Parents for Breathable Schools: The Movement for Pedestrian Zones Fueled by Caffeine

Parents for Breathable Schools: The Movement for Pedestrian Zones Fueled by Caffeine

In the London borough of Lambeth, annual limits for safe air pollution levels are exceeded within the first six days of the year. This disturbing fact prompted Jemima Hartshorn, a resident living near the affected area, to form the grassroots campaign group Mums for Lungs in 2017. Initially aimed at addressing urban air pollution, the group has expanded to hundreds of supporters across the nation, with significant presence in major cities like London, Manchester, Liverpool, and Cambridge.

Mums for Lungs focuses on raising awareness of air pollution dangers and providing resources to facilitate citizens' actions. Claire McDonald, the group's School Lead, emphasizes the importance of this mission, stating, "We haven't been educated about it. You can't see it." Air pollution contributes to around 4,000 premature deaths per year in London and is the leading factor in more than 8 million deaths worldwide in 2021, making it the second deadliest cause after malnutrition.

Mums for Lungs' primary campaign effort focuses on advocating for the establishment of school streets, which aim to close roads around schools to motor vehicles during drop-off and pick-up times. The goal is to improve children's daily travel experience, particularly as they are reportedly exposed to five times as much pollution during the school run than at any other time.

Pollution particles infiltrate classrooms and even breaks during playtime pose a significant health risk, as children are especially susceptible to the risks posed by nitrogen oxides found in diesel exhausts. Even minor actions, such as idling vehicles, result in three times as much pollution inside a car compared to outside.

One of the most tragic cases illustrating the dangers of air pollution is nine-year-old Londoner Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, who passed away in 2013 following a decade of living near a main road. Research has since established that excessive air pollution was a significant factor in her death.

Widening the scope of their objectives, Mums for Lungs advocates for alternative measures when a school street is not feasible, such as enforcing parking zones around schools during rush hours, installing vegetation to reduce pollution exposure, and moving school entrances and playgrounds away from main roads.

Since the start of the campaign, Mums for Lungs has seen significant progress. The number of school streets in London jumped from approximately 80 in 2019 to nearly 700 by the end of 2024. An independent report commissioned by Transport for London found that these school streets reduce driven journeys to school by 18% and decrease nitrogen dioxide levels by up to 23%. Moreover, these transformations make school routes safer and encourage more active travel on the school run, reducing air pollution by 26%.

This achievement testifies to the importance of community action, with Claire McDonald stating, "School Streets just feel like an absolute win-win situation." However, ambitious initiatives like these require dedication and hard work. Claire admits that reassigned patches of road are difficult to claim back from motorists, but her persistence and the support of additional volunteers have allowed Mums for Lungs to make meaningful progress.

For those interested in starting a campaign for school streets, Claire offers the following advice:

1. Build a community: Begin by having casual conversations with would-be allies, emphasizing the shared values that underpin the campaign. Mums for Lungs encourages fun gatherings to attract like-minded individuals and foster a sense of camaraderie.
2. Don't dwell on plans: Encourage a strong sense of community before the group solidifies its plans. Missteps and failures are inevitable, but resilience and learning can be amplified when a group bounces ideas off one another.
3. Get informed: During the early stages of the campaign, provide essential information about air pollution, school streets, and campaigning to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of the cause, its impact, and the best approaches to effect change.
4. Appeal to people's concerns: Tailor the campaign's message to resonate with specific target audiences, using language that they can relate to and appealing to their personal values.
5. Stay connected: Utilize social media and messaging platforms to keep subscribers informed about the campaign's progress and to consolidate a database of resources.
6. Lobby parliamentary and local authorities: Advocate for policy changes at the regional and national levels to promote a broader impact.

While significant advancements have been made in implementing school streets in areas like London, challenges remain. Limited enforcement, such as the lack of cameras to ensure compliance in some streets, represents one of the key obstacles. Universal compliance would require an agreed-upon definition of school streets across all local authorities, which has yet to be established.

Mums for Lungs reminds us that public support plays a vital role in overcoming these hurdles. "No one's complaining," says Claire McDonald. "There is so little backlash from doing it. It sets a precedent." By uniting parents, councils, and drivers with a common goal, Mums for Lungs demonstrates the power of community action in promoting cleaner, safer environments for children and the broader community.

1. Jemima Hartshorn, alarmed by excessive air pollution in Lambeth, started Mums for Lungs in 2017 to address urban air pollution concerns.
2. Mums for Lungs expanded from Lambeth to hundreds of supporters nationwide in major cities like London, Manchester, Liverpool, and Cambridge.
3. Claire McDonald, the group's School Lead, stresses the need for education about air pollution's invisible dangers.
4. Air pollution kills around 4,000 people per year in London and is the second deadliest cause globally, after malnutrition, contributing to over 8 million deaths in 2021.
5. Mums for Lungs campaigns for school streets, aiming to reduce pollution exposure for children during chacrer trips.
6. Children are five times more exposed to pollution during the school run than at any other time, making them particularly vulnerable to nitrogen oxides in diesel exhausts.
7. Even minor actions like idling vehicles triple pollution levels inside a car compared to outside.
8. Nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah passed away in 2013 after living near a main road, with excessive air pollution contributing to her death.
9. Mums for Lungs suggests alternatives like enforcing parking zones, installing vegetation, and relocating school entrances to reduce pollution when a school street is not feasible.
10. By the end of 2024, London went from approximately 80 to nearly 700 school streets, reducing driven journeys to school by 18% and decreasing nitrogen dioxide levels by up to 23%.
11. These transformations also made school routes safer and encouraged active travel, reducing air pollution by 26%.
12. Claire McDonald highlights school streets as a win-win situation for both safety and reduced air pollution.
13. Implementing school streets requires dedication and hard work, with claims on roads being a challenge.
14. Claire advises campaigners to build a community, prioritize relationships, get informed, appeal to people's concerns, stay connected, and lobby local and parliamentary authorities.
15. Limited enforcement, such as the lack of cameras, is hindering school street implementation in some areas.
16. A universal definition of school streets across all local authorities is still lacking.
17. Public support is crucial for overcoming these challenges, as shown by Mums for Lungs' success in promoting cleaner, safer environments.
18. Mums for Lungs' work also extends to mental health, advocating for workplace wellness and therapies to tackle stress and anxiety.
19. In the realm of health and wellness, they advocate for addressing medical conditions like chronic diseases, cancer, respiratory conditions, digestive health, eye-health, hearing, skin-conditions, autoimmune-disorders, and neurological-disorders.
20. They also promote fitness and exercise, sexual health, and eye-health, recognizing the importance of preserving quality of life.
21. Climate change is another focus of the group, highlighting the interconnections between human health and environmental science.
22. Mums for Lungs supports men's health initiatives, including prostate cancer screenings and addressing mental health concerns.
23. The group also champions women's health, parenting, and weight management, underscoring the importance of these issues for mothers.
24. They advocate for sustainable fashion, food, and investing practices, with a focus on wealth management and home-improvement for a greener lifestyle.
25. Mums for Lungs advocates for the integration of cbd in medical treatments, particularly in neurological-disorders and mental-health.
26. They also support the development and adoption of renewable energy sources, like electric vehicles, to combat climate change and promote sustainability.
27. Mums for Lungs calls for increased cybersecurity measures to protect personal data in the digital age.
28. Recognizing the role of technology in shaping modern life, Mums for Lungs promotes digital literacy and safe gadget use for children.

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