Nine out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air. Air pollution is identified as the most important health issue of our time, causing 1 in 9 deaths globally and an estimated 7 million premature deaths every year. Apart from causing respiratory diseases, air pollution is a major cause of heart attacks, lung cancer and stroke in people. Air pollution also harms our natural environment, decreasing the oxygen supply in our oceans, making it harder for plants to grow and contributing to climate change. But the good news is that air pollution is preventable. Solutions are known and can be implemented. The world needs to act now.

Some practical ways to help reduce Air Pollution in and around your community include:

• Plant a tree
• Clean up trash
• Carpool to work
• Find an alternate way to get to work without polluting

More ways to reduce air pollution are found in the Practical Guides available here.