“Air pollution”, the theme for World Environment Day 2019, is a call to action to combat one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. Chosen by this year’s host, China, the theme of World Environment Day 2019 invites us all to consider how we can make changes in our everyday lives to reduce the amount of air pollution we produce, and thwart its contribution to global warming and its effects on our own health.

Approximately 7 million people worldwide die prematurely each year from air pollution, with about 4 million of these deaths occurring in Asia-Pacific. Nine out of ten people worldwide are exposed to levels of air pollutants that exceed those considered as safe by the World Health Organization.

What You Can Do

There are so many things that we can do: from cycling or walking to work and back, to recycling your non-organic trash, to pressuring your local authorities to improve green spaces in your city. Here are some other ideas:

•  Turn off lights and electronics not in use.
•  Check efficiency ratings for home heating systems and cookstoves to use models that save money and protect health.
• Never burn trash, as this contributes directly to air pollution.

What else can we do to tackle this problem? Share your ideas on social media using the hashtag #worldenvironmentday.