With less than a month to go, how is your organisation is going to mark the 45th annual World Environment Day? Each year, the United Nations choose a theme, and this year it is air pollution. Air pollution has been identified as the most important health issue of our time and by its very nature needs to be addressed on both a global and local scale.
According to statistics published by the United Nations, 9 out of 10 of people on the planet breathe polluted air each day and 7 million people die prematurely each year as a result. In the UK alone between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths each year are attributable to air pollution resulting from human activities. Most people are aware that air pollution causes respiratory problems, such as asthma, but it is also a major cause of lung cancer, heart attacks and strokes. Air pollution is estimated to result in over 6 million sick days each year in the UK with a total social cost of around £22.6 billion annually.
Research conducted by Global Action Plan in 2018 found that of 2,000 respondents 83% believe that their health is impacted by outdoor air pollution and 92% believe that it should be a priority for the UK to tackle it. In January 2019 the UK Government released their Clean Air Strategy outlining targets and actions to improve air quality and Public Health England published a report outlining the actions that Local Authorities, businesses and the general public can take to help to improve air quality.
The term air pollution covers a range of gases and tiny particles found in the air around us which can be inhaled or absorbed. The main sources of human induced air pollution are:
Household: Burning fossil fuels and biomass to heat and light our homes and to cook.
Industry: Energy production from coal-burning power plants, diesel generators and other industrial processes.
Agriculture: Livestock and the burning of agricultural waste.
Waste: Open waste burning and organic waste in landfills.
Transport: Vehicle emissions.
There are endless opportunities for businesses to celebrate World Environment Day and help to beat air pollution, but here are just a handful:
Switch to a renewable energy supplier
Hold a tree planting session for staff
Pledge to switch to electric vehicles when replacing your fleet
Ask staff to complete this 1 minute quiz to raise awareness
Implement a travel hierarchy and encourage sustainable commuting
UK Clean Air Day is on 20th June so it's a great month for your organisation to make a commitment improve the air that we all breathe each day. Contact Simply Carbon Reduction today to discuss how we can help.