Air pollution monitoring through an Internet-based network of volunteers

Abstract

Pollution of the urban environment is fast becoming a grave threat to urban dwellers as levels of toxicity increase to beyond safe limits. This is especially true in many low- and middle-income nations where the rapid pace of industrialization and development, coupled with fast growing and extremely dense urban centres, are leading to more serious environmental hazards for citizens. These include urban air pollution, which is difficult to tackle, especially in cities or nations where resources are scarce, awareness is minimal and the urban environment is not an issue receiving government attention. This paper describes the development and pilot implementation of the Volunteer Internet-based Environment Watch (VIEW) in two cities in Pakistan. This system, which makes use of volunteers and their personal computers to monitor air pollution, can send valuable local environmental data to a central server for storage and collation. The system was successfully developed and deployed in a relatively small period of time, with a small budget and limited human resources. The paper describes the various decisions and choices made with regard to: accessing funding; the organization; the timeframes and work plan; the choices made with regard to physical deployment of the system; budgeting and other project issues. This pilot in Pakistan could serve as a model for similar efforts in other countries.