Today marks the World Health Organization World Health Day. This year’s powerful theme, My Health, My Right, aligns perfectly with Air Aware Labs’ mission to champion health through access to clean air. Alarming new statistics reveal that air pollution now causes 9 million premature deaths each year —translating to a life lost every 5 seconds. The call to action has therefore never been more urgent, with the situation being a public health emergency.
Just in the last month, we have seen groundbreaking new research about air pollution’s impact on type 2 diabetes from The Lancet, childhood asthma from Harvard University, attention deficit in children, dementia and breast cancer from National Institutes of Health. It can be easy to be overwhelmed with the huge statistics and the all-encompassing impacts.
We believe that the situation demands combined efforts from individuals, businesses, investors and policymakers alike. Working together, we can combat this silent killer. Highlighting the important role investors play, ShareAction has demonstrated how investment can generate long-term value whilst having a unique opportunity to drive significant improvements in air quality and health. Individuals, armed with data and knowledge can make healthier choices. Of course, companies that emit pollutants take primary responsibility and we all look to our governments to legislate, monitor and fund efforts to reduce pollution.
Back here at Air Aware Labs HQ, our mission is founded in the belief that everyone has a human right to clean air. We believe people should be able to choose the air they breathe as much as they are able to choose their diet and activities to improve their health. Thank you to everyone out there on this mission.
