Global Clean Air

When it comes to air pollution in Mexico City, data is power.

By Sergio Sanchez / Published: June 23, 2021

Mexico City is known around the world for its culture and rich history, but also for its struggle against air pollution. The information provided by the city’s state-of-the-art air quality monitoring system has been crucial for triggering large-scale actions that have made air quality significantly better over the last thirty years. However, the system also reveals that there are still seasonal spikes of high pollution levels and that air quality improvement trends slowed down during the last decade. In late 2019, new measures were officially announced by the Environmental Commission to reinforce air pollution abatement efforts, one of them focused on technology innovation.

That’s why last September I joined environmental authorities from the Government of Mexico City, the Government of the State of Mexico, the Environmental Commission of the Megalopolis, and the Federal Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources to launch a working group and a collaborative effort aimed to design a methodology for a proof of concept of hyperlocal air quality monitoring system in the Mexican capital that supplement city’s existing monitoring network to catalyze innovative actions for improving air quality.

The importance of hyperlocal monitoring

New international research has shown that air pollution varies at the street level, and can be vastly different for families living only one block away. Cities around the world including London, Beijing, Los Angeles and Medellin have been using microsensors for air quality monitoring and are seeing excellent results. With this data, practitioners are broadening their knowledge and capacities to localize and prioritize key areas where immediate action to mitigate air pollution is required.

Hyperlocal monitoring provides compelling evidence to make the case for air pollution abatement actions and can help inform the design of transformational interventions and investments in key sectors such as in transportation, land use and infrastructure. It also empowers communities to reduce exposure and foster localized solutions to protect public health, reduce health inequities and pursue environmental justice.

A step forward to make the invisible visible

This June, our working group launched a proposed methodology for designing and implementing a community-level air quality monitoring system in a 19 km2 area in the northern part of Mexico City. The study area was explicitly selected for the coexistence of a mix of major pollution sources (industrial facilities, transportation hubs and freight and major passenger roadways) with vulnerable groups exposed to air pollution in multiple hospitals, schools, parks and sport centers, in an area with high population density with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

The methodology has been based on a sound analysis of the local context and conditions in Mexico City, the best available information about hyperlocal technologies, and the current best available practices in this field. In particular, it has been grounded in EDF’s experience with similar projects around the world, incorporating insights from national and international specialists and systematized recommendations and tools for designing hyperlocal air quality monitoring networks to catalyze clean air solutions as outlined in our Making the Invisible Visible: A Guide to Mapping Hyperlocal Air Pollution to Drive Clean Air Actions, and the Breathe London Blueprint guides.

Importantly, the methodology included broad participatory process involving experts in relevant fields from major universities, research centers, civil society organizations, international development institutions and government agencies, which ensured that the proof of concept hyperlocal air quality network design and approach was built upon the solid Mexican experience in comprehensive air quality management.

What’s next

Based on the design of the proof of concept, the Mexico City government will prepare the implementation of the first phase. This consists of a performance assessment of technology options needed to execute the hyperlocal monitoring and development of institutional capacities needed for operation, maintenance, data management, and communications for this monitoring system.

As we look towards the future, it’s critical to have this hyperlocal data to enhance institutional capacities, build community support and forge evidence-based policies that drastically reduce pollution while building more resilient communities. We are excited by the opportunity that this partnership offers in advancing clean air for all.

Also posted in Government Official/Policymaker, Monitoring / Comments are closed

New projects in European cities will trial clean air solutions for freight

By Felicia Douglas / Published: June 22, 2021

Ravenna, Italy

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, people turned to home deliveries to safely meet their needs, furthering the rise in demand for parcels, and, consequently, an increase of vans and trucks on the roads. The freight sector is energy-intensive with last mile delivery relying largely on polluting diesel vehicles – creating air and noise pollution, congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.

Cities need innovative freight solutions now more than ever to protect public health, transform the sector and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable urban logistics system.

That’s why Environmental Defense Fund Europe (EDF Europe) is excited to partner with POLIS – a leading network of European cities and regions promoting innovative transport solutions – on a new collaboration for zero-emission zones for freight.

