Tower Hamlets - What can you do?

POLLUTION SOLUTION: you can help to make your air cleaner by changing the way you travel. Every single time you make a journey that saves fuel, you make Tower Hamlets a healthier place to live.

Use cars wisely…

Cars are the biggest source of pollution in Tower Hamlets, because they create the most traffic.

Everyone hates traffic. If you put four people in one car instead of two people in two cars, that would mean half the amount of traffic for the same number of people.

If the adult who drives you to school really needs to use the car to get you there, why not give your friends a lift too? Maybe the adults could organise a rota and take turns to make the journey.

It’s often possible to use public transport as an alternative way to travel, especially for short journeys. If you usually travel to school by car, why not avoid the morning mayhem and try the bus or another type of transport?

Get ahead on a bus…

A bus with 50 people on it takes up less space on the road than three cars that may only have one or two passengers. This means that the amount of pollution created by each passenger is much less on a bus than in a car.

Buses don’t look very speedy, but on roads that have bus lanes you’ll probably go faster, while the cars are left standing.

Trains and tubes take you further faster…

For journeys over a longer distance, why not try the tube, train or DLR (Docklands Light Railway). Trains go on direct routes that could take cars much longer through the traffic on the roads.

Choose your route by bike…

If you have a bike, think about where you can go and how fast you’ll get there if you’re able to avoid the traffic on the roads. Cycling makes you fit and healthy too.

More and more cycle paths are being created in London. Go to http://www.sustrans.org.uk and enter your postcode to find out about your nearest cycle routes.

Walking is the way forward…

Did you know that the air that you breathe in a car can be three times more polluted than the air outside? If you’re travelling for a short distance, why not walk? Always check with an adult who you live with before you make your journey.

Does your school have a walking bus so that you can walk to school in a group? If not, talk to your teacher to find out if your school could organise one. Find out more at http://www.walkingbus.com.