The Outreach Section was established in 2018 to increase services to the Cleveland Community by expanding community engagement efforts. The team develops air quality educational materials and meets with a variety of stakeholders to share the services offered by the Division of Air Quality. Outreach staff participate in public health meetings, present at meetings and conferences upon invitation, and table at community engagement events. The team has been developing a complaint resolution service for Indoor Air Quality concerns which were previously not addressed
LEGO Air Sensor Workshop:
Come have fun with us as we explore air quality and pollution using LEGO bricks! Our "LEGO Air Sensor Workshop" is a special chance for people of all ages to learn about air quality science, see how pollution affects us, and have hands-on fun building a working air sensor!
This workshop is FREE!
* Participants do not get to keep the LEGO Air Sensor kits
You can register using this link (have this line linked to the following website https://appt.link/legoworkshop) or you can register over the phone by calling (216) 664-2147
If registering by phone, please include the following information
Name
Phone Number
The workshop location you want to register for
Number of individuals you want to register and their ages
Email if you have one
Citizen Science and Air Quality Monitoring:
The affordability and availability of low cost air quality sensors is enabling citizen groups and schools to explore potential air pollutions sources within their communities. These monitors are useful tools in educating individuals on air pollution sources, researching temporal or spatial air pollution patterns, and for basic educational initiatives. Low cost air quality sensors provide can provide a lot of data and may be used for many types of air pollutants. If you are developing a citizen science air monitoring project or a project-based learning experience for you high school classroom, please contact CDAQ to learn more about resources that may be available to you. In some instances, project worksheets, presentations, and curriculum material may already be available. However, it is important to remember that low cost air quality sensors are not accepted for regulatory purposes by U.S. EPA. The monitors operated by CDAQ meet strict, laboratory tested guidelines and are classified as either Federal Reference Monitors (FRM) or Federal Equivalent Monitors (FEM).
To learn more about the differences between FEM/FRM monitors and low cost air quality sensors, check out this video:
Did you know if you are in the City of Cleveland and you idle your car for more than 5 minutes in a 60 minute period that it is a direct violation of City of Cleveland local ordinance 431.44? Personal vehicles no longer require a warm up period for their engines to operate effectively. In fact, idling a personal vehicle for more than 10 seconds when not in use wastes more gas than simply turning the key. In addition to violating the City of Cleveland local ordinance and wasting gas, vehicle exhaust is comprised of many pollutants. There tends to be a lot of vehicle idling in areas that have pick-up lines, such as schools as parents wait for the end of the school day. Youth can potentially be exposed to the vehicle exhaust while leaving the school to be picked up and the exhaust can enter the building through air intake systems. Either way, it can be harmful for the youth and is particularly bad for youth who have existing respiratory conditions such as asthma.