This program focuses on using Do-It-Yourself (DIY) air pollution monitors to engage students in hands-on learning, emphasizing the importance of monitoring air quality during their daily commutes to and from school. Additionally, it assesses behavior change through workshops and pre- and post-intervention evaluations.
This program provides a hands-on, scientific approach to learning, empowering students with tools to monitor their environment while developing awareness and behavior that promote healthier lifestyles. The combination of DIY tools, data-driven insights, and behavior-change strategies ensures that students are engaged, informed, and equipped to make positive changes in their communities.
Program Structure
Phase 1: Pre-Workshop Baseline Assessment (Behavior and Knowledge Survey)
- Pre-Intervention Survey:
- Assess students’ baseline knowledge about air pollution, exposure, and health impacts.
- Measure students’ behavior regarding transportation choices (e.g., walking vs. taking the bus) and attitudes toward air pollution mitigation strategies.
- Introduction Workshop:
- Overview of air pollution basics and sources (PM2.5, PM10, NO₂).
- Hands-on session: Assemble DIY air quality monitors with students.
- Explain the importance of monitoring air pollution during commutes and encourage students to make observations about their environment.
Phase 2: Data Collection During School Commutes (1–2 Weeks)
- Commute Monitoring:
- Students carry DIY monitors or sensors to record air quality on the way to and from school.
- Data points include:
- PM2.5 and PM10 levels.
- Timing of commute (morning vs. afternoon).
- Mode of transport (walking, bus, bike, etc.).
- Route details (traffic-heavy roads, green spaces).
- Observation Journal:
- Students note environmental observations (e.g., exhaust fumes, dusty roads) and personal symptoms (e.g., wheezing, coughing).
Phase 3: Post-Workshop and Behavior Intervention
- Intervention Workshop:
- Present data findings from student commutes and analyze trends.
- Compare air quality differences based on transportation mode and route.
- Discussion on how transportation choices impact pollution exposure and health outcomes.
- Introduce behavior-change strategies (e.g., route changes, public transport alternatives).
- Interactive Activities:
- Role-play solutions for reducing pollution exposure (e.g., choosing Car-Free Day routes or planting trees along school routes).
- Develop personal action plans to reduce exposure to pollutants.
Phase 4: Post-Intervention Monitoring and Survey
- Continued Monitoring:
- Students monitor air quality again for 1 week using their DIY monitors after the behavior-change intervention.
- Post-Intervention Survey:
- Measure any changes in student behavior and attitudes toward air quality.
- Assess awareness of air pollution risks and whether students adopted safer commuting practices (e.g., taking a cleaner route, carpooling, or biking more often).
Expected Outcomes
- Empowered Students:
- Students gain hands-on experience with air quality science and understand how their choices affect pollution exposure.
- Behavior Change:
- Encourages students to alter their commuting behavior (e.g., carpool, use cleaner routes) to reduce exposure.
- Improved Health Awareness:
- Students become more conscious of how air quality affects health and can advocate for policy changes (e.g., electric school buses, Car-Free Days).
- Community Impact:
- Students present their findings to school authorities or local governments, advocating for environmental changes (like switching to electric school buses).
Program Sustainability and Scale-Up Opportunities
- Partner with schools and transportation authorities to monitor air quality continuously and implement cleaner transportation options (e.g., cycling programs, electric buses).
- Expand the program to other schools or regions to build a citizen science network for youth-driven air quality monitoring.
- Encourage participants to participate in local air quality campaigns or share data with community stakeholders for advocacy efforts.