CleanAIRE NC’s New Online Air Pollution Tool
There’s a new online tool for North Carolina citizens to use in tracking air pollution levels and sources where they live. WFAE radio Climate Intern Stella Mackler last week reported on CleanAIRE NC’s release of the AirKeeper Dashboard, “an interactive map that shows air quality data and the location of polluters. It also highlights demographic and health data, such as a community’s average rate of asthma or different cancers.”
Air Pollution in NC
Understanding and minimizing exposure to health risks from air pollution starts with identifying air pollution sources. In North Carolina, the main sources of air pollution are energy and industrial facilities, cars and trucks, and construction. The most common pollutants include particle pollution, ground-level ozone, and diesel pollution. Inhaling tiny particles that can pass through cell membranes and into the bloodstream can cause three of the five leading causes of death in North Carolina: chronic lower respiratory diseases, diabetes, and stroke. Similarly, ground-level ozone and diesel exhaust pollution have adverse respiratory effects, especially among vulnerable populations.
The AirKeeper Dashboard
CleanAIRE NC’s AirKeeper Dashboard supports community-driven advocacy on a comprehensive platform. The dashboard shows current and historical air quality readings as well as demographic and health data for spatial comparison.
“To look at things on a map, you really get a bird’s eye view and a sense of proximity to these polluting sources,” CleanAIRE NC’s Z Strawderman said. “Maybe there’s something in your community that you didn’t even realize was there, or an air permit that you didn’t realize one of these facilities had, because they might be away from view.” In addition, there are already more than 100 “AirKeepers” who host monitors on their houses to contribute to data collection in communities across North Carolina, concentrating on communities that are overburdened with polluting facilities. Interested citizens can access the AirKeeper Dashboard here.
