Fresh Air Now

FAN brings together EF!ers and Pedestrian groups. We tackle pollution in a holistic manner, campaigning on traffic, incinerators, air travel and green spaces. We place the blame of Manchester’s pollution firmly on the city council, we also believe local communities should be empowered to ignore the council. Fresh Air Fortnight (FAF) was two weeks of direct action to place pressure on the Town Hall before local elections, making pollution the political issue.

The Green Party and independents stood in all the wards demanding Fresh Air Now and we used NVDA as an election tool. FAF was launched from the back of a double decker bus, an attempt was made to get on the roof of the local council leaders house, our own cycle lanes were laid over parked cars, and a piece of derelict land was reclaimed in Moss Side and with the help of over 200 local residents a football pitch and permaculture plot were put together, despite legal action by the council. There was also a critical mass, a new pedestrian crossing appeared, an alternative careers fair was held and we helped our badger friends find a new home in the Town Hall (hide and seek for several hours), as well as a conference on the environmental impact of Air Travel out at the airport. We went to the camps on the route of the M66 and on the last day we climbed on the roof of the Town Hall.

Daily for two weeks the council felt the force of public concern where it hurts - in the press at election time. The leader of the council has now resigned (of course we cannot take the credit) and it looks like we are getting a new ‘Boss’, one that takes the environment and our health seriously. Please contact us on 0161 274 4665.