How to reduce your contribution to air pollution

Home

 

Insulate your home

Insulate your home

Using less energy to heat your home means releasing less air pollution. To find out more about energy efficiency grants or support, visit:

 

Wood burning stoves and open fires

Burning anything releases particulates in your home and into the atmosphere.

Wood burning stoves and open fires

 

'Ready to burn' wood

Ready to burn wood

Make sure wood is 'ready to burn'

 

Plant a Tree

Trees can help trap particulate matter produced by transport and heating.  Support tree planting, making sure the right tree is in the right place.

 

Plant a tree and find out how much pollution it can save.

Plant a tree

 

Don't burn treated wood

Don't burn treated wood

  • Don’t burn treated wood, old furniture or household rubbish as these can release toxic pollutants into your home.  Use the Waste Wizard to find out how better to dispose of it.
  • Burning things which causes a problem to neighbours can be investigated as a "statutory nuisance" and can be reported to your local council's Environmental Health service.

 

Smoke control areas

Check if you are in a Smoke Control Area

Smoke Control Areas

 

Renewable energy

Renewable energy

Use electric heating powered by renewable energy

 

BBQs

Avoid lighting barbeques in very hot, still summer weathers and bonfires in cold, still winter weather

BBQ

 

Solid and liquid fuel

Solid and liquid fuel

If you use solid fuels for heating, check before buying that the fuel is of an approved type for your area. If your house has an oil-fuelled boiler, get it serviced regularly, so that it operates efficiently and uses no more fuel than necessary

 

Composting

Rather than burn garden waste, you may be able to compost it, or use your Council Garden
waste collection service

Composting

 

Sweep your chimney

Chimney sweep

Get your chimney swept regularly by a qualified chimney sweep (up to twice a year if needed)

 

Fireworks

Fireworks

 

Getting about

 

Active Travel

Actively travel (cycle or walk) or use public transport instead of driving, especially journeys of less than 3 miles. The benefits of walking outweigh the risks of walking in areas where air pollution could be high

 

Cycling

Cycling

 

Walking

Find your local footpath

Walking

 

Driving

Driving

  • When possible move to low emission vehicles such as electric cars or newer cars with cleaner engines (Euro 6 2014)
  • Check out car clubs with electric vehicles
  • Car share where possible, use
  • or set up a community WhatsApp group

 

Driving style

Marginal gains = big results

  • Drive more smoothly
  • Shift to a higher gear at the right time
  • Only use air conditioning and electric chargers in the car when necessary, as they can increase fuel usage
  • Pump car tires to the correct pressures - could save you up to 3% in fuel
  • Reduce the weight of the car by removing unnecessary items, unused roof boxes and/or bike racks from the vehicle, to increase fuel efficiency
  • Use navigation tools like Waze or Google maps to check for red areas to avoid adding to traffic congestion if an option. If you use Social media follow @oxontravel for travel alerts
  • Check if your car can drive in low emission zones, currently 8 in England, plus London's Congestion Charge and ULEZ and Oxford's ZEZ)
  • Advice on efficient driving
  • Supporting local businesses - we all get into habits and routines, is there a new local business that is more local that you can walk or cycle to? Not only is it good for improving air quality, it is good for local people and communities - Oxford and South and Vale

Driving style