People throughout NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are being asked to do their bit to reduce air pollution by swapping their cars for two wheels – or two legs – this week.
Poor air quality can be harmful to people’s health and staff at NHSGGC are asking members of the public to mark Clean Air Day on 20th June by getting to work or school, by attending lectures or arriving for meetings, by bike, by walking or by public transport – and to think about what changes they might make in the longer term.
By leaving the car at home, people can help improve air quality in their community, contributing to environmental benefits for everyone and boosting their own activity levels and health into the bargain.
To help mark Clean Air Day, NHSGGC staff will take to the streets of Glasgow on two wheels this weekend, to inspire others about the benefits of active travel, and to remind everyone of the dangers of air pollution.
As part of Ride For Their Lives – an international collaboration of healthcare providers riding together to promote the changes everyone can make to help tackle the climate emergency – the cyclists will gather at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and follow a route across the city, through parks, along famous thoroughfares and past schools and nurseries, to show the benefits of active travel and highlight the work still to be done to improve air quality in our cities.
Ewan Wallace, consultant paediatric anaesthetist at NHSGGC is one of the cyclists taking to the streets on Sunday 23rd June. He said: “Ride For Their Lives was formed ahead of COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, and this weekend we will be carrying on that tradition of cycling to help highlight the climate emergency.
“Air pollutants can be harmful to everyone’s health no matter how old they are – in fact, even in the womb, poor air quality can affect an unborn baby.
“By leaving our cars at home, we can all do our bit to improve air quality throughout the city, benefiting the environment and our own health, and we would encourage everyone who can, to get out and get active this weekend.
“We support the Clean Air Day 2024 goals of making walking, wheeling and cycling safer, and ensuring that everyone can access reliable, affordable and efficient public transport.”
If you would like to cheer on NHSGGC’s cyclists this weekend, look out for them as they travel through the city.
The ride will leave the QEUH at around 11am and follow a route through Govan, across Bell’s Bridge to Anderston, through Kelvingrove Park and on to Byres Road and Queen Margaret Drive, before lunch at The Gathering Ground at Applecross Basin next to the Forth & Clyde Canal. There will then be an option to pedal on to visit Bella the Beithir at Stockingfield Junction.
On the way, the group will pass several schools, nurseries and health facilities, as well as air quality monitoring sites.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is committed to promoting sustainable and active travel as part of its wider goal of achieving net zero and tackling the climate emergency.
As well as putting in place a range support for staff who might wish to leave the car at home when they come to work, the Health Board is also committed to expanding its EV fleet to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and to improving public EV charging infrastructure across its sites.
To find out more about NHSGGC’s commitment to sustainability and active travel go to: nhsggc.scot
To find out more about Clean Air Day 2024, go to: cleanairhub.org.uk
For more on Ride For Their Lives, go to: ridefortheirlives.net