A leading lung specialist based at University Hospital Southampton (UHS) is encouraging people to build regular “green time” into their routines to reduce exposure to air pollution and improve their overall health.

Dr Thom Daniels, a consultant respiratory physician at UHS, is marking this year’s Clean Air Day (18 June) by highlighting the simple steps people can take to protect themselves and their families.

“We all know that excessive screen time can have a negative impact on health – but we should also be thinking about green time as a healthier alternative, making it a conscious substitution,” he explained.

“Green time means spending time away from built-up environments, in greener spaces with trees and plants, where air quality is often better and pollution levels are lower.

“Making this part of your routine – whether daily, weekly or even once a month – can help reduce your overall exposure.

“It’s not just the lungs – air pollution affects the heart, the brain and almost every organ in the body. Time spent in green spaces such as gardens and parks has been shown to improve mental wellbeing, including reducing anxiety, as well as improving air quality.

“What we need to see is a more conscious shift in how people respond to the risks of modern environmental exposure, particularly within the home. For most people, outdoor air is less polluted than indoor air.

“This is something very real, yet too often overlooked.”

Air pollution remains the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK, contributing to a wide range of serious conditions including cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory illness and dementia.

It is estimated to contribute to around 30,000 deaths each year and cost the UK economy billions.

At the same time, growing concerns around excessive screen use highlight a simple opportunity to improve health by rebalancing how and where time is spent.

It follows plans announced by the UK government this week to ban social media access for under 16s as part of wider measures to reduce online harm and improve young people’s wellbeing.

Simple steps can make a difference across many everyday situations – from people working indoors or in congested urban environments, to those spending long periods on screens, as well as individuals living or regularly spending time in busy air pollution “hotspots”.

“With more people working from home and leading increasingly digital lifestyles, time spent indoors and on screens has risen across both adults and children, making this issue particularly significant,” Dr Daniels said.

“Framing ‘green time’ as a positive alternative offers a practical and achievable solution – not just stepping away from screens, but replacing that time with something that supports health while also reducing exposure to air pollution.”

According to the Health Foundation, an independent UK health charity, people living in areas with greater access to green space tend to have higher life expectancy. Evidence also shows that time spent in green environments can support heart health, reduce stress, improve mental wellbeing and encourage physical activity.

Green spaces can also act as a natural buffer from traffic pollution, helping people avoid the highest-exposure environments.

Dr Daniels said: “Even small changes in location can have a noticeable impact on exposure, with pollution levels often dropping considerably just one or two streets away from a heavily trafficked road.

“Air pollution exposure is not only uneven but also cumulative,” he explained. “This means the effect builds over time through repeated contact with higher levels of pollution in certain environments.

“People who regularly pass through or spend time in areas such as busy roads, junctions and traffic-heavy routes may experience frequent short bursts of elevated pollution, which, over time, increase overall exposure.”

This sustained exposure is associated with a higher risk of developing long-term conditions, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease, as well as impacts on cognitive health.

For these individuals, even small adjustments to daily routines – such as choosing quieter routes or incorporating more time in green spaces – can make a meaningful difference.

“Because these risks are part of everyday environments, they can easily go unnoticed, but they play a significant role in long-term health and should not be overlooked when considering preventative action,” Dr Daniels added.

He is now encouraging people to make green time part of everyday life, in whatever way works for them:

Daily: take a walk through a park or along a tree-lined street instead of a main road
Weekly: build in time for outdoor exercise or relaxation in green spaces
Monthly: visit larger parks, forests or coastal green areas.

Dr Daniels, who has also been appointed sustainability champion for UHS's NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, added: “Clean Air Day is about raising awareness, but also about solutions.

“Choosing green time over screen time is something positive, practical and achievable for most people.

“By making small changes to where we walk, exercise or spend time, we can all take steps to protect our health.”

Choose ‘green time over screen time’ says top lung doctor