November 14 is the Day Clean Air and that’s also the day when Mikołów starts its education campaign called “I like to breath clean air”. The purpose of this campaign is to reduce the level of air pollution, being the effect of low emission.
Exceeding low emission-related norms is mainly caused by burning low quality coal or event wastes in households furnaces. Basically this pollution comes from low chimneys or house fireplaces. The height  matters because emission from low chimneys spreads in the nearest vicinity and is harmful to the citizens. It’s very well known by those whose neighbors have very low chimneys – smoke, odor and dirt can be really irritating. For example by besmuting house elevations. Low emission effects locally, it can even be limited only to a part of the  town.

Air pollution is one of the most important problems in Poland. Air has a significant influence on our health. With every breath with we inhale 0,5 liter of air. Its quality is very important. Poland is one of the most air-polluted countries.
Toxic substances included in low emission, deposit on plants, soil, effect environment, lead to acidification and contamination of soil and water with heavy metals. They effect animals and us all.
Are we in danger?

Inhaling harmful substances can among other things increase cancer risk, lead to respiratory diseases, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure, allergy, asthma. Usually health problems occur only after a few or more years of inhaling poisonous chemical substances.
Everyone wants to breath fresh air, everyone you ask will say there’s nothing more precious than health. In a real life we make however strange choices which not always are profitable to us. Does it make sense to save on the house heating system if it can cost us a lot in the future?
According to the WHO report of 2014, polluted air costs us 101,8 billion dollars every year. These are medical costs. Each year 45 thousand Poles die because of polluted air and in consequence of chronic respiratory diseases, vasculature and heart system, cardiac arrests or strokes.
Each of us is endangered to harmful consequences of  polluted air. On the other hand each of us can contribute to popularization of the Day of Clean Air and its message:
– never burn wastes in your furnace;
– if you use coal-fired furnace in your house, buy good quality of coal, don’t burn flotation concentrate nor coal dust (if you do so, you spread around big doses of heavy metals including mercury);
– plan replacing a heating system in your house with a gas system, connect your house to external heat provider or change your coal-fired furnace to a modern one (class 5);
– think of thermal insulation of your house, thanks to which you will decrease the load of your heating boiler as well as heating costs;
– think of installing solar panels, heat pump, photovoltaic panels;
– choose bicycle or municipal communication instead of a car. Encourage others to do so;
– react to what your neighbor burns.

We often close our eyes to smoke form neighbor’s chimney. We value more wrongly understood neighborly solidarity and good relationships than our health. Let’s not put ourselves to the risk of breathing in polluted air. Let’s react when we see someone emits harmful substances when burning wastes. Talk to your neighbor or inform theTown Guard in Mikołów calling 986 or 32 226 02 91 by e-mail bsm1@mikolow.eu or personally at Town Guard in Mikołowie, Rynek 16.
“If you really think that environment is less important than economy,
try holding your breath while count your money”
Dr. Guy McPherson
Special thanks to “Fundacja Ekologiczna ARKA” and ”Ważna Misja Zdrowa Emisja” service for using their materials.