Pupils at primary schools across Bath and North East Somerset are being encouraged to take part in a project to raise awareness of the causes and impact of air pollution and how to combat it.
Bath & North East Somerset Council has produced an electronic Clean Air Schools Toolkit to support teachers with lessons and activities targeted to specific age groups in support of the National Curriculum.
Councillor Sarah Warren, Cabinet member for Climate Emergency and Neighbourhood Services, said: “Air pollution is harmful to our health and has been linked to illnesses ranging from respiratory problems to heart disease. If air pollution is to be reduced we all need to do our bit. Bad habits are hard to break so it’s important to encourage people at a young age to adopt a way of life that reduces their harmful impact on the air we breathe. From reducing electricity consumption by turning lights off to walking to school instead of using the car, individual small actions add up. The Clean Air Schools Toolkit that we are sending out to schools is designed to make our young residents and parents or carers think about their actions and encourage others to do the same.”
The Clean Air Schools Toolkit forms part of the council’s #BathBreathes2021 campaign, designed to tackle air pollution in the city.
The toolkit includes Foundation, KS1 & KS2 lesson plans, information on activities such as monitoring air quality, a guide to setting up a walking bus, Bikeability information, leaflets for parents and advice on running an anti-idling campaign.
Many of the activities contained in the pack are approved initiatives under Modeshift STARS, the national schools award scheme that recognises schools that have demonstrated excellence in supporting sustainable travel.
The Toolkit was put together with the help of St Andrew’s CofE School in Bath. Clean air champions from the school will be supporting Clean Air Day on Thursday 20 June at a special pop-up event organised by the council at Kingsmead Square in Bath. The event runs from 11 until 6pm with the pupils on hand at lunchtime to answer questions about the causes of air pollution and how to reduce it.
