Air Quality in Barnet:
Is there a problem?
Mapping for Change is a not-for-profit organisation based at University College London. Last year it worked with people living on two estates managed by the Corporation of London to measure local air quality. Barnet Council has asked them to do the same thing this year in Barnet.
Air pollution is monitored using ‘Diffusion Tubes’. These are glass tubes about six inches long that need to be installed in suitable places (not least near busy roads). They are usually attached to street signs but have also been put on balconies and garden fences. They remain in place for a month and are then taken down and sent for analysis. Each tube gives a measure of level of nitrogen oxides in the area over that month. This is a simple but important measure of air pollution.
The Finchley Society agreed to help in checking the air quality in North Finchley. We fixed twenty tubes in place on Saturday June 11 and collected them a month later. The project aims to involve local people in learning about air quality in their neighbourhood: people are much more confident in discussing air quality issues once they have done the measurement themselves. So it was essential for volunteers to take part in fixing the tubes in place and collecting them.
Derek Warren