Focusing on an Invisible Problem: Fighting Air Pollution with Citizen Science

What is invisible to the naked eye and more deadly than traffic accidents?

Surprise, it’s air pollution.

While exposure to air pollution is the fourth leader risk factor for death worldwide, remains a silent emergency, as noted by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Let’s face it: air pollution is not a particularly attractive topic. It is difficult to touch or see, and its adverse health effects are not always immediate. In short, it is easy to ignore.

The Sierra Club of Canada Foundation seeks to change this. To bring the issue of air pollution to the fore, the Foundation’s Ontario chapter started a campaign in 2020 called Breathe Easy.

The objectives of the campaign are twofold:

  1. To better understand air quality throughout the city by complementing permanent monitoring stations with low-cost monitors; and
  2. Promote action on air pollution at all levels.

Understanding the local air quality is important; after all, it is difficult to develop a solution if the problem is not understood. While permanent air quality monitoring stations are extremely valuable, they are often in short supply. Meanwhile, air pollution levels can vary significantly both in space and in time.

This is where citizen science comes in. Since its inception, Breathe Easy’s team of citizen scientists, armed with portable air quality monitors, has measured pollution levels throughout the city of Ottawa, where the project is being tested. The goal of Breathe Easy is to raise awareness about the problem of air pollution and inspire action at all levels, both in people’s lives and within the community at large.

Our air quality monitors measure a specific type of air pollutant known as PM2.5. These particles are extremely small, allowing them to penetrate deep enough to enter the blood. Is he more harmful It pollutes the air for human health and is responsible for the majority of deaths.

Opinion: While exposure to air pollution is the fourth largest risk factor for death worldwide, it remains a silent public health emergency, writes Emma De Roy @SierraClubON. #BeatPollution # COP26 #ClimateAction

Breathe Easy is using Ottawa to test a model that can subsequently be applied elsewhere. The reality is that air pollution is not a problem limited to a specific city, it is a problem that affects all Canadians. Clean air is important to us as individuals, to our children, to our parents, and to our friends.

Most people are reminded of air pollution when air quality advisories are issued, for example during wildfires. The advisories are intended to help residents reduce their exposure to high levels of air pollution. While actions taken to mitigate exposure (for example, staying indoors and running an air purifier) ​​can improve the quality of the air we breathe in the short term, they are not long-term solutions.

Furthermore, the available research suggests that even low levels of air pollution can cause adverse health effects. This finding has two implications. First, it suggests that a narrow focus on air pollution during episodes of poor air quality overlooks the broader problem.

Second, it suggests that even small decreases in air pollution, particularly when levels are already low, can lead to notable improvements in our health (among other benefits).

Together with our communities and our governments, we must change our focus from dealing with the repercussions of air pollution and working to fix the cause of the problem.

The good news is that we have the power to drive positive and meaningful change. The good news is that we can accelerate climate action in the process. Although often discussed separately, the two phenomena are intimately intertwined. Rather than focusing on solutions that address either problem, we can make great strides by focusing on strategies that address both air pollution and climate change. These are the solutions we stand for with Breathe Easy.

Individually, we can drive change by modifying our behaviors. We can start small: we can install solar panels, buy an electric vehicle, ensure adequate insulation at home, and run errands on foot or by bike.

Taken together, there are many things our political leaders can and must do to catalyze the necessary systemic changes. This includes electrifying transportation, replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy, and redesigning our urban areas to promote active travel.

COP26 was a poignant reminder that collaborative action is imperative to combat the climate crisis. To turn the tide on climate change and air pollution, we have to take a collective position. By implementing strategies that have collateral benefits for both air pollution and climate change, we will in turn improve public health.

What can you do to drive these large-scale changes? Make your voice count. Use it to advocate for clean air and a healthy planet for future generations. Voluntary. Attend a rally. Ask politicians to prioritize a sustainable future and lead our communities.

More and more people are committing to act. Will you join us?

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The Breathe Easy campaign is carried out in cooperation with Ecology Ottawa and with funding from the Ottawa Community Foundation. The campaign is currently in the process of expanding, both within and outside of Ottawa.

For more information or to get involved, visit: https://www.sierraclub.ca/en/breatheeasy-campaign

Reference-www.nationalobserver.com

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