Time to consider permanent changes to our daily lives to improve air quality

Date: 
Thursday, 17 June, 2021


On Clean Air Day 2020 (8 October), there was evidence of improving air quality as a result of the enforced changes on our daily lives due to the pandemic. With the continuation of lockdowns and restrictions into 2021, that trend has continued.Clean Air Day logo

And now that we are easing out of restrictions and are in the gradual recovery stage, there's an opportunity on Clean Air Day 2021 (17 June) to reflect on those positive impacts on the local environment, and a chance to continue to help keep emissions low.

Air quality benefitted from travel restrictions, home working and school closures. The air got cleaner as people stayed local and discovered the joy of walking and cycling.

Joint Council Leader Vaughan Moody said, "In recent years, air quality across East Dunbartonshire has improved towards meeting all government targets. During lockdown, pollutant levels plummeted not only across East Dunbartonshire but across the entire UK.

"The availability of green spaces on our doorstep helped people enjoy outdoor exercise whilst clearing their head and improving their mental health. We have an opportunity to keep up the good practices that we have adopted. Let’s not go back to taking the car everywhere but consider more sustainable travel options.

"We can all do our bit. Engine idling outside schools is a common problem that impacts significantly on air quality and can cause harm to everyone in the vicinity - especially children, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. So if you need to use the car for the school run please remember to switch off your engine."

Here are some practical things we can all could do on Clean Air Day to play your part:

  • Go polluting vehicle free for the day
  • Leave the car at home
  • Avoid ordering non-essential home deliveries
  • Walk or cycle to school/work on Clean Air Day – and keep it up!
  • Switch off your engine – and make that a habit!
  • Avoid using wood burning stoves or open fires
  • Avoid burning household and garden waste.

As a responsible local authority and major employer, East Dunbartonshire Council adopts policies and practices which tackle air pollution such as:

Helping people and businesses choose sustainable travel options.
Providing electric bikes for staff, making sustainable travel more accessible – and putting health and fitness at the top of the agenda.
Providing free charging points for electric vehicles in the area's major towns and villages with the aim of expanding numbers in the future.
When it becomes possible to car share again safely, the Council has a car share service which can help reduce the number of vehicles on our roads.
Accelerating the adoption of ultra-low emission vehicles.

Joint Council Leader Andrew Polson said, "Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the Council has maintained its commitment to improving air quality and during the course of the last year has continued to be proactive. Importantly air quality monitoring has continued across the area and a number of studies have been undertaken to compare data and observe the decrease in pollutant levels due to reduced vehicle use during lockdown.

"There are plans to involve pupils in this work and to help them better understand how their actions and their family's choices can contribute to making the air cleaner for everyone. By sharing local knowledge and information with the next generation we can empower them to make the right decisions and keep those discussions going."

Other on-going Council activities include:

Membership of the East Dunbartonshire Eco Stars Scheme - a vehicle fleet recognition scheme introduced in 2017 - has continued to grow and now stands at 147 members. That means 4745 vehicles helping to improve air quality through the promotion of fuel efficient driving and ongoing improvement of vehicle emission standards of freight.
FuelGood Driver Training continues to teach staff in Council vehicles new fuel efficient driving techniques.

To find out more about Clean Air Day 2021, visit the Environmental Protection Scotland website.

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