Larissa Lockwood
Director of Clean Air, Global Action Plan
Air pollution impacts everyone, no matter who you are or where you live, not just those who are vulnerable.
The relationship between air pollution and our health has been studied for decades but it is still widely misunderstood.
Although poor air quality can particularly affect individuals who are more vulnerable – including those with heart and lung disease, children and the elderly – it can impact the health of everyone.
We can’t see it, but air pollution impacts our health from our first breath to our last. It can harm every organ in your body and can shorten our lives, contribute towards chronic illness and put us more at risk from COVID-19.
When we breathe polluted air, it can inflame the lining of our lungs and get into our bloodstream ending up in the heart and brain, causing lung disease, heart disease, dementia, strokes and even cancer.
Hope equals action
We have seen the power of Clean Air Day to unite a movement, to bring confidence to talk about the importance of tackling air pollution even in trying times and to push for change.
With a growing evidence base, we are able to talk even more clearly about the health harms that air pollution causes and land the personal relevance that these harms impact everyone. Which is why this year on 16 June, we themed the campaign – “Air pollution dirties every organ in your body. Take steps to improve your health this Clean Air Day.”
However, we know that for people to act, we also need to offer hope – a belief that the actions we make will have a positive impact on our health and communities.
We can’t see it, but air pollution impacts our health from our first breath to our last.
Talk, walk, ask
For this year’s Clean Air Day, Global Action Plan is promoting three primary actions:
- Talking to someone about the harms of air pollution.
- Walking those short distance trips and leaving the car at home, where you can.
- Asking local and national decision makers for what would make it easier for you to walk more and have clean air in your community.
These simple steps allow everyone to take part and help us avoid toxic air and cut down on the pollution we cause. Any reductions in air pollution that we make will lead to health improvements for us and in our local community.
But we can’t do it alone – the Government and industry need to be making decisions to create system-wide changes. We can use our voices to fight for this cleaner air future.
