Applications to Clean Air Together (Galway City) are now closed, further details of the project to follow shortly.

Following its success in Dublin and Cork City, Clean Air Together has moved to Galway City to measure air quality levels.

It is a citizen science project where up to 500 participants will record levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) in their local area.

This will give us a better understanding of air pollution in the Galway City Council administrative area and help to improve air quality in the future.

Up to 500 participants will be selected from the applications sent in. They will then be posted out a measuring tube to install outside their chosen location from October 2^nd to 26^th, 2023. Over this measurement period, the tubes will measure NO₂ levels in the air. They will then be taken down and posted to a laboratory for analysis. Finally, all the results will be displayed on a map on this website.

Air is of huge importance to life in all its forms. When we breathe, we absorb a lot of what is in the air into our bodies. In general, the more particles or gases in the air we breathe that are unhealthy for us (called pollutants), the unhealthier we are. If we want to stay healthy, we must ensure we have air that is as free from pollutants as possible. The less pollutants in the air the better our air quality. While progress has been made in making our air cleaner, much more needs to be done to improve our air quality. Poor air quality is responsible for significant public health impacts and environmental damage. So, making our air cleaner really matters.

 

Where do pollutants in the air come from?

While natural events may affect air quality, day-to-day human activities have a greater impact. In Ireland emissions from:

• Home heating
• Transport
• Agriculture and
• Energy generation

all contribute to poorer air quality throughout the year.

 

The EPA measures air pollution regularly. It also uses computers to predict how much pollution there will be in the future. These show that in some urban areas NO2 pollution is increasing. There has been no exceedance of the EU limit value recorded in Galway city for this pollutant yet, however it will be important to remain vigilant to increasing NO2 levels. This is particularly the case in urban centres from transport when the economy grows.  Find out more on our page – What can I do to help?

 

How does poor air quality affect us?

Poor air quality has serious health implications. Those suffering from asthma and respiratory conditions are most affected. In the short term, it can cause temporary illnesses such as headaches, breathing difficulties or eye irritation. Over the long term, it can contribute to more serious illnesses such as:

• Stroke
• Heart disease
• Lung cancer
• Chronic and acute respiratory diseases including asthma.

Air pollution impacts our environment. It affects the quality of fresh water, soil, and ecosystems. Air pollution impacts our environment. It affects the quality of fresh water, soil, and ecosystems.

In 2016, an EU wide analysis estimated that poor air quality was a factor in more than 400,000 premature deaths. In Ireland, poor air quality is estimated to be a factor in the premature deaths of 1,300 people due to poor air quality from fine particulate matter (PM_2.5). The World Health Organisation has described air pollution as the ‘single biggest environmental health risk’

 

If you care about your own, your family’s and your community’s health, then you should care about air quality

To ensure healthy air quality for all, we need to stop the ways our society creates air pollution. These changes need to come at every level of society for that to happen. Companies, governments, communities, individuals, all have a role to play. You can do your part in many ways. Here are some of them:

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) is a pollutant gas. It mainly comes from traffic emissions and other fossil fuel combustion processes. It can also come from home heating, power stations, and the use of nitrogen (fertiliser and manure) in agriculture. Being exposed to NO₂ gas, even just for short periods, can have harmful effects on our health and wellbeing.

Its presence in air contributes to the formation and modification of other air pollutants, such as ozone and particulate matter, and to acid rain.

 

What is the air quality like in Ireland?

Ireland’s air quality currently is good, relative to other European Union (EU) Member States, but keeping this standard is a growing challenge. The levels of particulate matter (tiny particles of pollution) and the measurements of NO2 over EU limits is of increasing concern.  

Also, while our air quality might be good in comparison to other EU states, all levels of pollutants can do serious damage to our health. For example, currently, air pollution in Ireland leads to the premature death of three people, on average, a day.

Government and industry policy can have a huge impact on the levels of pollution in the air. These policies can support:

• Clean public transport systems*
• More incentives for electric cars*
• Pedestrian and cycle-friendly networks*
• More energy-efficient buildings
• Restrictions on solid fuel use systems
• City or district heating
• Updating of old heating systems

* These are the main actions that will reduce NO₂ and other traffic related pollutants

Raise any concerns with your local public representative. This may help get their support for cleaner air and healthier communities.