The freight opportunity

The freight sector – which includes transport trucks, delivery and service vans, construction vehicles and dustbin lorries – is a major part of city economies. Freight transport is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. In the European Union (EU), trucks contribute 22% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from road transport, yet they only account for 2% of all vehicles on the road. Currently, vans are the fastest growing source of road transport emissions in the EU. Additionally, freight vehicles powered by fossil fuels also produce health-harming pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

There is huge potential to decarbonise the freight sector and improve the urban environment, and one pathway is zero-emission zones for freight. These zones only allow freight and delivery vehicles that are zero-emission (e.g., electric vans and cargo bikes) to enter – bringing benefits like lower congestion, safer roads, cleaner air and reduced carbon emissions.

The SURF project

Many European cities are beginning to incorporate freight into sustainable urban logistics plans, presenting an opportunity for EDF Europe and POLIS to support cities by providing guidance and tools to implement innovative transport measures.

The Sustainable Urban Freight (SURF) project aims to guide city planners, business leaders and other freight decision-makers in developing a strategy for sustainable freight transport. SURF is focused on the design and implementation of zero-emission zones for freight and employs a series of peer-to-peer learning activities, expert support and rapid studies or ‘Instant Projects’ with on-the-ground implementation.

Instant Projects

The Instant Projects are small-scale prototypes that will generate lessons to inform the wider urban freight community and create local, immediate impact. We are excited to announce the three successful applicants for the SURF Instant Projects:

  • Aarhus, Denmark: A port city with 280,000 residents

Project: Integrate urban freight transport in site-specific logistics plans in connection with large infrastructure projects near the central train station. 

“The project will be a natural progression from the more strategic plans for transportation and logistics at a wide city level to a more operational plan for a specific geographic area where considerable challenges are faced. We hope that others will learn from our experience and work to transform cities in a way that allows for more sustainable logistics solutions,” – Louise Overvad Jensen, Engineer, Development Consultant

  • Karditsa, Greece: A flat, inland city with 40,000 residents

Project: Pilot deliveries for local businesses using e-cargo bikes with an emphasis on raising awareness and building partnerships.

“We are currently defining a strategy for decarbonising urban logistics throughout the city, so the SURF project arrives at the perfect time. Our local businesses are eager to promote sustainable mobility and cargo bikes present an excellent opportunity for expanding zero-emission deliveries,” – Natalia Tzellou, Head of the Department of Development Planning

  • Ravenna, Italy: A port city and regional capital with 160,000 residents

Project: Define a roadmap towards a zero-emission zone for freight and introduce a ‘Freight Quality Partnership’ as a permanent participatory process tool for stakeholder engagement.

“Ravenna is committed to making urban freight transport green, efficient and resilient. This project will allow us to work on zero-emission zones for freight focused in the city center and develop the potential to expand to the whole municipality.

This project will raise ambition and generate cascading effects that speed up the process towards decarbonisation and the vision of a more livable and accessible city,” – Nicola Scanferla, Manager, Senior Transport and Mobility

Tipping the scale

The total number of small and medium-sized cities in the EU far outweighs the number of large city centres. These cities can serve as an ideal ground for testing and implementing new transport strategies and services that are crucial for the most pressing mobility challenges. The three Instant Project cities, all small and medium-sized, will demonstrate solutions and pathways that other European towns and cities can replicate and scale up.

Many cities are rethinking how to move forward after the pandemic and create healthier communities. Reducing emissions and congestion from freight logistics is a critical pathway to a more sustainable transport system. The SURF project aims to advance clean air and climate goals through not only the Instant Projects but also by means of a Capacity Building Programme. The objective of this e-course is to raise awareness and equip policymakers, practitioners and operators with long-lasting capabilities to support the transition to zero-emission deliveries.

We look forward to sharing lessons, key results and tools from the Instant Projects later this year that will help other cities develop a roadmap to zero-emission freight and transform polluted urban roads, improve people’s health and protect the climate.

 

If you have experience in providing technical advisory support on urban freight, training or relevant studies, or you have a relevant project or study to showcase, please feel free to express your interest by means of this form to be considered for the capacity building e-course.

