Towards a cleaner future

Wednesday 5 June was the United Nations-designated World Environment Day, an annual international awareness day, to educate the public on what more we can do to preserve and enhance the environment.

Each World Environment Day is organised around a theme that focuses attention on a particularly pressing environmental concern. This year’s ‘Beat Air Pollution’ theme invites us all to consider how we can change our everyday lives to reduce the amount of air pollution we produce, and thwart its contribution to global warming and its effects on our own health.

During this week’s Environment Awareness Week, we as a business are using the Beat Air Pollution theme to help challenge behaviours and see what we can do to limit our impact on the environment both on a Group and individual level, to help improve air quality in our local communities and enhance the quality of life for all of us.

What causes air pollution?

Air pollution may seem complex, but we can all do our part to reduce some of it. Understanding the different types of pollution, and how it affects our health and environment will help us take steps towards improving the air around us.

Often invisible, air pollution is everywhere. Nine out of 10 people worldwide are exposed to levels of air pollutants that exceed safe levels set by the World Health Organization. With seven million people across the world dying each year from air pollution, the time couldn’t be more pressing to encourage everyone to try to find solutions to this truly global problem.

We may not be able to solve the problem alone, but many of the sources of air pollution are in our control. Take a look at the below examples to see what you can do to help, both at home and at work:

• Use public transport, car share, cycle or walk
• Switch off your vehicle’s engine when stationary
• Reuse or repair items whenever possible
• Recycle clean recyclable waste, both at home and at work
• Think about switching to high-efficiency home heating systems and equipment and ensure your boiler is regularly serviced
• Do what you can to save energy. Turn off your lights and electronics when not in use
• Don’t open windows in air-conditioned offices, unless the air conditioning is switched off
• Report lights or heating left on at work, when they are not needed, e.g. yard lighting which is on during daylight hours.

By making just a few small changes this week and realising the differences they can make, could lead to longer-term adoption and others following your lead. Let us all look to lead by example to help improve the air quality around us.

Why not take our short quiz to see how much you know about air pollution and what we can all do to reduce it. There’s a prize for question six - Family Membership of the National Trust - a fabulous prize to get your whole family out in the countryside.