- International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
- International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
- Schools Walk
- Something in the Air
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
On 16 September we mark the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. On this day in 1987, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed. The agreement was initiated by the UN, and over several years it was gradually signed and ratified by all member states. They committed to stop producing and using equipment containing substances that damage the ozone layer, such as CFCs (freons).
A thinned ozone layer is referred to as an ozone hole, which, compared with an intact layer, lets through more harmful UV-B radiation. UV-B radiation increases the risk of skin cancer.
Because states genuinely respect this agreement, it is considered the most successful example of global environmental cooperation in human history, as shown by the fact that the ozone holes are gradually healing.
International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
On 7.9.2026 we mark the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. It was declared by the UN member states in response to the worsening quality of the air we breathe.
According to UN statistics, as much as 99% of the world's population breathes polluted air, which in 2021, for example, was responsible for more than 8 million deaths (https://www.enviroportal.sk/clanok/aj-ovzdusie-ma-svoj-medzinarodny-den-je-nim-7-september).
As for Slovakia, air quality is improving thanks to better industrial production technologies, yet there are still places where pollutant levels exceed the recommended limits. These are mainly areas with heavier car traffic (including the city of Prešov) or industry. Improper household heating also contributes significantly to air pollution.
If you can, try to drive less, use public transport, and walk shorter distances.
Schools Walk
You can also join the Schools Walk (Školy chodia) initiative through the walk15 app.
Download the free Walk15 app: http://onelink.to/walk15app
- Open the Schools Walk challenge
- Search for and select your school
More information: https://www.walk15.app/en/schools-europe
Short answers to frequently asked questions:
- Do participants have to carry their phone in their hand all day?
No – steps can be recorded by a phone, smartwatch or another compatible device. - Does the app have to stay open all the time?
No – it is enough to open it at least once a day so the steps sync. - Is the number of participants limited?
No – the whole school community can take part. - Does the school have to register separately?
No – it is enough to join the challenge in the app. - Does this mean more screen time?
No – Walk15 is meant to motivate people to walk, not to use their phones longer.
Compatible devices: https://www.walk15.app/en/support
Something in the Air
If you want to learn how to heat your home properly and help reduce harmful substances in the air through other activities, you can also join the challenge Niečo visí vo vzduchu (Something in the Air). More information is available at https://old.ewobox.sk/sazp/nieco-visi-vo-vzduchu.