Empowering Future Environmental Stewards: The Kids Making Sense Pilot Program by the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency
December 11, 2023
Community Members in Texas Use Air Sensors to Increase Air Quality Awareness
Hands-on Approach using Air Sensors
Between summer 2023 and summer 2024, the Environmental Community Advocates of Galena Park (ECAGP) engaged 100 community members and students in measuring air quality in their neighborhoods using the Kids Making Sense program. The students ranged in age from 2 to 18 years old, and had no access to handheld air sensor technology to visualize air quality prior to the ECGAP program.
The Kids Making Sense curriculum was developed by a partnership of teachers and scientists, resulting in material that is educational and has real-world applications. By identifying sources of pollution in their neighborhoods and schools, participants naturally begin to identify ways they can mitigate their exposure to particle pollution, such as walking around the student drop off area where vehicles are idling. They are also encouraged to brainstorm actions they can take to contribute less to pollution in their area, like turning the car off when they are waiting to pick someone up or reducing bonfires that generate PM pollution in smoke.
The Mission of Environmental Community Advocates of Galena Park
ECAGP educates community members about environmental conditions in Galena Park, TX, and the surrounding areas, and are actively involved in increasing awareness of air quality, healthcare access, and the built environment for under-served communities. By using the Kids Making Sense program with students and their parents, ECAGP was able to uniquely allow multiple generations to benefit from an improved understanding of PM concentrations in their air and how these may impact their health. The Kids Making Sense curriculum educates users on various sources of particle pollution and common health impacts of different types of PM pollution (PM10 and PM2.5). This builds a better understanding of particle sizes and how they affect human health.
What’s Next?
In addition to providing community members with a hands-on experience in air monitoring, the Kids Making Sense program enhanced user’s understanding of the air quality monitoring process and data interpretation. Air Alliance Houston, ECAGP, and other local organizations hope that the program will build deeper understanding in the community of the ongoing local air monitoring efforts. With time, the knowledge gained will hopefully transfer to the adult community to increase air quality awareness.
In the meantime, the program is growing to include more community members throughout the summer, spring, and fall. ECAGP also has plans to start a sensor loan program at local middle and high schools so students with an interest in air quality can access handheld air sensors and conduct their own experiments in their communities. Hopefully by involving students and their families in the process of improving air quality, community members will feel empowered to make changes and advocate for improved practices in the Houston region in the future.
For more information on the Galena Park efforts, please visit: https://www.ecagp.org/home
To express interest in setting up a similar program in your region, please contact: oryder@sonomatech.com or hello@kidsmakingsense.org
If you are interested in bringing Kids Making Sense® to a school near you, Sonoma Technology can help write a proposal to secure SEP grant funding. Email Program Director Olivia Ryder at ORyder@SonomaTech.com for more information!
