Perspectives on Sustainable Development
Environmental justice and climate change are driving decarbonization across industrial sectors and throughout everyday life. There are many nuanced issues that planners will face as they try to sustainably reshape our world. This podcast will focus on climate and EJ but also bring on associated experts to speak about how these issues affect their fields. From city planning, economic development, transportation, education, national security, mental health, manufacturing, supply chain...we should all be considering how climate and EJ considerations will affect our decision paradigms.
Join me every two weeks as we discuss critical issues with thought leaders who know them best.
Logo credit and general assistance: Uzziah Davis
Perspectives on Sustainable Development
Episode 16: Community Air Monitoring Networks
One of the topics that I have been asked about most over the last few years from community members is how they can get their own community air monitoring. Many are concerned over possible contamination in their air, and want to see improvements. As we often say, their lived experiences are the ultimate screening tool. They know if there's a problem. There is a direct link between air contamination and health impacts, and objective tools like ambient air monitors can help inform policy choices which will ultimately equate to lower emissions.
My guests this episode, Eben Cross (Chief Science Office and Co-Founder, QuantAQ) and Darren Riley (Co-Founder and CEO, JustAir Solutions), are experts on this topic. I pose a role play to them where I am a concerned community member and they walk me through what's involved and why this is so important. My hope is that this sort of information may help communities in need apply for grant support to get these monitors in place. There is great potential for collaboration in this space.
Show Notes/Suggested Resources
- EPA
- Webinar Series on Community Air Monitoring Fundamentals
- NIEHS
- Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH) Webinar Series on Community Air Monitoring
- Bay Air Center
Defining an Air Monitoring Objective by Asking the Right Questions – Worksheet - There's also the Thriving Communities Grantmakers Subgrant program which will go live for most regions any day now (supposed to be Fall 2024). This program is designed to be lower-overhead, faster-turn to resources at the $75-350k/project funding level.
Community Change Grant link to that unprecedented $2B program
