Wokingham borough council has installed air quality monitors outside four schools in the town that are working to reduce harmful emissions from vehicle trips.
The devices are linked to displays that show a happy face when pollutants are below the World Health Organisation’s recommended thresholds. Above this limit, they show a sad face.
They’ve been installed for a 12-month period, with funding from Defra and support from My Journey Wokingham, at:
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Evendons Primary School, Finchampstead Road.
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Hawthorns Primary School, Northway.
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Westende Junior School, Seaford Road.
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Emmbrook Junior School, Emmbrook Road.
They track nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, both of which cause a range of breathing and other health problems. As well as showing the latest levels every 15 minutes, the data is recorded to highlight long-term trends.
These schools are already working hard to encourage parents and pupils to walk, cycle and use public transport instead of driving, and the monitors will help them to track the impact of their efforts.
These monitors were repurposed from a previous scheme, rather than purchasing new ones, which supports the council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan and sustainability goals.
Suppliers Earth Sense and Yunex believe this could be the first scheme of its kind in the UK.
