The theme for Clean Air Day 2022 is focused on personal health. The official slogan for the campaign is: “Air pollution dirties every organ in your body. Take steps to improve your health this Clean Air Day.”
Air pollution can have adverse effects on every organ in the body by inflaming the lung’s lining and spreading to the bloodstream. It can also exacerbate chronic illness and cause lung cancer, heart disease and strokes.
The environmental health issue also poses a risk by making people more vulnerable to the Covid-19 variants.
Walking falls under community and personal action, to increase your own health and fitness – and contribute less towards pollution.
More information about Clean Air Day here
There is also a related campaign “Going CAR FREE 2022”
More information about that here.
Leeds City Council also have a ‘Streets for People Toolkit’ which can be downloaded here.
The toolkit gives ides and information on hosting an event for Car Free Day, Clean Air Day or any other day.
As it says: “Opening street space can have a transformative effect on community spirit and on health and wellbeing. People without gardens can spend time outdoors. Neighbours get to know each other across generations. Those who are isolated have a chance to interact and experience what the street is like as a social space. It’s friendly, fun and inspiring.”
If you want to organise a road closure for a street party you need to ask the Council for approval but it’s straightforward, free, and anyone over 18 can apply. You will need to start the process off at least 6 weeks in advance of the event date.
Leeds wants to become a ‘city where you don’t need a car’. We want travel to be as safe, healthy and pleasant as possible for everyone, so that more people can choose to walk and/or cycle; this helps to cut carbon emissions, improve air quality and cut congestion. Streets are the main public spaces in cities, and Streets for People are a fantastic opportunity for neighbourhoods to use streets as social spaces. They help people to connect, have fun, stay active and imagine what a city where you don’t need a car might be like to live in.