Is it just us or are there a lot of air quality campaigns at the moment? We think this is an unalloyed Good Thing.
And not just from campaigning organisations that you might have heard of. Patagonia, the multi-national, multi-billion dollar company has launched its Running Up for Air challenge. We’ll be taking part in the London (Hilly Fields, Lewisham) event at the start of June. Apparently we have to run up hills!
Louise was lucky enough to join the launch event last night. This included trail runner and Patagonia ambassador, Martin Johnson, paediatrician, Dr Mark Hayden (who has written about air pollution and health here) and WHO ambassador and mother of Ella, Rosamund Adoo Kissi Debrah CBE. There is a video explaining it all and a donation page where proceeds go to organisations such as the Ella Roberta Foundation.
It’s great to raise awareness but what else will this achieve (a question Louise posed to Patagonia last night)? As we’ve covered before, the Ella Roberta Foundation is campaigning for the Clean Air (Human Rights) bill to get on the statute books. Let’s see how this lands after 4 July! Rosamund also referred to the Prevention of Future Deaths report which came from the coroner’s ruling on Ella. This stated that stricter national limits, more public awareness and medical profession attention were all needed to prevent future deaths.
Back to school
How to make schools safer for children was also a big topic last night. We’ve covered before the impact of the school run with cars, congestion and idling right where this can do most damage - outside the school gate when kids are congregating. Solve the School Run has teamed up with Possible to launch a number cruncher. We spotted the Possible is also campaigning for people to give up their car for June. We are wondering how that might work if you don’t have a car in the first place!
We do love some art-based campaigning to break up the numbers too! We’ve covered the famous Knitting the Air Project and Air Pollution Art before. There is a new campaign in West London for art that highlights all the issues around air pollution, with the exhibition starting next week.
All these campaigns should culminate in Clean Air Day on 20 June. A petition is forthcoming, with the focus on better provision for active travel. We know all our Breathe London friends are making big plans for awareness raising!