MY CIPP
Laura Bate ACIPP, business support executive, the CIPP, gives details of what we could all be doing to help to make the air we breathe that little bit cleaner Feeling fresh? CLIMATE CHANGE UPDATE
C lean Air Day took place on 15 June 2023, which got me thinking… what percentage of our air is truly fresh? Most of us have heard the saying, “I’m just going to pop out for some fresh air,” although we should begin to consider, just how clean is it, really? Air is a mixture of different gases, approximately 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. It contains small amounts of other gases too, including carbon dioxide, neon and hydrogen. Even though air is mostly gas, it holds lots of tiny particles. These are called aerosols, and include dust and pollen, which are picked up naturally when there’s breezy weather. The air also carries particles which can cause air pollution, such as soot, smoke and pollutants from car exhausts or power plants. Transport is a major cause of pollution. Driving hybrid / electrical vehicles or taking public transport could help to reduce our carbon emissions. As this isn’t always an option, we can start to investigate other ways to help make our air cleaner from the comfort of our homes. We can do this by recycling household goods, giving furniture or unwanted items to charity or even upcycling products to make them feel new again. Burning less unwanted items at landfill reduces what’s being put into the world’s atmosphere. In the summer, naturally, we decide to venture outside more. This could mean going to the park for a picnic, going
camping or even taking a leisurely jog, but what are we inhaling as a nation? What could we do to prevent us from inhaling bad fumes? How can we work to reduce how dangerous this could be in the future? When reducing our carbon emissions by taking a walk in the summer sun as opposed to driving, is this subsequently affecting our health in other ways? With too many particles present in the air, it can become difficult for plants and animals to breathe. Although walking is considered a great form of exercise and good for mental health too, we need to work together to reduce our carbon emissions to maintain a safe environment for us to enjoy in the years to come. Global Action Plan (http://ow.ly/ I2fG50OGFQs) has stated that every year, air pollution causes up to 36,000 deaths in the UK. It further confirms that the World Health Organisation and the UK Government recognise that air pollution is the largest environmental health risk we face today. Subsequently, t’s encouraging individuals to: l talk to someone about the harms of air pollution l walk any short distance trips and leave the car at home, where they can l ask local and national decision makers for a change in their local community, which would make it easier for them to walk more, leave the car at home and breathe clean air.
Further information is available here: http://ow.ly/1njq50OGG6j. With more clean air zones being implemented throughout the UK, drivers are being more cautious and considering whether there’s an alternative to driving. Having more eco-friendly transport readily available and opting to walk can actively lower our carbon emissions. CIPP update To reduce the amount of vehicles on the road, the CIPP encourages employees who attend events or meetings to use public transport or car share, rather than driving alone in their own cars. If an employee can attend the meeting online, this is another alternative. Colleagues are actively looking at ways to improve their individual carbon emissions. The green team have arranged an activity for colleagues to get involved in. Using The World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF’s) carbon footprint questionnaire (https:// footprint.wwf.org.uk/), the green team have created a leader board, and the colleague with the greatest improvement in the period from March to December 2023 wins. A volunteering day at a local park has also been arranged, which is a great opportunity to give something back to the CIPP’s local community. n
Acknowledgement of awareness days and weeks are continuously being communicated for employees to get involved with, but it doesn’t stop there. We would love to hear from our members too! If you have any ideas or suggestions, please email climate.change@cipp.org.uk.
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 92 | July - August 2023
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