Council encouraging residents to act and cut down air pollution as part of Clean Air Day

WARRINGTON Borough council is encouraging residents to help cut down on air pollution as part of Clean Air Day on Thursday June 15 2023.

Clean Air a day is the UK’s largest campaign to tackle air pollution which can harm every organ in your body and can contribute towards chronic and serious illnesses for everyone, from young people to older generations.
This year’s theme for the campaign is “Clean up our air to look after your mind”. The campaign focuses on the benefits that cleaning up our air can bring. Clean air not only benefits our physical health and the environment, but can also support our mental and emotional wellbeing.
Better air quality has a huge positive impact on mental health. There are many ways we can take action to improve our health and cut down on the air pollution we cause to create a cleaner air future, such as walking and cycling shorter distance trips.

If you drive you should also stop leaving your engine idling whilst the car is stationary – it is an offence to keep your engine idling. Switching the engine off when waiting to pick your child up from school for example will help reduce air pollution but also save on your fuel costs.
Outdoor air quality in Warrington is generally within accepted limits, but there are areas near some main roads and motorways which are a concern as nitrogen dioxide limits have been exceeded.
Recently, council projects aimed at improving active and sustainable travel options – including improvements to walking and cycling routes, improving bus travel and installing more electric vehicle charging points are being implemented to help reduce air pollution and improve the quality of the air we breathe, as part of our Air Quality Action Plan.

Warrington’s Car Club is another initiative to improve clean travel choices allowing people to hire an electric car on an hourly basis, providing a convenient, environmentally friendly alternative to owning a petrol or diesel car.
Cllr Janet Henshaw, cabinet member for sustainability and climate change, said: “Clean Air Day is a timely reminder of the importance of making conscious choices that can have a huge impact on not only the environment, but also our physical and mental health.
“We are encouraging residents to use the momentum of Clean Air Day to make long-standing changes, such as leaving the car at home where possible, walking or cycling short distances, or joining a car share scheme.
“By taking positive actions you can help reduce pollution and clean up our air which can help limit the risk of ill health for you, your family and community and create a greener future.”