For a further introduction to the SURF project and to hear about what other European cities are doing to reduce the impacts of freight, you can watch the April 2021 webinar here.

Photo credit: Vivida Photo PC/shutterstock.com

Also posted in Climate, Government Official/Policymaker, Public Health/Environmental Official / Comments are closed

London’s major roads are putting children at risk of developing asthma

By Oliver Lord / Published: May 4, 2021

Greg Slater, Senior Data Analyst, and Oliver Lord, Head of Policy and Campaigns

The pollution and health impacts from London’s busiest roads – the Red Routes – go far beyond the streets themselves.

As a result of the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) that comes solely from vehicle pollution on the Red Routes, our new analysis estimates 9% of the city’s children may be living in an area where they are at a significantly higher risk of developing asthma. The analysis shows the area of increased asthma risk from Red Route pollution is seven times the size of the roads themselves.

Londoners don’t have to live directly on the major roads to experience the increased risk from their pollution. The capital needs a new vision for the city’s most polluted roads, including a comprehensive traffic-reduction plan that reduces health inequities.

Transport pollution and asthma

Our previous analysis shows how the Red Routes have far higher levels of NO2 pollution than the average thoroughfare.

To examine this in more detail and shed light on the health burden for local communities, we looked at a new modelled dataset produced by Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants (CERC) as part of the Breathe London pilot project that isolates the vehicle NO2 pollution from the Red Routes and shows where this pollution travels in the air.

In recent years, there has been building evidence of an association between exposure to traffic-related air pollution and the development of childhood asthma. In their review of research into this topic, Khreis et al (2017) found that the risk of new paediatric asthma cases increased by 5% with every 4 µg/m3 of NO2 air pollution.

We applied these findings to the modelled dataset of Red Route pollution and found levels of 4 µg/m3 NO2 and higher – just from the Red Routes – covers an area seven times bigger than that of the roads themselves. The map below displays in black where the Red Routes alone are adding at least 4 µg/m3 of extra NO2 pollution, which could increase the risk of children developing asthma by at least 5%.

We estimate 9% of London children live in the area with at least 4 µg/m3 of extra NO2 pollution from the Red Routes. Our estimates indicate these children have a significantly increased risk of developing asthma unless action is taken to reduce vehicle-related pollution on the Red Routes. This is in addition to existing asthma cases, which can be aggravated by elevated pollution levels. The map also shows levels of NO2 at or greater than 2 µg/m3, which can carry health risks as well.

Zooming in to a more local level, the map below shows the north section of the Red Route Old Kent Road and the surrounding area. The colours demonstrate how the pollution spreads beyond the road boundaries, with dark grey representing at least 4 µg/m3 of NO2 pollution from the Red Routes. Here we see the model suggests areas close to the road are all in dark grey. Residential areas much further away are also affected by Red Route pollution.

And that’s just a small slice of air pollution that London children are likely exposed to. We have looked at the Red Routes in isolation to demonstrate how pollution from major roads travels in the city. However, there are of course other roads and pollution sources, as well as air pollutants associated with traffic emissions like fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that must also be accounted for a complete picture of the health impacts.

London needs action now to protect young lungs. The next Mayor of London should commit to a bold vision and urgent action plan to address the volume of vehicles on the Red Routes and to assess if the network is still fit for purpose.

Please see here for the methods behind this data analysis.

Further detail on the health impacts of the Red Routes can be found in our paper with Centric Lab, Rethinking London’s Red Routes: From red to green. You can also watch a relevant discussion here, which took place at a Centre for London webinar with health and transport experts. 

Also posted in London, Public Health/Environmental Official / Comments are closed

The simple switch pubs and restaurants can make that will have a big impact on air pollution

By Elizabeth Fonseca / Published: April 12, 2021

Hospitality is a major part of the UK’s economy, which has taken a significant hit since the start of the pandemic. In London alone, there are nearly 14,000 businesses that are either a pub, a restaurant or a café – providing employment and services to millions.

In order for these businesses to safely re-open, providing outdoor seating – and heating – will be crucial. As pubs, cafes and restaurants look for heating options, it is important to choose electric heaters over gas to avoid exposing their staff and the public to air pollutants that are dangerous to health.

