Hírek
EUROPEAN MOBILITY WEEK 2013
Clean air – it’s your move!
Every day we fill our lungs with city air – but what is it that we’re breathing? European Mobility Week 2013 aims to clean up our air, and by doing so, create a healthier, happier Europe.
The facts are clear - cleaner cities are healthier cities. Air free from impurities leads to a longer life by an average of eight months, and has been proven to reduce the likelihood of respiratory and cardiovascular health issues. Conversely, air laced with pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide increases the risk of lung diseases, including asthma, pneumonia, and lung cancer.
And it’s not only human health that is affected - air pollution harms the environment, resulting in acidification, biodiversity loss, ozone depletion and climate change.
Changing our transport habits can go a long way to stemming urban air pollution. This year’s European Mobility Week slogan, “Clean air – it’s your move!”, reflects the power that citizens have to clean up air quality through their mobility choices. It is a reminder that we all have a part to play, and that even small changes, such as commuting by bicycle rather than taking the car, opting for public transport, or choosing to walk, can enhance our quality of life.
For more information on this year's theme, contact mobilityweek@iclei.org