CLACKS Provost Tina Murphy and Depute Provost Donald Balsillie pledged to do their bit to tackle air pollution on Clean Air Day recently.

The elected members previously visited Alva PS and Alva Academy to discuss the kind of simple steps everyone can take to protect their health from air pollution with.

They joined the nationwide campaign, with 112 organisations participating, including 21 local authorities.

Clean Air Day is aimed to encourage people to leave their car at home and walk, cycle or use public transport or consider buying an electric vehicle to improve air quality.

Many people, including cycling hero Mark Beaumont, have signed pledge cards committing them to taking at least one action to cut air pollution.

Provost Murphy said: "Air pollution affects your health from your first breath to your last, as the damage to our health can start when we're a baby and carry on through into old age.

"That's why today I've pledged to ventilate my home, use fragrance-free, milder cleaning products and choose paints and varnishes labelled low volatile organic compounds."

Depute Provost Balsillie added: "The good news is that our air pollution crisis is solvable and there are simple steps we can all take to help our family avoid toxic air and cut down on the pollution we emit – it's good for us and good for the planet too.

"That's why today I've pledged to travel electric on Clean Air Day."

It is the third time the event has taken place and the 2019 Clean Air Day was bigger than ever before, with events the length and breadth of Scotland; from Stornoway to Plockton and Moray down to Ayrshire.

Clean Air Day was coordinated by at Environmental Protection Scotland (EAS) on behalf of the Scottish Government's Cleaner Air For Scotland strategy.

John Bynorth, policy and communications officer at EAS, said: "Inspired by their pledge card event last year in Alloa town centre, Provost Murphy and Depute Provost Balsillie got behind the campaign again to encourage people to take action to improve air quality.

"They are helping young people from an early age consider the damaging effects of pollution from vehicle engine idling and unnecessary use of vehicles to travel short distance, such as on the school run.

"This can only be beneficial as they will tell their parents of the need to switch off their engines to improve their health.

"Over 65 per cent of car journeys in Scotland are 3.1 miles or less and we hope that Provost Murphy and Depute Provost Balsillie's actions lead to more awareness of how families can help improve the quality of the air we breathe.

"Clean Air Day in Scotland was a fantastic event which has inspired so many young people to spread messages around active travel and no idling."