Breathe Easy: How Clean Air and Active Travel Can Transform Our Health and Climate

Clean Air Night, this Wednesday, is part of a global action plan for cleaner, safer air for us to breathe. It is a perfect opportunity to connect the dots between climate action, air quality, and health.

The uncomfortable truth is that polluted urban air is responsible for respiratory diseases, such as childhood asthma, and contributes to around 40,000 premature deaths in the UK every year. In addition, poor air quality is a known contributor to heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

The good news is that improving local air quality creates a virtuous cycle of well-being and climate benefits. Driving a petrol or diesel vehicle effectively burns fossil fuels in the street. So, less of that means less demand for fossil fuels. A local air quality solution becomes a climate solution. Healthy commutes—with more walking, cycling, and wheeling—keep the benefits stacking up for stronger bodies and minds.

Why not get creative? The age-old advice to simply cycle and walk more feels a bit tired—not to mention non-inclusive for people with limited mobility. The school run, for us, takes many forms: ranging from an electric bike with all sorts of child-towing contraptions to roller skating (we even made it halfway!).

Sustainable, active forms of travel can be a lot of fun if you find what works for you. They help create healthier communities while reducing climate impacts—a win-win.