Why clean air day matters

Clean Air Day is the UK’s largest campaign dedicated to raising awareness about air pollution and inspiring action to improve air quality. It’s a powerful reminder that cleaner air benefits not only our environment, but also our health, wellbeing, and campus experience. Whether you’re a student heading to lectures or a member of staff commuting daily, there are simple and impactful ways you can take part.

Why Clean Air Matters

Air pollution is often invisible. Poor air quality has been linked to respiratory conditions, heart disease, and reduced concentration levels.

Cleaner air means:

• Healthier students and staff
• A more pleasant campus environment
• Reduced carbon emissions
• Support for wider sustainability goals

Rethink your journey to campus

Transport is one of the biggest contributors to poor air quality. Consider switching up your commute:

• Walk or cycle if possible
• Use public transport instead of driving
• Try car sharing with colleagues or course mates even changing your travel habits for one day a week helps reduce emissions and raises awareness.

Avoid Idling

If you do drive, remember to switch off your engine when parked. Idling contributes unnecessarily to air pollution, particularly in busy campus areas like drop off zones and car parks.

Take a “Clean air walk”

Why not organise a walking meeting, campus tour, or study break outdoors? It’s a great way to:

• Boost your wellbeing
• Reduce reliance on vehicles
• Enjoy green spaces on campus

What are we doing as a University

Many universities are working toward cleaner air and here at Essex our Travel team aim to promote the use of public transport and active travel when commuting in order to be more sustainable.

A travel survey is undertaken every year to find out how our community are travelling to campus and our goal is to encourage and increase the use of greener forms of travel and reduce the use of single occupancy vehicles. Behaviour change does not occur overnight, but we continue to pursue and support sustainability as much as we possibly can to have a positive impact on the local environment.

You can find the following information via our website, social media and digital screens around campus.

• Discounted bus travel for UoE staff and students through First Bus, Konectbus & Arriva
• Park & Ride & RTS services available.
• DigiGo shared public transport service.
• Discounted train travel for UoE staff and students through Greater Anglia & C2C
• Cycling facilities – sheltered racks, cycle lockers and access to showers to encourage active travel to commute.
• Dott ecycle rental - discounted rides for UoE staff and students and Cycle Savers offers.
• Dr Bike – termly free cycle maintenance service every Wednesday.
• CycleScheme – staff only discounted cycle salary sacrifice scheme.
• Cycle Colchester maps for local routes available from the helpdesk / electronically.
• CPC Drive (working in partnership with Tusker) salary sacrifice car lease scheme.
• Essex Car Share Scheme
• Walking - UoE walking group email and Whatsapp as well as promotion of local groups and routes. Nordic Walking is offered on campus as part of Wellbeing Wednesdays. Walking nature tours are now available through the Grounds Team
• Staff are now offered a free professional development e-learning course entitled Take Care of Your Air - Tackling Air Pollution to Protect Your Health created by Essex County Council and available through the Colchester Travel Plan Club website. The aim of the course is to help staff understand the effects of air pollution, how to avoid exposure and to pledge to do more to help the quality of air in the local area in support of Clean Air Colchester.

Clean Air Day is a great opportunity to engage with these initiatives and help shape a healthier campus. Consider how you can build cleaner air habits into your daily routine.