Healthy lifestyles
With the growing awareness of air pollution, it is essential to take action to protect our environment. Clean Air Day is celebrated on 16 June, and encourages people to pledge their commitment to a cleaner world. Among the pledges that can be made are ditching your car for a bike or walking more. If you do not live near a green space, it is vital to consider these options and make your own lifestyle change.
Idling vehicle emissions
Every year, millions of tons of carbon dioxide are produced by idling vehicles. Using a car for a few minutes is equivalent to burning a gallon of gas. We have a choice to put that energy to good use by planting a tree to offset the pollution. The first step is to stop idling your car when you are not in it. Then, turn off your car and leave it at home when possible.
Active travel
A successful active travel programme combines a variety of activities to make commuting to and from school more pleasant. For example, some schools closed the road outside their premises to encourage active travel, while others installed walking bubbles, strides, and other park facilities. Regular online assemblies helped to add extra motivation to active travel measures. But how can schools increase their levels of active travel? How can they make their communities healthier?
Partnerships
This year’s Clean Air Day will take place on Thursday, June 16th. Organised by the Global Action Plan, the day aims to raise awareness about air quality, demonstrate large-scale support for clean air, and encourage citizens to make simple changes to their lifestyles that will improve their environment. There are many ways to participate, from volunteering to taking part in a community event. The following are just a few suggestions.
Resources
For educators, Clean Air Day 2022 resources have been developed for teachers and students to help them celebrate this worldwide awareness day. The resource packs include lesson plans, social media templates, tiles, and anti-idling campaigns. The aim of Clean Air Day is to promote zero-pollution living, and to make it easier for people to choose zero-pollution methods. The Global Action Plan hopes to keep the resources up-to-date and relevant in the years to come.
