Project Healthy Air works with students, teachers, meteorologists, and air quality experts. Students as Citizen Scientists see air pollution monitoring as an experiential learning opportunity to understand air quality issues. The project gets them hands-on with scientific tools. Knowledge and understanding of air pollution help them to realise that the environment is central to our lives, and the air is a resource that we all share, and we must take care of it.
The continuous exposure to air pollution can lead to health issues. To tackle this problem, we must first understand air pollution and identify its sources. By monitoring air quality, we can plan and implement solutions to reduce exposure for those most vulnerable and also help in improving air quality - outdoors and indoors. Students get an opportunity to regularly monitor the air quality on the campus as part of the project. They interact with scientists to understand and interpret the air quality data that they collect. As Air Quality Champions, the students create action plans for simple positive actions and any recommendations to reduce air pollution in and near the school.
As part of Project Healthy Air in Delhi NCR, we work with the Lung Care Foundation, the Centre of Excellence for Research on Clean Air at IIT Delhi and the Indian Meteorological Society (IMS). IMS works closely with the Indian Meteorological Department.
The UrbanEmissions.Info, a repository of information, research, and analysis related to air pollution, has provided useful resources to educate young people about air quality.
"Lung Care Foundation is pleased to announce its collaboration with Earthwatch Institute India on project 'Healthy Air' to create awareness about air quality levels in Delhi-NCR and promote actions to reduce Air Pollution.
The project will engage the students and teachers associated with LCF’s Breathe Easy Stay Tough schools’ clubs to be a citizen scientist by regularly monitoring air quality in and around their institutions. The data collected will help engage these teachers and students on a regular basis and device and implement individual or community level solutions to reduce pollution."
Professor (Dr.) Arvind Kumar, Founder & Managing Trustee,
Lung Care Foundation, Chairman, Centre for Chest Surgery & Director, Institute of Robotic Surgery, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi.
"I am happy to say that Indian Meteorological Society (IMS) and Earthwatch Institute India (EWI) have collaborated to develop and implement the Project Healthy Air using the model of citizen science to create a space for participation and rekindle exploratory spirit in science for the public at large while bringing valuable awareness for sustaining the life-supporting nature around us. Under this project, students and teachers are regularly monitoring air quality using scientific equipment in and near their institution."
Air Vice-Marshal (Retd.) Professor Ajit Tyagi, Member, W.M.O. Monsoon Panel, Member, Working Group on Tropical Meteorology Research, and Former Director General of Meteorology, and Permanent Representative of India with W.M.O.
"It is a pleasure to know that Centre of Excellence for Research on Clean Air (CERCA) at IIT Delhi is a knowledge partner to Earthwatch Institute India in the 'Project Healthy Air'. I am sure that the students would get an opportunity to work on Air Quality issues and participate as citizen scientists while regularly monitoring air quality in the campus as part of the project."
Arun Duggal, Founder, Centre of Excellence for Research on Clean Air (CERCA), IIT Delhi.
"Air quality impacts people from all walks of life. It has an impact on human health and well-being. Earthwatch Institute India and Indian Meteorological Society are working together to develop and implement ‘Project Healthy Air’ to engage with young people, students and teachers with air quality studies and programmes.
The unique feature of this programme is to use the citizen science approach, providing hands-on experience to the students to learn about the air quality parameters with the help of scientists and meteorologists. With this scientific understanding and orientation, the students will have a conviction to work towards small steps and solutions to improve the air quality in our cities and towns."
Professor Sushil Kumar Dash, President, Indian Meteorological Society, Formerly Professor and Head, Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, IIT Delhi.