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GLOBE Ireland Classroom Resource:

Air Quality Campaign Guide

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GLOBE Air Quality Campaign �The Basics

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What we know so far…

Air pollution = Any substance in the air that is harmful to humans, other forms of life, and materials.

There are many different air pollutants (e.g., PM_2.5& NO₂)

Air quality (AQ) = The amounts of pollutants in the air at any given time.

Low AQ can cause health problems (especially in vulnerable people)

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What’s the deal with NO₂?

NO₂ is a traffic-related pollutant

NO₂ pollution is usually worse in cities and along busy roads

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The impact of traffic on NO₂ levels

NO₂ levels dropped globally during COVID-19 lockdowns

Less traffic = lower NO₂ levels

After lockdown

Before lockdown

Click here

to see how NO₂ levels changed over Europe during lockdown

Credit: Mario Tama

60%

Decrease in NO₂ in big cities

NO₂

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How does nature affect NO₂ levels?

Remember to consider these factors when analysing your Air Quality results!

Wind and rain can disperse pollution

Pollution is more concentrated in poorly ventilated spaces where it can’t escape (e.g., tunnels & narrow roads)

Valley landscapes can cause a build-up of pollution

Traffic-related air pollution levels changes throughout the year because of:

Weather (In windy weather, air pollutants can be moved around, nitrogen dioxide can vary within 10s of metres of its source (car exhaust) whereas on very still days air pollutants can accumulate and may reach higher levels. If it is very rainy, the air pollutant can be washed to the surface as ‘acid rain’ which can damage plant life and buildings.

Ventilation (The architecture of your surrounding streets can also affect how much air pollution is in your area. A narrow street can be more polluted than a wide street due to poor ventilation i.e., the pollutant has no way to escape)

Landscape (On hill tops and exposed areas, moderate wind will typically cause the pollutant to be dispersed (blown and spread out) but in low-lying areas like valleys, it is harder for the wind to penetrate, causing air pollutants to become trapped and levels of air pollution to rise)

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GLOBE Air Quality Campaign

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Types of surveys

Air Pollution (NO₂) Surveys

Measures: Nitrogen dioxide concentration

Measuring period: 4 weeks

Required

Traffic-related Surveys

Optional

Weather Observations

Optional

Credit: Roscommon Community College

There are 3 types of surveys to do during the AQ Campaign but only 1 is required

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Each team will receive an Air Quality Equipment Pack with everything you need to monitor air pollution

Put your tubes in the fridge AS SOON AS you receive it. Only remove them once it’s time to put them up.

Important

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Before measuring air pollution, we must first decide where to put up the NO₂ tubes. To do this, create a map of your school showing the spots with lots of traffic and spots far away from traffic.

This map of your school is called a Clean Air Map.

1

Step

Create a map of your school

Activity: Create a Clean Air Map

(Click HERE for detailed instructions)

Your map should include the following:

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Option 1: Hand-drawn map

Hand-drawn map of secondary school – credit to Drimnagh Castle school student

Use a map or aerial photo as a reference for your hand-drawn map. Draw the outlines of the major buildings, outdoor playing areas (yard, field/pitches), and nearby roads from a ‘birds eye view’ perspective (looking down).

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Option 2: Digital map

Use computer software such as Google Earth, Google Maps or other mapping software to find an aerial view of your school.

Mark out the important features using the tools provided in the program or save screenshot of the map and add shapes and text using Microsoft Office (e.g., PowerPoint).

