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 habits.
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