Mums for Lungs explained

Established:2017
Founder:Jemima Hartshorn
Founding Location:London, UK
Type:Nonprofit
Purpose:Environmental activism
Region Served:UK

Mums for Lungs is a nonprofit, grassroots environmental campaign group, based in the United Kingdom, which raises awareness of the health effects of air pollution, particularly on children.[1] [2]

History

Mums for Lungs was formed in London in 2017 by a small group of parents, including human rights lawyer Jemima Hartshorn.[3] [4] They were inspired to take action partly by their personal experience of living in a traffic-polluted city and partly by the campaigning efforts of Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, a teacher-turned-activist whose daughter's death was attributed[5] to the effects of breathing polluted air.[1] [2] The group quickly expanded from a few like-minded friends, first to multiple campaigns around London and then to a Manchester based group.[1] [6]

In 2021, Mums for Lungs won the Sheila McKechnie Foundation Best Community Campaign Award for its work.[7]

Campaigns

Mums for Lungs campaigns on a range of air pollution issues, including clean air guidelines and targets,[8] the expansion of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone;[9] [10] [11], clean air zones, pollution from wood burning stoves [12] [13] [14] and diesel engines;[15] [16] the role of pollution in childhood asthma,[17] car-free streets,[18] [19] and cleaner travel to and from schools.[20] Since 2018, one of its major ongoing campaigns has been supporting an initiative called School Streets, which temporarily close roads to motor traffic at school picking-up and dropping-off times to reduce the impact of pollution and improve safety.[7] [21] There are now an estimated 500+ such schemes in London and 200 more outside the capital.[22] [23]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Hall . Amy . Air Pollution: To Protect Life . 23 December 2022 . New Internationalist . 20 May 2020.
  2. News: Wilson . Sarah . ‘Imagine if all politicians were affected’: The battle to end air pollution . 23 December 2022 . The Big Issue . 8 October 2022.
  3. News: Neil . Pippa . Interview: Jemima Hartshorn, founder of Mums for Lungs . 23 December 2022 . Air Quality News . 30 July 2020.
  4. Web site: Changing legislation: when women move mountains . World Health Organization . 23 December 2022.
  5. News: Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah: Air pollution a factor in girl's death, inquest finds . 23 December 2022 . BBC News . 16 December 2020.
  6. Web site: Manchester . 2023-09-19 . Mums for Lungs . en-GB.
  7. Web site: Best Community Campaign: Mums for Lungs . Sheila McKechnie Foundation . 24 December 2022 . 13 April 2021.
  8. News: Hailstone . Jamie . Campaigners Vent Their Frustrations After New U.K. Clean Air Targets Revealed . Forbes . 23 December 2022.
  9. Web site: ‘Cleaner air is coming’ as London expands vehicle pollution fee to entire metro area . World Economic Forum . 23 December 2022. 5 December 2022.
  10. News: Neslen . Arthur . Old cars forced off road as Europe’s clean air zones nearly double . 23 December 2022 . The Guardian.
  11. News: Edwards . Tom . ULEZ: Ultra Low Emission Zone expansion and the price of pollution . 25 February 2023 . BBC News . 23 February 2023.
  12. News: English councils issue only 19 fines for wood smoke despite 18,000 complaints . 23 December 2022 . The Guardian . 14 October 2021.
  13. News: Hailstone . Jamie . Are Wood-Burning Stoves The Environmental Equivalent Of A ‘Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing’? . 23 December 2022 . Forbes . 15 October 2021.
  14. News: Spyro . Steph . Ban dangerous wood-burning stoves, beg 'Mums for Lungs' . Daily Express . 15 October 2021.
  15. News: Lydall . Ross . Mums call for London to become ‘diesel-free city’ to protect children as toxic air hotspots revealed . 23 December 2022 . Evening Standard . 23 July 2021.
  16. News: Hopes Islington could soon become diesel free. . 23 December 2022 . Islington Gazette . 16 June 2022.
  17. News: Guttridge-Hewitt . Martin . Childhood asthma inequality reinforces disproportionate air pollution impact . 23 December 2022 . Air Quality News . 24 November 2022.
  18. News: Mum's for Lungs to host 'Steptember' car-free street party . 23 December 2022 . Richmond & Twickenham Times . 20 September 2019.
  19. News: Fifield . Jack . Car-free day: Action call as figures show more cars in Oldham . 23 December 2022 . The Oldham Times . 22 September 2022.
  20. Web site: Mums for Lungs: GAS grant . Sheila McKechnie Foundation . 23 December 2022 . 6 July 2022 . Mums for Lungs used their GAS grant to fund two poster campaigns, named Ditch Pollution, aimed at encouraging cleaner and more active travel to and from school..
  21. Web site: Hinz . Caroline . What can schools do to reduce air pollution? . Schools Week.
  22. Web site: Mayor Hails Success of Schools Streets Programme . Greater London Authority . Mayor of London . 23 December 2022 . 10 March 2022.
  23. Web site: School Streets . Mums for Lungs . 23 December 2022.

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