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Mums for Lungs

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Mums for Lungs
Established2017
FounderJemima Hartshorn
Founded atLondon, UK
TypeNonprofit
PurposeEnvironmental activism
Region served
UK
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

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

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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

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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

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References

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