Polluting gas heaters

New research by Future Climate for Environmental Defense Fund Europe found that the local nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollution produced by a single standard outdoor gas heater at 5 hours per day for a year is approximately the same as that produced by a typical gas-heated home for a year. After road transport, heating and powering homes and businesses with gas is the second largest source of NOx pollution in London.

Yet a gas-heated home disperses this pollution outside, away from inhabitants, while the outdoor gas heater is emitting that pollution directly into the surrounding space and likely the air that customers and workers breathe. So if a beer garden has 10 gas heaters working for a single night – that’s equivalent to the pollution from gas heating 10 homes, all packed into the space where several people are sitting.

Benefits of electric heaters

Fortunately, there is an alternative that does not produce any local NOx air pollution emissions, uses less energy and produces 60% less carbon dioxide: electric heaters. In addition to the environmental and health advantages, electric heaters have many other benefits:

  • Cheaper to operate.
  • Can be put on a timer making them more efficient.
  • Can be mounted on different surfaces to be nearer to where they are needed.

Electric heaters also are better suited for the outdoors because they are designed to transmit heat to surfaces without heating up the air. As a result, electric heaters are less impacted than gas heaters by cold air and wind, which can reduce and blow away the warmth produced by gas heaters.

Local authorities should adopt pavement licensing schemes that do not permit gas heaters, like Newcastle City Council has in place. Or, authorities should prioritise giving licenses to venues that use electric heaters with controls. Similarly, any public funding to help businesses adopt social distancing measures with outdoor seating should be on the condition that measures are put in place to limit air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions.

Other ways to reduce pollution

There are other ways that businesses can contribute to a green and healthier recovery. By making changes to the way pubs, cafes and restaurants cook food, they can reduce pollution and protect people’s health.

Future Climate’s research using the latest London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory tells us that half of the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution produced in central London comes from commercial cooking – mainly grilling and frying, or anything where fat is heated or smoke is made. According to Defra, there is no lower threshold for PM2.5. Any amount can be harmful to people’s health.

Businesses can reduce the pollution they produce by using oils with higher smoke points, reducing the surface area of oil exposed to the air when frying and cooking on electric rather than gas burners, which produce NOx like the outdoor gas heaters. Cooking of any kind using wood or charcoal results in PM2.5 pollution and should be avoided wherever possible.

As many pubs and restaurants are gearing up to reopen, now is the time to consider the simple switch – from gas to electric heaters – that will warm patios and people without creating local air pollution.

Posted in Health / Comments are closed

Better data is critical to address health disparities in air pollution’s impacts

By EDF Web Team / Published: March 31, 2021

Ananya Roy, Senior Health Scientist, and Maria Harris, Environmental Epidemiologist 

The last several months have seen a wave of momentum in policies seeking toward advance environmental justice and equity through better data collection and mapping. In his first week in office, President Biden signed an executive order to initiate the development of a screening and mapping tool to identify disadvantaged communities with the goal of informing equitable decision making. And legislation introduced in the House of Representatives and Senate would launch a similar effort. This focus on data and mapping is critical.  

Read More »

Also posted in Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Homepage, Oakland, Partners, Public Health/Environmental Official, Science / Comments are closed

London’s major roads are noisy, polluted and outdated. It’s time to make the Red Routes healthier and more equitable.

By EDF Web Team / Published: March 31, 2021

Oliver Lord, Head of Policy and Campaigns

London’s major roads – the Red Routes – cut across the capital and carry up to a third of traffic on a typical day. Like in many global cities, these busy, outdated roads create air pollution and environmental stressors that harm people’s health in different ways.

A new discussion paper from Environmental Defense Fund Europe and Centric Lab examines health inequities along the Red Routes and highlights why now is the time for a new, healthier vision for London’s major roads.

Prioritising motor traffic

A swathe of regulations and investment, or lack there of, over a long period of time have prioritised motor traffic in London. In the 1990s, the Government introduced its ‘Red Routes’ policy to designate ’clearways’ in the capital on which through traffic movements would gain greater priority over local journeys. The Red Routes – also known as the Transport for London road network (TLRN) – cut across the capital and carry up to a third of traffic on a typical day.

