Lovely to meet you — I’m Eleni and I’ve come here on holiday with my grandson Nikos. Have you seen him? He’s probably looking at the flowers — he loves them!

The two of us travel a lot. We’ve come all the way from Heraklion, in Greece.

Cough, cough! Ahem… excuse my coughing. I’m not sure whether it’s the pollen or the air pollution.
Phew… I’ll sit down here for a little rest while I tell you a bit more about it.

Air is constantly moving and can change due to factors such as humidity, temperature and the particles it carries.

Air pollution occurs when harmful substances, called pollutants, are released into the atmosphere.

These can affect our health, damage the environment, and alter the wellbeing of people and ecosystems.

Check the Air Quality Index (AQI) and choose forms of transport that produce as little pollution as possible.

If the Air Quality Index is poor, children, older people, people with respiratory conditions, and those exercising outdoors should reduce intense outdoor activities. If air quality is very poor, it is recommended to limit time spent outdoors.

Stay informed about actions to combat air pollution. You can also take part in and support local initiatives, campaigns and policies that help improve air quality.