Bard College’s Center for Environmental Studies and Humanities (CESH) is proud to announce our partnership with Ulster County and our Hudson Valley Community Air Network (HVCAN).
With the County’s generous sponsorship, our Community Sciences Lab has added 17 new, ground-level, air quality sensors onto the JustAir platform to provide real-time air quality data and air quality alerts to residents and workers across Ulster County. This work includes the collaboration of 17 libraries, municipal and community buildings, and data that is quality-controlled and quality-assured in real-time through JustAir.
These air quality sensors measure particles in the air that measure up to 2.5 microns (known as PM2.5). Smaller than 1/20th the diameter of a strand of human hair, PM2.5 has the biggest impact on health, environment, and climate. It is responsible for an estimated 100,000 premature deaths per year in the United States, and is known to cause and/or worsen cardiovascular problems, infant mortality, among other serious conditions.
While the scientific truth is that there is no safe level of PM2.5 exposure, by tracking PM 2.5, Ulster County communities will be able to gain valuable insights into pollution trends, and take steps towards understanding pollution sources, pollution exposure reduction, and air quality improvements.
It’s our air–as a community, we have the right to know if its quality meets our needs!
To sign up for JustAir and receive live air quality text alerts, click here.