The prioritisation of motor traffic significantly impacts London’s environment and creates health inequities in the city. Motor vehicle dependency remains high amongst residents and the number of miles driven by commercial vans has risen exponentially in recent years. Moreover, the Red Routes network was established in a time mostly unrecognisable today – when diesel did not have a prominent use, estimates of how the city would grow were more conservative and e-commerce deliveries were unheard of.

Air pollution and health

Pollution Zone sign by Choked Up

Londoners living, working, visiting and going to school near to a busy road are exposed to far greater levels of air pollution than elsewhere in the capital. This is a particular case for the Red Routes. According to new modelled data by Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants as part of the Breathe London pilot project, in comparison to an average road in London levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution are 57% higher and levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are 35% higher on these roads. The Red Routes will also likely be some of the last areas in the UK to meet air quality thresholds as recommended by the World Health Organization.

Ruth Fitzharris, a London mother of a young son, has felt these dangerous impacts first-hand. In the past few years her son had 12 asthma attacks, two of them life-threatening. Ruth says she was informed by the head of a severe asthmatic clinic that air pollution was a significant contributory factor to her son’s condition. Additionally, her consultant pediatrician with specialism in respiratory medicine advised her to avoid main roads when possible.

Health assessment on Red Routes

Data analysis is needed to better understand the health impacts of the Red Routes and to identify who is at greatest risk. Centric Lab undertook a health assessment of the Red Routes network – the findings are presented in the discussion paper, alongside a data matrix available for download.

The health impacts of transport-related air pollution are multifactorial and systemic. To understand the full extent of how air pollution impacts a person’s life, Centric Lab considered proximity to pollution sources alongside other pollution types (e.g., noise and light), as well as intervening social and behavioural stressors. Examples of these stressors include feeling physiologically safe, legibility and socio-economic differences.

The health assessment brings to light people’s lived experience along the Red Routes. For example, it identified how the A12 between Poplar and Bromley By Bow is a particular concern for the neurodiverse community (e.g., people on the autism spectrum or with dyslexia), as air pollution impacts are compounded by complex, disorganised and noisy environments. Similarly, the A13 between Whitechapel and Limehouse can be overbearing for children owing to environmental stressors and high levels of air pollution affecting their early stages of development. The assessment concluded all parts of the Red Routes are a priority for intervention and action should be taken to make them significantly healthier and safer.

Time for change

As the capital strives for cleaner air and considers a firm action plan to decarbonise the city, data suggests the Red Routes policy is ripe for a review. Red Routes continue to be designated primarily areas for motor movement, conflicting with the growing number of people who live and conduct daily activities by these roads.

London is also at risk of being left behind in a global movement to transform polluted arterial roads in cities. Examples include transformation projects in Seoul, Barcelona and Paris, where major thoroughfares have either been repurposed or demolished to reduce the dominance of motor vehicles. Policymakers must come together to assess whether the Red Routes are still fit for purpose, so London can become a healthier and more equitable city.

You can read the full discussion paper here. You can watch a relevant discussion here, which took place at a Centre for London webinar with health and transport experts. 

Also posted in Environmental Justice, London / Comments are closed

Vital global initiative will accelerate clean air solutions in cities

By Sarah Vogel / Published: March 19, 2021

Everybody deserves the right to breathe clean air. Yet air pollution is choking cities and communities around the world – a staggering 9 in 10 people breathe unhealthy air. 

City leaders need to urgently identify and accelerate solutions across the world. That’s why the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is launching a bold initiative – called Clean Air Catalyst – to help cities around the world reduce air pollution by advancing solutions that protect health, promote equitable prosperity and tackle the climate crisis.  Through a global consortium of organizations led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Clean Air Catalyst will begin in two pilot cities: Indore, India, and Jakarta, Indonesia. In Jakarta, WRI Indonesia is the implementing organization.

To mark the initiative’s official launch, hundreds of people from around the world attended a virtual conversation on clean air, health and climate solutions with U.S. Senator Bob Menendez and USAID’s Karl Fickenscher, as well as representatives from partners and the pilot cities. Here’s what you need to know. 

