University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) is working to clean up the air around the hospital. Cleaner air is beneficial to the health of patients and staff, and as climate change and air pollution often have a common root source, putting preventative measures in place to stop air pollution also benefits the climate.

UHP has been encouraging staff to walk or cycle to work or use public transport. The hospital is due to get a Beryl bike site with the aim of encouraging people to use the electrically powered bikes to get to and from work. These efforts are aligned with UHP’s Green Plan which sets out to achieve a 20% reduction in the Trust’s carbon footprint by 2025.

The Trust has also recently purchased four Earthsense air quality monitors in order to gather information on the causes, roots and hotspots of air pollution on their site. Once they have a better understanding of where the largest concentrations of particulates are around the estate, they can work with suppliers, patients and staff to put clean air initiatives and pollution prevention schemes in place.