• Change your travel behaviour, try to walk or cycle for shorter trips instead of using your car. This creates zero emissions and is steps towards a healthier lifestyle. Enquire with your company about; the Bike to Work scheme, safe and secure cycle parking and changing facilities at work.
• Consider public transport as a more sustainable alternative to the private car.
• Can you make your journeys using cleaner transport options? Could you consider an electric vehicle for your next purchase?
• Alter your driving habits and switching off your engine when the vehicle is stopped. This helps reduce NO2 emissions. It will also reduce the amount of pollution pedestrians and cyclists will breathe in.
• Support flexible working arrangements, such as home working. This helps reduce the number of vehicles on the road.

Is there an alternative way to heat your house than an open fire or stove? If you do use these, think about how you could be more efficient with the heat you have with these tips for heat efficiency.

There are plenty of ways for your house to contribute less to air pollution. There also SEAI grants that will help you to do this.

Tell others about what you have learned and what you have done. You can do this in many ways including through telling your family and friends, or through social media.

Share the campaign on Twitter

Share the campaign on Instagram

Share the campaign on Facebook

‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.’

Clean Air Together (Galway City) is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) led project, in partnership with the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce and Galway City Council.  

Many citizen science projects on air quality have been run all over the world. This project was inspired by an experiment called CurieuzeNeuzen (Curious Noses) in Belgium and over the last two years – Clean Air Together has taken place in both Dublin and Cork city. The Belgian project was the largest ever European Air Quality test. It was a fantastic success with impacts for society, science, policy and awareness in Flanders while in Dublin and Cork city – we were overwhelmed with the interest and success in Clean Air Together, receiving over 3,000 expressions of interest to participate in the project. We hope that we will have a similar success in Galway city. Find out more about the Belgian project at curieuzeneuzen.be.

By using people power to gain understanding of air quality we can make great progress in the challenges we face to improve the air we breathe. We can make Clean Air Together!

Would you like to know what the air quality is in your area? Now is your chance to find out! At the same time, you could also be contributing to scientific research that could ultimately help improve Galway city’s air quality.

1. Do you live within the boundaries of the Galway City Council administrative area?
2. Are you available to take a simple measurement on the dates of the project? (Measurement period, 2^nd – 26^th October 2023)
3. Are you willing to install a measurement tube in your local area?
4. Are you happy to receive communications from the project team?

Note: Applications to Clean Air Together (Galway City) are now closed, further details of the project to follow shortly.

 

1. Citizens that are residents within the boundaries of the Galway City Council administrative area are encouraged to apply to be part of the project by September 13^th.
2. It is free to take part!
3. Up to 500 participants will be selected for the project from all eligible applications received, based on their locations.
4. Selected participants will be posted out a measurement tube to be put outside their chosen location from 2^nd October.
5. On the completion date of October 26^th, participants will take down the measurement tubes. The tubes will then be posted back (in a pre-paid self-addressed envelope) to the laboratory for analysis. The tube will measure NO₂ levels over the period.
6. We will create an interactive map on this website displaying the results. You will be able to see how your Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) levels compare to other parts of Galway city. The results will also be communicated to participants.

 

If you are a resident within Galway city and over 18 years of age, you can register your interest to take part in Clean Air Together. You don’t have to have any scientific knowledge or expertise at all. Unfortunately, not everyone who applies to take part will be selected. There is a limit of 500 tubes that need to be spread across the city as evenly as possible.

People living outside Galway city can find out how they can help by going to this page – What can you do to make our air cleaner?

 

 

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is a pollutant gas that mainly comes from vehicle traffic. You can find out more about it on our page – Why is Air Quality Important?

Being exposed to NO₂ gas, even just for short periods, can have harmful effects on our health and wellbeing. EPA monitoring and computer modelling show that in some urban areas NO₂ pollution is increasing. It will be important to remain vigilant to increasing NO₂ levels, particularly from transport in urban centres when the economy grows. 

Participants will be selected primarily based on location.  

• We’re particularly interested in measurement areas that have a lot of traffic.
  
  
• We aim to have at least 15 measurement tubes per each electorate division of Galway City Council.

We also want as many people as possible from all walks of life to take part. You don’t have to have any scientific knowledge to take part.

The data from Clean Air Together will be combined with air quality data from the EPA’s monitoring network. This will give a bigger and better picture of air quality in Galway city. The data will be used to check EPA computer models and to better understand air quality in Galway city. We aim to raise awareness of the project's results and air quality in general. Our hope is that this will feed in to air quality policy and promote behavioural change. Our aim is these results will move us towards better air quality. 

By September 20^th (approximately).