Surrey Air Quality for Schools Programme

Aether, in partnership with London Sustainability Exchange (LSx), Surrey Air Alliance and Surrey County Council, has helped to create and implement a Cleaner Air for Schools Programme in Surrey. The programme aims to teach children about local air quality issues and what they can do to help reduce air pollution at their school through a series of workshops and learning resources. Aether was responsible for creating and adapting the learning resources, including a data visualisation which enables school children to learn about air quality.

The challenge

There are 26 Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) in Surrey. These relate to levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) which are over legal limits. There are a number of schools which fall either in or within 2 km of these AQMAs and may therefore be exposed to air pollution.

The solution

Through this DEFRA funded project, LSx and Aether have created and implemented a Cleaner Air for Schools Programme in Surrey which aims to educate children of all ages on the causes and impacts of air pollution and ways in which it can be reduced. The programme included a series of workshops, diffusion tube surveys at each selected school and the creation of learning resources including teaching notes and an interactive data visualisation. The programme conducted diffusion tube surveys and workshops in 30 schools in Surrey.

The result

Aether’s online, interactive data visualisation can be seen here. The visualisation allows children to explore information and data on air quality in a fun and engaging way. It helps them to learn about air pollution, how it can be monitored, levels of air pollution at their school (from diffusion tube surveys) and actions they can take to reduce air pollution.

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