The environment plays an important role in our health and wellbeing. Weather, air quality, water quality and other environmental hazards can sometimes affect health, particularly for children, older adults and those with existing health conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The good news is that a few simple actions can help reduce risks and keep you and your family safe while continuing to enjoy everything Devon has to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Local councils and partner organisations monitor and respond to environmental risks across Devon and responsibilities for this work is dependant upon location in Devon. Find your local council<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n Due to climate change, more frequent and intense episodes of extreme weather are likely \u2013 being prepared and understanding the risks can protect health.<\/p>\n Hot weather can affect anyone, but some people are at greater risk of becoming seriously unwell, including older people, babies and young children, pregnant women and people with long-term health conditions.<\/p>\n Taking action early can help prevent dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.<\/p>\n See staying well in hot weather<\/a> for advice on:<\/p>\n You can also read NHS guidance on how to cope in hot weather<\/a>, which includes practical advice on staying safe during periods of extreme heat.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> Water quality can vary over time due to weather, pollution and environmental conditions.<\/p>\n Before swimming or taking part in water-based activities, it is worth checking the latest information about local bathing waters.<\/p>\n You can use the government’s water quality service<\/a> to:<\/p>\n Swimming and water-based activities can provide excellent physical and mental health benefits, but open water presents risks that may not always be obvious.<\/p>\n Cold water, strong currents, tides and changing weather conditions can affect even experienced swimmers.<\/p>\n Before entering water, you should check local conditions and:<\/p>\n Useful resources include:<\/p>\n A few moments of preparation before entering the water can help keep you safe and confident while enjoying Devon’s coastline and waterways.<\/p>\n Flooding can happen quickly, at any time of year, and may affect homes, businesses, travel and health.<\/p>\n Having a plan in place before flooding occurs can help reduce disruption and improve safety for you and your family.<\/p>\n Consider:<\/p>\n Find practical advice and guidance about flooding<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> The air we breathe can affect our health every day.<\/p>\n Air pollution can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs and may worsen existing conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart disease.<\/p>\n Periods of hot weather can sometimes increase levels of:<\/p>\n Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme heat events, which may contribute to poorer air quality.<\/p>\n Wildfires can also significantly affect local air quality. Smoke from fires may cause:<\/p>\n You can help protect both your health and Devon’s environment by taking extra care during dry and hot periods. You should:<\/p>\n If you have asthma, COPD or another respiratory condition, pay particular attention to air quality forecasts<\/a> and follow your usual treatment plan.<\/p>\n Checking air quality before outdoor activities can help you make informed decisions and reduce your exposure when pollution levels are higher.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> A healthy environment supports healthier communities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Across Devon, organisations, communities, businesses and volunteers are working together to improve natural habitats, increase resilience to climate change and support wildlife recovery.<\/p>\n Projects across the county help to:<\/p>\n Spending time in nature can benefit both physical and mental wellbeing, while protecting natural environments helps ensure future generations can continue to enjoy them.<\/p>\n Find out more about environmental projects across Devon by visiting:<\/p>\n Everyone can contribute. The more we recognise the value of the wonderful Devon countryside, the more we can protect it together.<\/p>\n Whether it’s reducing litter, preventing wildfires, supporting local conservation projects or simply spending more time outdoors responsibly, small actions can make a positive difference for both people and nature.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The environment plays an important role in our health and wellbeing. Weather, air quality, water quality and other environmental hazards can sometimes affect health, particularly for children, older adults and those with existing health conditions. The good news is that a few simple actions can help reduce risks and keep you and your family safe […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":5677,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-4829","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/public-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/public-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/public-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/public-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/public-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4829"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/public-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4829\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5726,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/public-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4829\/revisions\/5726"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/public-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/public-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
Water quality<\/h2>\n
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Water safety<\/h2>\n
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Flooding<\/h2>\n
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