Wednesday 26 October 2016

Air monitoring workshop - find out how dusty Deptford's air is

The Citizen Sense initiative at Goldsmiths is launching a new type of air pollution monitor at a free workshop in Deptford this weekend.



The new 'Dustbox' measures particulate matter in the air, which is very different from the previous citizen science monitoring that was carried out in Deptford back in 2014 and revealed shocking levels of nitrous dioxide at traffic hotspots around the area. Particulate matter consists of a wide range of materials, from salt and silica to diesel, pollen, and carbon - at times congealed with volatile organic compounds.

At the workshop at the Deptford Lounge this weekend, participants will discuss air quality in London, and look at low-cost technologies that they can use to monitor their environments. They will be introduced to the Dustbox particulate matter 2.5 monitor, which also be available for participants to take away after the workshop.

The event also includes a walk in Deptford to look at sites for air quality monitoring and will be led by Jennifer Gabrys, Helen Pritchard and Lara Houston of Citizen Sense. Guest speakers include: Leonie Cooper, who is a councillor for Furzedown Ward in Wandsworth, the Labour London Assembly for Merton & Wandsworth, as well as chair of the environment committee; Abigail Whitehouse, clinical research fellow at the Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London and  Ana Bernardo, who is project assistant at the London Sustainability Exchange.

The event is free but tickets must be booked - more information available here.

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