Join the walk to clean up our air and look after your mind

12 Jun 2023

West Suffolk Council is supporting Clean Air Day and inviting residents to see that covering journeys of less than a mile by foot or wheel is a viable and enjoyable alternative to driving.

National Clean Air Day on Thursday 15 June is highlighting the link between pollution and mental health. Residents are invited to take part in a ‘Mile for my mind’ walk, wheel and cycle at 12noon which should take about 20 minutes. Participants are asked to share photos on social media using #cleanairdaysuffolk and #amileformymind.

Ideas for a 1 mile circular routes away from busy roads can be found on the free Go Jauntly App, with route ideas and maps also available on both the Discover Suffolk and the Way to Go Suffolk websites.

The Clean Air Day mental health theme is based on research highlighting an association between air pollution and conditions including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. It also leads to a more rapid decline in cognitive function including an increased risk of developing dementia.

Cllr Cliff Waterman, Leader of West Suffolk Council said,

A ‘ Mile for my mind’ is aimed at showing how easy, cheap and enjoyable it is to make a short journey on foot or cycle. It improves air quality for all, fitness, mental health and wellbeing. I am inviting everyone who lives, works or is visiting West Suffolk to take part at 12 noon on Thursday 15 June, enjoy our lovely part of the world, and be surprised by how viable an alternative it is to travelling by car.’

One of the main health culprits of our polluted air is particulate matter (PM) - tiny pieces of solid or liquid substances that are inhaled by people as they breathe. These small pollution particles can enter through our lungs, into our bloodstream and reach the brain. When this happens, it can cause inflammation and change the chemistry of our brain, having a negative impact on our mental health. (Source: Global Action Plan)

Cllr Gerald Kelly, West Suffolk Council Cabinet member for Governance and Regulatory said,

‘West Suffolk Council monitors air quality and we are supporting this campaign to help West Suffolk people believe they can make a change. A car journey of less than a mile takes 20 minutes on foot. If distances of less than a mile were walked or wheeled across Suffolk, rather than driven, there would be 15 million fewer car journeys a year. If everyone made just one such journey a week, they would save 26kg of CO2 a year. It’s got to be worth a try.’

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