Air Quality Top Tips and Pledges

Thursday 20th June was Clean Air Day 2019, the UK’s largest campaign against air pollution. Before this on Wednesday 5th June it was World Environment Day, the United Nations day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment, with this year’s theme focusing on air pollution.

Between the two events, the Multiplex Sustainability Team posted 13 Top Tips on our Intranet showing how we can reduce our own personal air quality impact and how to make a difference in the workplace. The 13 tips included:

• Walk, cycle or take public transport – car drivers can be exposed to twice as much air pollution as pedestrians, and nine times greater exposure than a cyclist
• Choose Click and Collect services rather than deliveries to minimise the impact of delivery vehicles
• Eat seasonally and locally – reduce the transport impacts and associated emissions from imported food
• Avoid exercising and strenuous activities when pollution levels are high to limit exposure. This can be done by checking the air pollution forecast.
• Service your boiler to ensure it is working efficiently, and to minimise indoor air pollution risks (carbon monoxide)
• Service your car to ensure it is efficient – properly inflated tyres use less fuel
• Avoid idling your vehicles – turn off your engine when stationary

Our staff also took to our Intranet to make their own ‘clean air pledges’ committing to reduce their own personal air quality impact. These included taking the train instead of driving to work, introducing air quality improving plants to the office and working with the supply chain to promote cleaner and greener transport and plant alternatives.