Air pollution is a major global public health crisis, contributing up to 8.1 million premature deaths per year worldwide, with an estimated 100,000 Americans dying prematurely annually due to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Exposure to PM2.5 represents a significant environmental justice issue, with communities of color experiencing disproportionate exposure compared to predominantly white communities. Queens County, New York exemplifies this challenge (Figure 1) with the presence of airports, highways, electricity generation units and e-commerce distribution centers in several Queens Environmental Justice (EJ) communities further impacting air quality and creating an urgent need for co-designed community-oriented social interventions to understand and mitigate this environmental injustice.

Figure 1: Environmental justice indicators in Queens, New York, shaded by percentile. Upper left: PM2.5 concentration; upper right: poverty; middle left: percentage of people of color; middle right: childhood asthma cases; bottom left: designated EJ communities. Credit: EJScreen

Figure 1: Environmental justice indicators in Queens, New York, shaded by percentile. Upper left: PM2.5 concentration; upper right: poverty; middle left: percentage of people of color; middle right: childhood asthma cases; bottom left: designated EJ communities. Credit: EJScreen

This community-centered project will streamline multiple forms of air quality data from 2000 to present, including satellite data, ground-based reference monitors, and ground-based air sensors, to develop a daily update on air quality in this geographic area (Figure 2). The project will focus on EJ communities and deploy at least 25 new monitoring sites in previously unmonitored areas, with local schools and community groups building and owning the sensors. This approach not only addresses critical data gaps in underserved areas but also empowers communities to understand hyperlocal air quality trends that were previously inaccessible without advanced technical training.

Figure 2: A schematic overview of the workflow. This methodology has been pioneered previously by Westervelt et al. (2025): https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsestair.4c00366.

Figure 2: A schematic overview of the workflow. This methodology has been pioneered previously by Westervelt et al. (2025): https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsestair.4c00366.

The project's social impact strategy centers on making air quality data accessible and actionable through a bilingual (English/Spanish) website and smartphone app that provides real-time data, health recommendations, and interactive mapping features. Beyond data provision, the initiative includes comprehensive community outreach through community organizations including Queens Together and Solar One Green Design Lab, schools (including The High School for Construction Trades, Engineering, and Architecture), faith-based organizations, town halls, public libraries, and science museums, with hands-on demonstrations and educational activities designed to increase air quality awareness and tool usage. By involving students in sensor construction and deployment, and targeting family engagement through school-based interventions, the project aims to democratize environmental data access while building local capacity for air quality monitoring and advocacy. The ultimate aim is to change policy and practice, leading to meaningful social and health impacts in Queens communities. 

Project Partners: 

• Queens Together
• Solar One Green Design Lab
• The High School for Construction Trades, Engineering and Architecture (NYC Public Schools)