Air pollution harming schoolchildren

[Inthepink]

Thank you to Ellabrunswick for being so articulate and thorough in discussing the air pollution above. Yes there are several very sensible and small steps councils can take to help. It needs to start with public concern, and the monitoring the air levels.

Practically speaking the main actions that help are - reducing car journeys, tackling bus and coach emissions from dirty fuels, improving cycle safety, health education about walking and cycling, street and playground planting, smog alerts for routes and general awareness raising.

Clean Air London are campaigning across the capital. http://cleanairinlondon.org/

Please aign our petition before tomorrow if you can. Thank you. Southwark Greens

[Inthepink]

Clean Air Petiton is a SUCCESS!

Thank you all for the 531 signatures, which have triggered Southwark Council to promise to extend the Clean Air for Schools programme!

After a hugely successful last push in April, Southwark Green Party managed to collect 531 signatures for our clean air campaign. This allowed us to have dedicated question time at the latest council cabinet meeting.

Chair Miranda Walsh presented our petition and called for more specific action to reduce traffic and pollution, especially rolling out the clean air programme to all 48 schools badly affected by pollution. The cabinet were swayed by our arguments, and have agreed to look at these again and come back to us in three months time.

You can read the full article about the meeting here: http://southwark.greenparty.org.uk/news/2013-04-17-airpollution.html

Thank you so much to all those who signed and circulated.

A high profile programme on air pollution has been broadcast on the BBC this week. Very useful for getting up to speed: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s7twg

[Loz]

Inthepink Wrote:

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> The cabinet were swayed by our arguments, and have agreed to look at these again

> and come back to us in three months time.

Sounds like 'kicked into the long grass', in business speak.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

I am glad you are taking action , I would be happy to take part in any future petitions/campaigns for improving air quality .

[UncleBen]

As I said before-build a bubble around schools. Keep the little sh*ts in at least!

Won't someone, anyone think of the children, the poor poor children?

[ED - NAGAIUTB]

A hugely successful last push just to get 531 signatures? Sounds likes one of Bob Crow's lines when justifying a strike that no one actually voted for.

Given the recent additions to road furniture locally in order to slow down traffic in ED even further, you're only now cottoning on to the fact that this raises the pollution levels? If I donate some common sense, can I keep my 4x4?

[Freddy1929]

When I went to school(many years ago!) we would often walk through very thick smog, due to all the coal fires and industry in those days, but we all lived within walking distance of our schools, also no one I knew could afford a car any way!

I am always amazed how many small children, infant school age, get on the bus to go to school, add that to ones going by car, what is happening?

[henryb]

Parents are too scared to let their kids walk/cycle school because of all the cars.