- Researchers and artists collaborated internationally to make air pollution visible, emphasizing health risks, through a project called “Air of the Anthropocene.”
- The initiative combines digital light painting and low-cost air pollution sensors to produce photographic evidence of pollution levels in cities across India, Ethiopia, and the UK.
- The project used low-cost sensors to measure PM mass concentrations, with real-time signals controlling a moving LED array to visually represent pollution levels.
- The light painting method provides a visual understanding of air pollution accessible to non-scientists, highlighting the significant impact of managing pollution on daily life.
- Findings published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, show how project photographs spurred discussions on air pollution.
- In India, illustrations covered playgrounds in urban Delhi and rural Palampur, showing PM2.5 values in Palampur were at least 12.5 times lower than in Delhi.
- Air pollution is the leading global environmental risk factor, causing diseases like heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
- The project has been exhibited in galleries in Los Angeles, Belfast, and Birmingham, using art to communicate and create dialogues about air pollution issues.
Dig Deeper: What are the key government initiatives to control Air Pollution in India?
