People in Trafford are being encouraged to share ideas on how we can reduce air pollution as part of the second national Clean Air Day which takes place on 21st June.
Led by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and the environmental charity Global Action Plan, in partnership with Trafford Council and other Greater Manchester authorities, Clean Air Day aims to improve people’s understanding of pollution (both indoors and outdoors), build awareness of how it affects our health, and explain some of the easy things we can all do to tackle air pollution.
With the focus of this year’s campaign being travel, this week staff at the Town Hall will be invited to try out electric bikes, use a bike repair service, and take part in a guided bike ride.
Cycling is high on the agenda for the Council, and there are plans to improve the cycle infrastructure across the borough as one way of tackling air quality. Trafford is working alongside TfGM to invest in upgrades to current bike routes as well as introducing new schemes.
On 21st June the Council is encouraging people to use their feet to get around and leave the car at homeand eitherwalk, cycle, catch the bus, or take the Metrolink. However you like to travel, leave your car at home and take to the streets.
Other tips for reducing pollution include:
- Drive into the future and test an electric vehicle – Low-emission electric vehicles (EVs) are the future - and their costs over a lifetime are cheaper than you might think. Find out more and book yourself a test drive at https://www.goultralow.com/choosing/electric-car-selector.
- Switch your engine off when stationary - You’ll help to make the air cleaner for yourself, other drivers, and pedestrians.
- Give your car a holiday - There are some easy ways to use your car less, like car-sharing or working from home one day a week. And they quickly become part of your routine. Just swap face-to-face meetings for video conferencing, and sitting on your own in traffic for chatting to your colleagues.
- Regularly service your car - Remember to service your car regularly to make sure it runs as efficiently and cleanly as possible.
- Consume less energy = produce less pollution - There are lots of things you can do to conserve energy (and lower your bills), such as switching off the lights, filling the kettle with just what you need and only running the washing machine and dishwasher when you have a full load.
Children’s health is particularly at risk from pollution, primarily because their lungs are still developing, so across Trafford pupils are being asked to get involved in a range of exciting activities looking at how we can improve the air in our area and make it a cleaner and healthier place to live.
Activities include:
Businesses, organisations and volunteers are also being asked to take part by committing to try a clean air action for the first time. For example, join a car share scheme like the one being promoted by TfGM https://www.carsharegm.com/index.html
Cllr Stephen Adshead, Exec Member for Environment, Air Quality and Climate Change, said: “Air quality is one of the most important challenges facing Greater Manchester.
“We hope this Clean Air Day inspires people to make a change; to think about how they travel and its impact on the environment. Last year, schools played a fundamental role in Clean Air Day so we’re keen that even more get involved this year – we need your help.”
More resources and ideas are available at: https://www.cleanairday.org.uk/get-your-school-involved or for general information visit www.cleanairday.org.uk
Posted on Monday 18th June 2018