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A 16ft pair of lungs structure was the feature of the day in the Market Square, Nottingham on Wednesday, as E.ON unveiled their Clean Air campaign to the city.
We breathe in particles and molecules of toxic gas 20,000 times a day! Pollutants cause stokes, lung and heart disease and 40,000 premature deaths a year. As the World Health Organisation has declared air quality a public health emergency, E.ON is on a mission to highlight the issue and provide tips on how we reduce the levels produced.
The lung structure installation filled up with different coloured smoke to represent nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in a bid to raise awareness of the levels of polluntants that are emitted every day. Levels were on display to see, showing Nottingham's live recorded data. See Air Quality news article here
Taking to the streets, E.ON advisors gave away free cactus plants in an initiative to highlight the air pollution that surrounds us in everyday life, whilst encouraging the public to make simple changes that can ease the amount of pollutants that exist.
L.e.a.d. Academy Trust pupils came to visit:
Learn by Design facilitated a cohort of 40 + pupils to visit the lung structure and take part in a talk from Professor Iain Stewart from Plymouth University
They had the pleasure of joining Iain Stewart inside Nottingham Town Hall, as he presented a talk on air pollution and the effects that the hidden gases in the air have on both the environment and our health.
"Electricity backed by renewable sources has a real role to play in making a positive impact on the air we all breathe and is the start of things to come. It’s a collective responsibility. Much like climate change, clean air requires action from multiple people to make a real difference. Governments alone can’t solve the issue, neither can industry or individuals." Professor Iain Stewart
The highlight of the day was hearing pupils engage with E.ON's drive to educate both the puplic and the younger generation on issues that effect the environment and health. Providing tips on how they can help included:
Reducing our usage of electricity
Walk or bike where possible
Plant trees
Have plants in the home
Replace petrol cars with electric cars
Think- renewable sources of power and energy - wind, water, solar etc
A tree can absorb as much as 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year and can sequester 1 ton of carbon dioxide by the time it reaches 40 years old. - source here
To find out more information on E.ON's #EONclearstheair - follow the hashtag and learn more here