Seeking funding to support citizens group in Västmanland through OH sensors

To helping citizens affected by air pollution, we are seeking financial support for deploying ready-to-use Open Hardware sensors. Through our ongoing capacity building AirForAll* project we got in touch with a citizens group in Sweden that we would like to support:

  • Context: This citizens group in a municipality of Västmanland County in Sweden is affected by heavy dust stemming from a current highway building site nearby their homes: Up to 12 heavy trucks with crushed rocks passing their small village 3-5 days a week.
  • Problem: The citizens aimed to get heard by the local municipality, but were dismissed.
  • Solution: On the factfulness basis of contrasted data measurements of the air pollution these citizens might be empowered to get a hearing at the municipality (respectively at the local press) and push for less pollution and health effects.

We offer to this citizens group:

  • We would like to deploy this Smart Citizen Sensor-Tookit (by Seeed Studio) that our team members from Ideas for Change are already experienced with.
  • The sensor is an existing Open Hardware.
  • One sensor costs USD 119 (EUR 109, SEK 1.285).
  • For citizens to create meaningful contrasted data, several of these sensors need to be deployed.
  • We are coordinating this initiative with the regional Air Quality Organisation of Västmanland County Sweden; which helps with their advice, but is unable to act itself due to integrity.
  • Our team can guide the citizens group how to deploy the sensors and how to make for a sophisticated setting of contrasted, meaningful data collection & analysis.

We need:

  • Our AirForAll* Erasmus+ funded project has no funding for sensors, but we have capacity and experience in deploying these Open Hardware sensors.
  • We need funding for several of these Smart Citzens Sensor Tookits.

Sustainability:

  • After the aspired activity with & for this citizens group in the region of Västmanland Sweden, we would like the aquired Smart Citizens Sensor Toolkits to be made available at local public libraries.

Inquiry:

*Air for All is an Erasmus+ cofunded project that will evolve a knowledge toolkit for [1] helping citizens to better understand the effects of air pollution, emissions and climate change, and for [2] helping cities to leverage civic participation for air quality data collection. AirForAll will also [3] launch a digital, freely accessible platform for knowledge transfer and capacity building on EU and international level.

Air for All is jointly conducted by:

  • Air Quality Organisation Västmanland County (Sweden)
  • Proofing Future Europe (Belgium / Germany).
  • Ideas for Change (Spain)

Hi Sebastian

I saw your cc on the funding inquiry! Air quality is a bit outside of my space and probably the funding you are looking for will focus on air quality/environmental monitoring and citizen science, rather than open hardware per se. So I don’t have any suggestions but I’ll let you know if something comes to mind!

Jenny

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