Read More »

Also posted in Climate, Concerned Citizen, Energy, Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Homepage, Partners / Comments are closed

Deprived and BAME schoolchildren in London experience greater air pollution burden

By EDF Web Team / Published: February 22, 2021

By: Greg Slater, data analyst

Air pollution varies dramatically across London, which means not all schoolchildren have the same start in life.

Using a powerful new dataset, we found that pollution is significantly higher at primary schools with more students from deprived areas, as well as at schools with a higher proportion of students of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background. With vehicles a major contributor, pollution is also unsurprisingly elevated closest to the cities’ main roads.

Damaging health

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollution is a toxic chemical cocktail that includes nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Road transport – especially diesel vehicles – is a major source of NOx, which can inflame airways and aggravate existing heart and lung conditions.

In fact, recent research shows living near busy roads in London, where NOx pollution is high, may stunt lung growth in children by 12.5%.

Stark inequity

New modelled data produced by Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants as part of the the Breathe London pilot project has allowed us to look at the estimated level of NOx pollution at every London state primary school in 2019.

Our analysis reveals that air pollution does not affect all schoolchildren equally, with children from deprived neighbourhoods exposed to more pollution. When examining the deprivation level (a measure that incorporates a broad range of living conditions, including income, health and access to resources), we found that average NOx levels at schools with pupils attending from the most deprived areas were 27% higher than those at schools with pupils attending from the least deprived areas.

We also found that white students are exposed to less pollution at school. Using the modelled pollution data and census data to estimate the proportion of students of BAME background at each school, the results show that schools with the highest percentage of non-white pupils have average NOx levels that are 28% higher than schools with the lowest proportion of BAME students.

 

Pollution from road transport

By looking at the rise and fall of schools’ NOx levels over the course of a day, we see that pollution peaks around 7-9 am. The chart below also depicts how much is coming from distinct sources, revealing that about 50% of the pollution comes from vehicles during these morning hours. This is when children are typically traveling to school and more likely to be exposed to pollution.

 

We also found that pollution is on average 25% higher at schools within 100 metres of London’s ‘Red Routes’ – with the bulk of local pollution again coming from road transport. Red Routes are the city’s major roads, managed by Transport for London on behalf of the Mayor of London.

 

The number of children studying near these roads varies significantly across London. For example, 20% of primary schools in Wandsworth are near a Red Route compared to 8% for an average London borough.

It’s clear that not all children currently have an equal chance at a healthy future – with deprived and BAME children breathing in significantly more pollution at their primary school. Measures that cut pollution from vehicles and reduce exposure, especially along the Red Routes, are essential to address this inequity and protect young lungs.

Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants produced the NOx pollution dataset as part of the Breathe London pilot project.

EDF Europe provided a data analysis on air pollution at London primary schools to the London Assembly for its February 2021 report.

Also posted in Homepage / Comments are closed

The Breathe London Blueprint is here to guide your city’s monitoring project and inspire clean air action.

By Elizabeth Fonseca / Published: February 9, 2021

A key question for any city considering using lower-cost sensors or mobile monitoring to measure air pollution is, “Can they provide reliable data and insights?”

The short answer is yes and more, as we describe in our Breathe London Blueprint. The Blueprint is a guide that provides essential lessons for cities interested in using hyperlocal monitoring to turn data into clean air action.

The pilot project

For two years we managed the Breathe London pilot project, an ambitious, collaborative effort to map and measure air pollution across the city.

With more than 100 lower-cost sensor pods and specially-equipped Google Street View cars, the pilot complemented and expanded upon London’s existing monitoring networks. The city’s existing regulatory network also provided an excellent opportunity to study the performance of lower-cost sensors and mobile monitoring to determine their reliability and accuracy.

Replicating best practices

Not all cities will have the resources that were available to us in London. That’s why we created the Blueprint guide to share key lessons and help cities replicate best practices, regardless of their starting place or resource level.

We provide guidance to help you get started, including understanding your city’s unique air quality landscape and building your team.

Once you’ve got a better idea of the existing landscape – and you see where data gaps exist – you can set clear goals and design a plan to achieve them.

