New MP Heidi Allen backs the campaign
Posted by jeannie on May 15, 2015
Only one week after the election our second new MP, Heidi Allen, declares for Close the Door. Another great example of responding to constituents, even while setting up office and preparing for the first meeting of the newly shaped House of Commons on May 18th.
'I support the Close the Door campaign, home grown in my constituency. Backed by excellent research, this is a very simple idea that really works, for business and the community. Close the door to the shop or restaurant and you can greatly improve air quality inside, currently a serious health concern across UK towns and cities.You can also save significant amounts of energy in heating/air conditioning otherwise disappearing out of the door to heat or cool the street. There are now thousands of shops across the country operating successfully like this. It is such common sense and benefits us all, whether we shop in or staff these businesses.' Heidi Allen MP (Con) South Cambridgeshire
Daniel Zeichner, first of the new MP's to support
Posted by jeannie on May 14, 2015
Less than a week after being elected, Daniel Zeichner, MP for Cambridge, has endorsed the campaign in the statement below. This is a brilliantly quick response to constituents' requests, in an unbelievably busy week for him. He is the first of the new MPs to bring in his support, will be actively backing through the year, and as you can see encourages others to follow his lead. Many thanks to him and his office.
'As MP for Cambridge I am delighted to make supporting Close the Door one of my first actions.
Climate change is an urgent problem and yet sometimes it seems hard to know what local, individual actions we can take.
Backing Close the Door is one of those actions. It's so simple. Closing the shop or restaurant door to the street when heating or cooling the premises or when air pollution levels are high on the street outside saves a large amount of energy (and money), and greatly improves the air quality inside the premises.
This in turn improves working conditions and public health.
It's no surprise that our local Cambridge initiative has grown from eight independent shops into an award winning national campaign backed by thousands of shops of all types and sizes including national retailers.
In actively supporting Close the Door I encourage you to follow my lead.' Daniel Zeichner MP (Lab)
Campaign talk City of London Forum
Posted by jeannie on April 28, 2015
The Close the Door talk at the City of London Forum for Transport and Sustainability in the Guildhall was a great way of discussing the issues around open doors on the high street with a range of influential parties from planners and investors through to residents groups. Perfectly timed with the Evening Standard leader "Pollution levels deserve far greater urgency" today, as it happens. It is a real matter of urgency to get over the message from the Kings College London/Imperial College research that closing doors onto the street significantly reduces exposure to harmful particulates in air pollution, while the issues around diesel exhaust are sorted out in the longer term. The City of London has been unfailingly encouraging and helpful to the campaign. Many thanks to Francesca Hobson and Simon Mills for today's opportunity.
Comment by Dr Ben Barratt on air pollution in the retail space
Posted by jeannie on March 23, 2015
Dr Ben Barratt of Kings College London, MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health gave this comment on air pollution in shops, including advice on reducing exposure by closing the door.
See the research overview here and further facts on air pollution and why awareness and taking steps to reduce exposure to it is so important here
Research Results on Air Pollution in Shops (that everyone needs to know)
Posted by jeannie on March 23, 2015
Research from Imperial College and Kings College London on Regents Street shows that closing the shop door reduces three hazardous components of air pollution by a third. This is very important news for customers and especially staff, who are obliged to spend their working hours in this environment. Why is this important? There were 29,000 deaths across the UK in 2008 from air pollution - 4,300 in London alone - and the number is rising. There are many times that number of related hospital admissions.
Towns and cities across the UK are recognised as being well above air pollution limits set by the EU. Closing the shop door is a simple and important way of reducing exposure in the retail space, while the larger issue of the causal diesel emissions on our streets is resolved.
See the Facts Page on this website for more detail.
