International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies in Zawiercie

On 8 September, a special meeting was held at Primary School No. 1 named after Tadeusz Kościuszko in Zawiercie to celebrate the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. Students from the School Anti-Smog Team had the opportunity to take part in a lecture conducted by eco-manager Andrzej Gwóźdź, who explained in an accessible yet expert way the issues related to air quality and its importance for human health and the environment.

From the very beginning, it was clear that the young residents of Zawiercie were highly engaged in ecological topics. During his talk, the eco-manager presented the main sources of air pollution – from transport and industry to households. He also highlighted the serious health and environmental consequences of long-term exposure to smog, emphasising that this is a problem that concerns us all.

Positive examples were not missing either. The students learned about initiatives undertaken in Poland and around the world to improve air quality, including the role of blue-green infrastructure in cities, which helps to reduce pollution naturally. Andrzej Gwóźdź also pointed out specific actions that everyone can implement in their daily lives – from choosing a bike or walking instead of driving, to making conscious decisions about heating and energy saving.

The discussion turned into a lively exchange of experiences. Students asked questions about local air quality issues and shared their observations, showing that they are ready to make conscious choices. In the workshop part, participants were divided into four groups with the task of listing as many ideas as possible for improving air quality around their school and homes. The results exceeded expectations – each group came up with over a dozen creative proposals and then presented them to the class.

The educational journey did not end there. Each class received an assignment to conduct a two-month air quality monitoring exercise using a sensor installed on the school building. In this way, the children will be able to observe changes in the levels of PM2.5 and PM10 particulate matter during the autumn season. This hands-on experience will not only help them better understand the problem but also show that clean air is a common good worth taking care of every day.

The meeting ended with a joint reflection and the conviction that the knowledge gained by the youngest is an investment in the future that brings hope for a better, healthier tomorrow. With such awareness and commitment, the future of our planet is in good hands.