Environmental Quality Branch
CLEAN AIR DAY
Clean Air Day in B.C. and Canada
If we don’t take care of the atmosphere, who will? Individual action to protect the air and reduce greenhouse gases is the focus of Clean
Air Day, on the first Wednesday in June every year. (The next Clean Air Day will be on June 3, 2009.)
Clean Air Day started out as a provincial event, in 1992, but has since become a national day. It
is marked by other provinces, as well. Visit these websites to find out about Clean Air Day in B.C. and Environment
Week.
Check the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) website often to
see how the new index and health information can help you make decisions on your outdoor activities.
 A
Teacher's Guide to Clean Air explains the key air quality issues and
how we can become involved in protecting the air. The Clean Air Crusaders (the Winged Wonder, the Green Protector and Captain Air) are clean-air super heroes. A Clean
Air Crusaders poster is also available.
The Winged Wonder
Clean Air Day is intended to encourage people to make clean air choices — not just on Clean Air Day, but as lifelong h abits.
B.C. and Canada face several
serious air quality and environmental issues. These include smog, fine particulates, ozone depletion and global climate change.
Global climate change is one of the most significant, wide-reaching environmental challenges the world has ever faced. The major contributors to climate change
are emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from many human-made sources — notably motor vehicles. The
Green Protector
Although industrial emissions are a major cause of air pollution, so are the emissions we produce in our everyday life. For example, the Commuter
Challenge website points out that cycling (instead of driving) 10 kilometres per week for eight months prevents 50 kg of air pollution. And did you know that the engine in a gas-powered
lawn mower produces eight times the pollution that a car engine does?
Another surprising fact: If every Canadian home replaced one regular incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR®-qualified compact fluorescent bulb, the
reduction in potential GHG emissions would be equivalent to taking 66,000 cars off the road. (From the One-Tonne Challenge website.)
Each one of us plays a part in polluting the air. The good news is we can play an important role in decreasing emissions.
For more information about what you can do, see Make Clean Air Your Choice!
Start your new clean-air lifestyle today!
Captain Air
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