The Low Emission Zone is a key step to cutting pollution - Lorna Slater

The low emission zone came into force in Edinburgh on Saturday

From now, those who drive in the most polluting vehicles will be fined for breaching the zone, reducing the number of cars on our busiest roads and helping our lungs in the process. A lot of us will be breathing a sigh of relief, as well as cleaner air.

These kinds of schemes are in use all over Europe and beyond, but it's a big change for our city. The Scottish Greens have long supported these zones, and our councillors were among those that were pushing for it.

But an LEZ is only one part of the solution. If we want to make the long-term change that is necessary then we also need to rapidly accelerate our investment in walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure and public transport.

Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater

One way we could do this is by introducing a road-user charging scheme. This is a simple idea that builds on the ‘polluter pays’ principle and sees drivers paying to use specific streets or zones, with the funds raised going to support more sustainable transport and active travel.

At its best, our city is a great place for cyclists. Yesterday was World Bike Day, and I was delighted to spend my morning visiting the Cargo Bike Movement in Tollcross, a fantastic local charity that does an invaluable job in promoting cargo bikes, cycling and greener living in our city.

Their volunteers go that extra mile, promoting sustainable transport and redistributing surplus food from supermarkets to people in need. Their work is really important, and so is their positive vision of zero-carbon travel in our city.

I urge you to pay them a visit, see what they are doing and get involved for yourself. They are exactly the sort of organisation we need to be boosting.

Air pollution kills over 2000 people a year in Scotland, and particularly impacts vulnerable groups. Doing what we can to reduce it isn't just good for us as individuals, it is good for our communities, and it will save lives.

We all have a role to play in building a greener Edinburgh. Some of the changes we need to make are big, but some of them are really small ones we can all take.

Every time we choose to get on a bus or a bike rather than using a car we are contributing to a greener city and making a positive choice for our environment.

There is no such thing as a safe level of air pollution. All of us benefit from cleaner air and safer streets, so let's do everything we can to make it a reality.