On 14 November, on Clean Air Day, the Polish Smog Alarm (PAS) launched the fifth campaign “See what you breathe. Change it”. Seven ‘mobile lungs’ will visit more than 60 locations in eight provinces, in a campaign to show local communities what air we breathe.

“Awareness of the harmfulness of breathing polluted air is still very low, so this campaign aims to draw attention to the serious problem of poor air quality, as well as to convince politicians in the new government that the fight against smog should become a priority and spur them into action”, says the Polish Smog Alarm.

The two-metre-long model of human lungs ‘breathes’ by absorbing air pollutants that settle on the white matter covering the installation. The installation is set up for a fortnight in various locations, where it becomes covered in dust and, depending on the level of air pollution, takes on a graphite or even black colour.

“Mobile lungs” are mainly placed in areas where there are no air quality measurements and residents are often unaware of the air they are breathing. The campaign “See what you breathe. Change it” not only shows how polluted the air we breathe is, but above all encourages the replacement of old solid fuel boilers, which are the main source of smog in Poland.

Since 14 November, ‘mobile lungs’ can be seen in Bolesławiec in Lower Silesia, Pcim and Bochnia in Lesser Poland, Nakło nad Notecią in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship and Nowy Dwór in Mazovia.

PAS activists point out that there are still around 3 million “fossil fuel” smokers in Poland, making us one of the most polluted countries in the European Union.

On the occasion of the launch of the campaign, PAS appeals to the coalition partners forming the new government to accelerate the fight against smog. According to PAS, it is crucial to unlock €3 billion from the NAP to fight smog.

Adrian Andrzejewski