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Each team will get 3 NO₂ tubes to put up in 3 different locations. We recommend placing a tube in each of the following locations:

2

Step

Pick your study sites

Use your Clean Air Map to choose your tube locations

(e.g., near a main road or motorway)

(e.g., road with mostly school-related traffic or parking lot)

(e.g., green space or sports field)

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Mount your tube to a pole/tree using the plastic holder and cable tie provided
The grey cap must be at the TOP
Remove the white cap & store it for later
Leave your tube for 4 weeks

3

Step

Put up the NO₂ tubes

Tubes up: 25 September

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Teachers will receive a link to a form to input the following crucial information for each tube:

Tube Number (7-digit code)
Installation Time & Date
Tube Location

Send us your info

Double-check the Tube Number when you type it in to ensure that it is correct. The lab will link this number to your results

Note

Click HERE to access the Tube Up Form

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Leave your tubes up for the next 4 weeks until 23 October.

During this time, we recommend that you do Weather Observations and Traffic-related Surveys.

Results from these surveys may help you explain your NO₂ results later!

4

Step

And now we wait…

4 Weeks

Click HERE to access the Weather & Traffic Observation Poster

Print this poster on an A2 page to record and display your Weather & Traffic results

We have provided a pdf with a GLOBE Weather and Traffic Observation Chart that you can print out (A2 landscape)

Ideally, students will be able to do traffic counts (twice per week) during the monitoring period by recording the number of cars that pass by during a 5-minute interval. A count of idling cars at drop off or pick up times would help understand if this is a problem at your school, if it is, an anti-idling campaign could be established to address this issue.

We also recommend recording weather observations on the GLOBE Cloud Observation Chart. You can collect cloud observations using the GLOBE Observer App and then submit your data directly to NASA/GLOBE. Instructions are available in the Clouds Guide. Students can collect rainfall, wind and wind direction observations from your school weather station/GLOBE equipment or directly from Met Eireann.

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Make Weather Observations

The following weather may influence your air pollution results:

Wind and rain may blow or wash pollutants away from its original source.

E.g., if your school is downwind from a motorway or factory, it may cause high NO₂readings even in remote areas.
OR you may have low NO₂ reading in heavy traffic zones, if the pollution is constantly dispersed by wind or rain.

To help explain your NO₂ results, we suggest that you do some basic weather observations.

Optional

Clouds

Wind

Rainfall

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How to do Weather Observations

Cloud Observations

Wind Readings

Rainfall

(Click HERE to access the hourly forecast from Met Éireann)

Use the GLOBE Observer Cellphone App

Use the GLOBE Cloud Datasheet & Identification Chart

Use a

rain gauge

Use professional data

Use your own weather station data

(Click HERE to access the Weather Observation Website )

Use citizen-science data

(Click HERE to access the Met Éireann website)

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Do a Traffic Survey to help explain your NO₂ results.

An idling car can cause more air pollution than a moving car!

Did you know?

Traffic-related Surveys

Optional

These surveys take between 5 – 30 minutes

Tip: When doing a survey, split into groups of 3 or more. One person (the Recorder) that will write on the sheet what the others see.

Green-Schools have 3 different types of traffic-related surveys that you can do. These are:

Traffic Surveys
Idling Surveys
Travel Awareness Surveys

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Traffic-related Surveys

Optional

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(Click HERE for the Green Schools Traffic Survey sheet)

(Click HERE for the Green Schools Simple Idling Survey sheet on page 8)

(Click HERE for the Green Schools Travel Awareness Survey)

(Click HERE for the Green Schools Idling Time Survey sheet)

Travel Surveys

Idling Surveys

Travel Awareness Surveys

Optional

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Take your tubes down and put the white caps back on immediately.

Record the time and date that you removed each tube.

Put the closed tubes in the envelope you received from us and post it from your nearest post office before 25 October.

5

Step

Take down the tubes

Tubes down: 23 October

Return the white cap

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Teachers will receive a link to a form to input the following crucial information for each tube:

Tube Number (7-digit code)
Tube Removal Time & Date
Tube Location

Send us your info

Double-check the Tube Number when you type it in to ensure that it is correct. The lab will link this number to your results

Note

Click HERE to access the Tube Down Form

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You will receive your results from GLOBE Ireland via email in late November or early December.

