Nellie Bowles: Yes and yes! It’s definitely a very Bay Area techie thing to do. And proponents argue that these devices could also help empower communities neglected by existing monitor technology. These two things are not necessarily opposed.

Some of the same impulses we see in the tech world (the distrust of government, desire for data, passion for decentralization, and obsession with personal health) can be useful for broader social movements if properly harnessed. In the case of air quality monitoring, Silicon Valley’s interests and the interests of someone living with bad air by a factory may actually align.

One of the companies you mentioned, PurpleAir, is building a network of sensors. Is the model raising questions about how all that data will be used or monetized?

Not really. First because the data an air quality monitor is collecting on the porch is nothing compared to the data an Alexa or Google Home is collecting on your kitchen counter. And in the case of PurpleAirs and the other gadgets, people who install them are hoping that these things monitor and share everything they’re picking up. The breathers movement is all about bringing more data to the table.

Say I get a personal air quality monitor for Christmas. How can I change my behavior using that information? Is there anything I can do besides stay inside?