean Air Day - a day to highlight the problems of air pollution, and talk about practical things we can all do to tackle it. And as a climate charity, Possible is keen to mark the occasion - after all, action on air pollution goes hand-in-hand with action on climate change.
What is air pollution and why should I care about it?
Air pollution is not just about the way it feels and tastes to be outside. The term refers to a combination of tiny particles that we breathe in and then settle into our lungs, hearts, brains, and other parts of our bodies. The vast majority of these pollutants come from motor traffic - and they are deadly; they are linked to lung disease, heart disease, dementia, premature birth, early death, and many more health issues.
To make matters worse, the people who are most at risk are the least likely to be causing the problem. The current way our cities are structured means that air pollution hits some people harder than others: people living in the most deprived areas, areas with marginalised communities, older people, and disabled people tend to have the lowest rates of car ownership but live in areas with the busiest roads and less green space. Babies and children are also at higher risk. This is partly because their organs are still developing, but also because their mouths and noses are lower and closer to exhaust pipes, meaning they’re more likely to breathe in the pollutants.
So what’s the solution?
The UK is breaking the law with its current air pollution levels. We know that motor traffic is to blame for most of the air pollution problems we have in cities across the UK. We have let mass car ownership dominate our cities - choking our air, taking up space , and blocking access to fresh air and nature. If we want cleaner streets, we need to change how our streets are used - and that means fewer cars, more space, safer cycling, better and more affordable public transport, and lots more trees (see - all things that are good for the climate too).
How can I get involved with Clean Air Day?
For this year’s Clean Air Day, Possible wants to get people excited about cleaner greener cities. We know change can be scary - but by creating positive visions for the future of our streets, we can bring more people onboard with the sort of changes we need to make happen.
We’re starting with parklets. Put simply, parklets are old parking spaces that have been transformed into something for people to enjoy. They are spaces that communities can use to rest, socialise, play, or even just fill with plants. What would you do with the space currently taken up by parked cars?
Get your climate-fighting creative juices flowing this Clean Air Day with our Design Your Own Parklet tool. It is suitable for children and adults (because parklets can be used by children and adults, and maybe animals…).
Once you’ve done that, don’t forget to help us get more people excited about cleaner, greener streets by sharing your parklet design with friends, neighbours and school, and talking about parklets in your neighbourhood.
If you’re posting your designs on social media, please use the hashtags #CleanAirDay and #MyPossibleParklet, so that we can see them.
Alternatively, please email your parklet design to us at hello@wearepossible.org so that we can share them anonymously from our social media accounts, and inspire more people to get involved.
And this is just the start…
Join our mailing list to stay in the loop about our parklets plans, including ways you can get involved.