Results are expressed as an average NO₂ value (microgram per cubic metre: µg/m³) for each tube.

This value indicates what the average NO₂level was at your tube location during the 4-week monitoring period.

6

Step

Analyse your results

How do the NO₂ levels differ between your 3 sites? Are the results what you expected?

Question

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Global NO₂ safety guidelines

Do your NO₂ results fall above or below the WHO safety guidelines?

Constant exposure to anything above this for over a year is deemed unsafe by WHO

Long-term exposure limit

Constant exposure to anything above this for over a day is deemed unsafe by WHO

Short-term exposure limit

25 μg/m³

10 μg/m³

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Consider what may be influencing your results

Is there a busy road near the school or no busy roads?

Is your school in a city, a town, or rural?

Is your school on a wide or narrow street?

What was the weather like during the time you collected your results?

How could these things have affected the results?

Wind and rain can disperse pollution

Pollution is more concentrated in poorly ventilated spaces where it can’t escape (e.g., tunnels & narrow roads)

Valley landscapes can cause a build-up of pollution

The more cars passing or idling near your site, the worse air pollution is likely to be

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7

Step

Create a Clean Air Action Plan

A detailed plan that lists the steps or actions needed to solve a problem or achieve a goal.

What is an Action Plan?

Schools working towards Green Schools Flags can incorporate the work done under Green Schools (e.g., anti-idling campaigns) as solutions in their Action Plans.

Create an Action Plan to help make the air around your school cleaner.

Use the SMART model to help you plan.

Optional

Click HERE to learn more about the SMART model

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A great example of an Action Plan by students at St. Oliver Post Primary School, Meath for the GLOBE Rainfall & Flooding Campaign

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Make a difference by following through on your planned actions!

Students from St. Brigid’s NS, Meath Hill hosted a parade in 2023 to promote cleaner air around their school.

Students from Castletroy College, Limerick initiated a Cycle to School week and the school installed a bicycle rack.

Students Scoil Bhride Rathcormc, Cork planting trees

Students from Rockford Manor Secondary school, Dublin promoting their Walk on Wednesdays campaign.

Students from Dunboyne Senior Primary School, Meath promote their No Idling Campaign during Green Schools Clean Air Week

Optional

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8

Step

Share your story

Songs

Scientific Posters

Art

Videos

Optional

Presentations

Creative Writing

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Win with GLOBE!

Participate in GLOBE Ireland events and submit a project to stand a chance to win:

Students from Rockford Manor Secondary school, Dublin at the 2023/24 Annual GLOBE Awards Event with their teacher.

Campaign-specific awards

GLOBE Ireland Annual Competition awards

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Campaign-specific awards

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Submit a project to GLOBE’s

International Virtual Science Symposium (IVSS) between January & March 2025

and stand a chance to win a stipend and GLOBE badges

Click HERE for more information about the IVSS

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Student Webinars

Join us for the following student webinars:

November 2024: GLOBE Ireland Expert Webinar – Air Quality (Experts from Ireland and NASA explain Air Quality)

January 2025: GLOBE Ireland Project Sharing Webinar – Air Quality Campaign (Students present their AQ Projects to one another and GLOBE)

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Air Quality Campaign�Timeline

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Don’t miss our other GLOBE campaigns!

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Follow & share on social media

@globe_ireland

Tag us in your social media posts about the Air Quality Campaign so that we can share your story with the other AQ schools!

@GLOBEIreland

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Teacher resources

Create a Clean Air Map (click HERE to download)
Putting up & taking down the tubes (click HERE to download)
How to do a Traffic Survey (see slide 22)
Let’s do a Weather Observation (click HERE to download)
Interpreting your Air Quality results(click HERE to download)
How to make a Clean Air Action Plan (click HERE to download)

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THANK YOU!

Toshka van Eyk

AQ Campaign Coordinator

087 644 6676

globe@eeu.antaisce.org