On the occasion of the European Car Free Day, Greenpeace Hungary painted thousands of crosses overnight in Budapest’s city center to draw attention to the tragic number of people who die every year due to air pollution.
“Air pollution kills 13,100 people a year. Clean Air!”, Greenpeace Hungary painted on crosswalks, mainly around the Parliament and on Andrássy Avenue, which used to be regularly closed on Car Free Day, but this year the event was canceled.
“This year’s Car Free Day is also a day to raise awareness that it’s time to give our cities back to their inhabitants, instead of letting cars dominate them. There are 13,100 good reasons to do this every year – that’s how many people fall victim to air pollution in Hungary every year,”
Greenpeace Hungary stated in a Facebook post.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has significantly reduced its air pollutant guidelines in its report – for example, it has cut the annual limit for nitrogen dioxide in cities, typically from transport, by 75%, a limit that has already been exceeded several times in our country. The organization is calling for immediate action from decision-makers to improve air quality.
Featured image via Greenpeace Hungary’s Facebook page