Achieving your goals

The Breathe London pilot used hyperlocal monitoring to:

  1. Identify pollution hotspots,
  2. Measure the impact of an air quality intervention and
  3. Raise public awareness.

The Blueprint guide explains the approach we took on these three goals and what we found in the process.

Based on what we learned in Breathe London, we include tips for how you can get started on each goal – even if you don’t have as many monitors as we did.

Digging deeper

The Blueprint guide is complemented by the comprehensive technical report, which was written by the entire project consortium and provides a behind-the-scenes look at the practical details and methodology we used.

For anyone interested in digging deeper on the project specifics or the scientific learnings, the technical report is full of detailed scientific information. Topics include quality assurance and control, as well as how the consortium used a novel network-based calibration method.

Looking ahead

We hope the guide provides valuable lessons learned from Breathe London and serves as a blueprint for how to do something similar in your city, regardless of your starting point. Our London insights are already helping our Global Clean Air efforts, such as the work we’re undertaking with Mexico City to scope and shape a hyperlocal monitoring network.

By keeping a spotlight on the threat of air pollution to our health and well-being, data from hyperlocal monitoring is increasingly becoming a viable option to inform better, higher-impact clean air solutions.

To receive news and updates like this, please sign up for our Global Clean Air newsletter.

Image by ZDRAVKO BATALIC.

 

Also posted in London / Comments are closed

Global Clean Air Blog: Houston students thriving during lockdown by learning about air quality

By Kevin Tuerff / Published: January 26, 2021

 

By Shannon Thomas, Project Manager, EDF Environmental Youth Council Program

2019 photo: Houston Environmental Youth Council

Ask parents and educators about the spring 2020 semester, and they’ll likely tell you similar versions of the same story: students were just hitting their strides with various projects and the end of the academic year was in sight. Then it all came to a screeching halt.

The same was true for the students I work with in EDF’s Environmental Youth Council, an educational program for high-school-age youth from communities in Houston that are most affected by high levels of air pollution.

Pasadena Memorial High School teens had learned about the harmful impacts of engine idling as a part of the program. So when a few of our students noticed their classmates leaving their cars running while watching videos on their phones or doing their makeup in the mornings, they were rightfully concerned. They prepared a proposal, went to their principal, and convinced him to adopt a no idling policy in the student parking lot. The students purchased signage and began developing a marketing campaign to support the new policy just as everything shut down.

The signs went into a closet, and I wondered what would become of our program and its 30 students. One of the hallmarks of this program, which started in 2019, has been the creative ways we engage our students. What would happen without the trips to Washington, DC, the hands-on experiments, bus rides to the top of a 200-foot pile of garbage and engaging guest speakers?

Light has a funny way of pushing through darkness, and teenagers can still surprise me.

Growing while meeting virtually

Despite going fully virtual this academic year, we didn’t just keep our Council going; we nearly doubled its size, to 55 students. Teens from Pasadena Memorial, Pasadena High School, and Raul Yzaguirre School for Success in the East End meet online to learn not only about environmental health and science, but also civic leadership, thanks to grant funding from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

By going fully virtual, we’ve actually been able to engage more students. And while the teaching strategies have changed, we’re still able to educate them about the science of air quality and the physical impacts of pollution on the body. 

We’re also hopefully inspiring them to become environmental leaders in their communities, which, due to their proximity to oil and gas refineries, chemical facilities and other industrial sites, are disproportionately impacted by pollution. 

Developing new environmental leaders

One graduate of the program who recently moved away told me she didn’t realize that the odor she smelled every day wasn’t normal. By teaching these students about what’s going on around them and the levers of power that can change it, I hope they’ll develop into leaders who will fight for cleaner air in their communities. 

Houston ship channel

Houston ship channel

So while we haven’t been able to do our boat tour down the Houston Ship Channel this year and won’t be able to visit local Congressional representatives at the U.S. Capitol, I’m excited that such an engaged group of students will emerge from this pandemic with a deeper understanding of the air they breathe and the change they can make. 

 

Read other Global Clean Air blogs here. 

 

Also posted in Academic, Houston / Comments are closed