Concerned Citizen

If you are a citizen concerned about air pollution in your community and around the world, we believe these pages of GlobalCleanAir.org will be helpful to you.

Community Education

Many communities use behavior change education campaigns to build awareness of air pollution problems, and the collective need for everyone doing their share for cleaner air.

 

At home: Avoid driving a single occupant vehicle. Walk, ride a bike or take public transit. If you need a car, choose an electric vehicle. Avoid wood burning stoves and don’t burn wood, yard trimmings or rubbish. For gas and diesel vehicles, avoid idling, and quick acceleration or cold engine starts. Drive less by combining trips for errands or carpooling with others. Refuel your vehicle in afternoons or evenings, and, don’t “top off” your tank by adding more gas after an automatic cut-off. Spilling gasoline creates harmful emissions. Keep your vehicle engine tuned up and properly maintained, and tires properly inflated. Conserve energy by adjusting your thermostat and using energy efficient appliances. Use paints and cleaners with less or zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Switch lawn mowing equipment to electric or human-powered mowers. Conserve water around the house, especially reducing lawn irrigation.

These tips are primarily meant for people who live in developed countries, but everyone in the world can reduce air pollution with less burning of fossil fuels like petroleum, coal and natural gas.

At work: Encourage your employer to switch fleets to electric cars, trucks, boats and buses. Ask your employer to continue teleworking from home, even after the pandemic. Reduce airline travel through video conferencing. Implement comprehensive energy efficiency programs in the workplace. Replace heating systems in buildings which burn residual fuel oil with cleaner alternatives. Only use certified energy efficient computer equipment. Install energy efficient lighting, appliances and irrigation systems. Encourage waste prevention, materials reuse, and recycling. Buy recycled content products. Power down electronic devices and lighting when not in use.

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  • Health Impacts of Air Pollution

    Children, the elderly, and people with existing diseases are even more vulnerable and susceptible to harm from breathing unhealthy air. And low-income communities and communities of color often experience higher exposure to air pollution and bear a greater burden of the health and economic impacts.

    Learn More

  • “I fight for clean air, because I want all children across the U.K., no matter where they live to grow up healthily and happy. Air pollution has been shown to result in stunted lung growth in children, cause cancer, diabetes, respiratory illnesses and has even been linked to mental health issues in teenagers. That is just wrong. Breathing is the most essential for all of us, but in our current set-up with a high reliance on cars and enjoying comforting but often unnecessary wood burning, the air millions of us breathe – is not actually safe to breathe."

    Jemima HartshornJemima HartshornCo-founder, Mums for Lungs
  • Truck, close-up, low angle view

    Solutions

    Imagine a world where everyone on earth can breathe healthy air. Today, nine of 10 people in the world breathe unhealthy air, according to the World Health Organization.Together, we can act together to stop air pollution and simultaneously help reduce the impacts of climate change it.

    Learn More
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Concerned Citizen