For many years, air pollution has been seen as one of the most important and biggest risk factors in terms of the health of Europeans. Air pollution increases the risk of airway and heart diseases and decreases life expectancy. Probably, not everybody thinks about this threat, but sooner or later one has to face reality.

Agne (name changed, actual name known to DELFI) has been living in the capital of Lithuania for many years. She likes living in a big city, but life in Vilnius is somewhat different from her hometown, and one of the main reasons is air quality and pollution.

"I was born in a smaller town and moved to Vilnius right after graduating school. While living in my hometown, I never actually thought about air pollution, but when I arrived in Vilnius I quickly realized that it was a really big and important issue that had an impact on my well-being," she said.

According to Agne, what made her change the attitude towards air pollution was unpleasant sensations that she began experiencing during the very first days in Vilnius.

"This may sound funny, but I recall very well that as soon as I arrived in Vilnius I and my friend were surprised by the strange sensations that we felt outdoors. It is difficult to explain them, but they were really unpleasant. It felt like my lungs were stinging with every breath I took, with an onset of headaches some time later, and so on. We lived in downtown Vilnius where air pollution was really high, I guess, because of all the cars," she claimed.

She thinks that the initial unpleasant sensations were so strong because of how different air quality was in her hometown and the capital.

"I’d say the highly negative experience was caused by the fact that we had been breathing much cleaner air before moving to Vilnius. Now, I have adapted, I don’t feel anything odd about the air. I guess I simply got used to it. Remembering those days, I think that maybe I’m just sensitive to such things; although, to the best of my knowledge, I don’t have any serious health conditions," she mused.

Agne also admitted that the negative experience made her change certain things in life.

"Although I have a driver’s license and a car, I try to reach everything in the city using public transportation or, if possible, on foot. I think that currently this is the best I can do to ensure a safer, cleaner, and more effortless way of living. Unfortunately, not all of my peers think the same," she shared.

And that’s actually the case. Ieva (name changed, actual name known to DELFI) is from Klaipeda, but studies and lives in Vilnius. According to her, even though the topic of air pollution pops up quite often, the current situation does not make her want to change anything.

"Being a representative of the young generation, perhaps I should be thinking more about planet Earth, its future, and my future, the future of my children, but I’m not. Both in Klaipeda and in Vilnius, I prioritize driving a car, I use public transportation very rarely. Actually, I don’t really remember the last time I did," she admitted.

Ieva added that her parents were more responsible in this regard.

"They often remind me that my way of living in not sustainable, that I’m not only damaging the quality of air, but my health, too. Since we hail from Klaipeda, I often see our beloved Baltic Sea used as an example. Sometimes it looks so polluted and filthy that you don’t want to go for a swim. The parents keep telling me to realise that, without making any changes, the air that I’m breathing is just as filthy," she said.

However, Ieva does not know what would force her to make some changes.

"I think that such things don’t have an emotional impact on me. I know that air pollution is significant in Lithuania and the entire Europe, but until I physically feel something, I won’t start thinking about the consequences of it all. Now that I’m talking about it, it seems like I’m a little bit ashamed that I’m so insensitive towards all the risks and possible tragedies, but it is how it is. I’m not really sure why I’m so indifferent towards these issues," she added.

Air pollution kills hundreds of thousands of people every year, but it is obvious that definitely not everyone is concerned about such statistics. Although, according to Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Air Quality Assessment Division’s senior specialist Solveiga Pajarskiene, today the overall quality of air in Lithuania is sufficiently good, so we don’t have to worry about it at the moment.

"In recent days, the meteorological conditions in our country have been favouring the dissemination of pollutants (rain and strong winds), but the quality of air is good, and the concentration of pollutants is within limits," the specialist said.

According to Pajarskiene, air pollution levels are constantly fluctuating.

"Air pollution varies every year and depends on the type of pollution sources and their impact in a given territory, also – on the yearly meteorological conditions. The dynamics of pollutants by city also vary. For example, if we take a look at a longer period (2003–2022), the concentrations of solid particles remain almost the same or are on a slightly downward trend in Siauliai, Naujoji Akmene, Mazeikiai, Panevezys, Jonava and Kedainiai," she explained.

She also revealed the current situation in the big cities of Lithuania.

"In Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipeda we see a downward trend in terms of solid particles, but in private home districts or streets with intense traffic air quality monitoring stations detect an increase in solid particles. But in general, the quality of air in Lithuania is improving, albeit slowly," she stated.

According to Pajarskiene, air quality-related data is available to everyone. Just visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s website and you will find yearly statistical data and air quality monitoring reviews with summarized information.

According to the senior specialist, the biggest impact on air quality in our country comes from local pollution sources.

"Vehicles, the burning of fuel in industries and households, and pollution related to operational activities and construction work. What is more, part of yearly instances of an increase in air pollution is the result of transboundary pollution from other countries," Pajarskiene explained.

Certain industrial facilities also contribute to air pollution.

"In those Lithuanian municipalities that have the largest pollutant emissions from industrial applications there are air quality monitoring stations, operational 24/7. These are the municipalities of Mazeikiai, Akmene, Kedainiai, and Jonava, they have the biggest industrial facilities," Pajarskiene said.

According to her, energy companies that can be found in every larger city should also be taken into account.

"Accordingly, air quality is also monitored in five largest cities of Lithuania (they have 10 air quality stations working 24/7). Despite the fact that industrial and energy facilities emit relatively large amounts of pollutants, they are rigorously regulated, what is more, their pollutants disperse in the higher layers of the atmosphere," the senior specialist said.

Home heating systems are also a considerable risk to air quality.

"Regarding the heating of houses, this field is not strictly regulated, so during the cold season the increase in local air pollution due to dirty chimneys, old equipment, and forbidden fuel or waste materials being burned is actually a bigger problem than air pollution from industrial facilities," Pajarskiene insisted.

Therefore, it is very important to understand that the quality of air that we breathe is highly influenced by our own decisions.

"The quality of air in cities is very dependent on the daily choices of residents and their way of life. For example, how and what means of transportation are used, what fuel is burned for heating, how we manage and take care of our immediate environment and home, what are our food and textile use habits, etc.," she told DELFI.

Pajarskiene concluded that by consciously changing our everyday habits into those that are more favorable to the environment, we could breathe cleaner air, improve our health, and save money. She also gave a few examples, how we could contribute to the improvement of air quality in Lithuania with simple, but significant lifestyle changes.

Leave your diesel or petrol car in the garage or parking lot at least once a week and travel on foot, by bike, or using public transportation. To save energy, use energy-efficient light bulbs and don’t leave appliances in stand-by mode. Prepare for the winter season: clean the chimney and appropriately tune the heating equipment. Revise your consumption habits: perhaps you could decrease the amount of food you throw out, instead of buying new shoes, get your old ones repaired, and decrease the use of household chemicals.