Founder. Environmentalist. EV Enthusiast. Dad.

How to measure air quality; improve the air in your home, school or workplace; and help others do the same

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Our children (& us) breathe in pollution at frightening levels in some places in the UK on an often daily occurrence, many schools (especially inside cities) show above dangerous levels of pollution with more than 25% of all British schools and colleges surrounded by ‘dangerously high’ levels of air pollution and even in #1 urban place in the UK for air pollution in the same month as our new baby was born it wasn’t safe to take our baby outside!

I’m sure I don’t need to educate you that pollution is bad for our children (and us), but just in case you’re not aware:

In a modern country like the UK this shouldn’t be a concern in 2021 but it is, I’ve recently been working with Milton Keynes Get Around MK to help with a school programme they’re running and I found that it can be a bit of a minefield for the untrained eye, here are my findings:

I find these particular images extremely useful. Source: Idling Action

How to measure / track air pollution:

Physical devices

Apps/websites

Source: Idling Action

How to improve the air quality

Inside:

  • Plants – Probably the most obvious one of the lot
  • Remember that pollutants can also come from things already in your home such as within volatile organic compounds, gases from heating & cooking, dust, damp, smoke, glues, paints, caulks, pesticides, cosmetics, and detergents etc)
  • Naturally venting your house, school or workplace via windows and doors
  • HEPA Filter or from brands like IQAIR
  • Use AirLite Paint
  • Buy air from the countryside (joke

Outside:

  • Reduce the pollution at source (pedestrian only areas, anti idling areas, electric vehicle chargers, walk to school/work days etc)
  • Reduce the spread of pollution by investing in living/green walls and outdoor plants
  • Push for legal change so all emmissions are properly paid for by those that emit them
  • Move to an electric car (Use code: OEV-TT93 here for a £50 Amazon voucher)
  • Move to renewable energy tariff (e.g. Bulb or Octopus)
Source: Idling Action

How to educate guides / toolkits / useful links / videos etc

Seeing pollution is really difficult

Top image: British Lung Foundation

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Follow Will to keep up to date with my latest escapades and top tips for success. If you have an exciting project that I will enjoy make contact.

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