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What is the context of this research?

This project developed from two different perspectives. One of us (SH) was interested in developing an urban climate monitoring network with sensors distributed throughout New York City, starting at Fordham University, while the other (JT) was interested in understanding the sociological implications of knowing the state of the environment.



Two important questions were realized:



1. Could public perception of climate change be altered by providing real time data in urban environments?



2. Would individuals make more environmentally conscious decisions if routine notifications of air quality were received?



Through this project we hope to engage the populace, many of whom still deny anthropogenic climate change, and eliminate the "out of sight, out of mind" mentality on this very important issue.







What is the significance of this project?

What will your legacy be?



Awareness is the first step to change!



Most climate monitoring stations are located in rural environments. Measurements made in such environments eliminate confounding effects that may exist in more populated areas. However, it removes the act from the population at large, making climate change an apparently distant problem. (if it were real, why not measure near me?) Furthermore, understanding the urban environment may provide insight into local sources and sinks as well as how to mitigate emissions.



A sensor network for monitoring greenhouse gases and other pollutants distributed throughout NYC will collect data and make it publicly available thus affording everyone the opportunity to study the data and become an active participant in the study of the climate.

What are the goals of the project?

It is easy to avoid facts when the detriments and effects are not visible, and even more so when they are not personal. The main goal is to build a distributed network sensor for monitoring greenhouse gases and other pollutants in an urban environment. We plan to



