The first-ever Clean Air Night is taking place on Wednesday 24 January 2024, to shine a light on the uncomfortable truth about wood burning. This event is being organised by Global Action Plan and there are three main messages that they would like to share:
- Wood burning harms your wallet.
- Wood burning harms your health.
- Wood Burning harms the planet.
Global Action Plan already run the well-loved Clean Air Day each June and this has become a focus for community events promoting good air quality.
The London Wood Burning Project supports Clean Air Night as part of our goal to protect the health of people living, working, and learning in London by raising awareness and improving understanding of the environmental and human health impacts from domestic wood and other solid fuel burning.
Solid fuel burning has been identified as a significant contributor to air pollution in London for over 70 years, and despite improvements in air quality, the air pollution from domestic solid fuel burning has been increasing since 2005.
Domestic solid fuel burning, and especially wood burning, is:
- The second largest source of small particle (PM2.5) emissions in London and the largest source of PM2.5 emissions in the UK.
- A cause of the PM2.5 pollution that can cause coronary heart disease, stroke, asthma, lung cancer, and may contribute to dementia, diabetes and other health conditions.
- Almost always more expensive than other forms of heating.
- Restricted if you live in a smoke control area.
- Bad for the climate and environment.
Together we can all make every night a clean air night in London.
