Pollution Pods land in MediaCityUK for Clean Air Week 2019
An internationally acclaimed artwork – allowing people to safely experience air pollution and smog from different cities around the world – has been in MediaCityUK this week to mark Greater Manchester’s first ever Clean Air Week.
Following stints in London and Vancouver, Michael Pinsky’s immersive Pollution Pods will be appearing in MediaCityUK until Sunday 23 June, are completely free to enter and will be open to the public between 10am and 7pm every day
The installation, by the Cape Farewell Foundation and Transport for Greater Manchester, is free to the public throughout Clean Air Week, and uses harmless, specially created conditions to simulate the air quality in cities around the world including London, New Delhi and Beijing.
Clean Air Week itself aims to increase awareness of dirty air, which contributes to the equivalent of 1,200 deaths in Greater Manchester each year, as well as the simple changes we can all take to make our region’s air cleaner. This year the focus is on encouraging people to try walking and cycling for more of their short journeys.
The pods have hosted several schools from across Greater Manchester during the week, including a performance from Little Belters – a local choir made up children aged 5-11.
GAS Music: A music composition and sound design studio based at The Landing at MediaCityUK have worked with the choir on several projects.
Gary Hilton Co-Founder of Gas Music and Sound Design said:
“We recognise the importance of working with the community no matter what size of business. We have been working with Little Belters for 2 years, notably on the NHS Christmas single with Johnny Vegas and Shaun Ryder, and most recently us recording and producing the soundtrack to Transport for London’s clean air campaign. We are so happy that their talent was recognised and they were invited to perform in MediaCityUK as part of TFGM’s clean air week activities in MediaCityUK.”
In order to tackle the major risk that air pollution poses to our health, the 10 local councils in Greater Manchester are developing a Clean Air Plan.
The proposals include a Clean Air Zone across the whole of Greater Manchester, alongside major government funding to clean up the region’s
most-polluting vehicles.
The proposals are open to the public to share their opinions on, by responding to a survey until Sunday 30 June 2019.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said:
“Air pollution is a major public health risk and we have to take urgent steps to tackle the issue in Greater Manchester.
“It’s also vital that we raise awareness of the health impacts of poor air quality. These Pollution Pods provide a really innovative and interesting
way of allowing people to safely experience poor air quality for themselves and I would urge anyone who can make it to come along and find out more.”
For more information on the proposals, and to complete the survey, visit www.CleanAirGM.com.
