Air pollution has long been an environmental and public health concern in southwestern Pennsylvania, and a great deal of progress has been made over the last several decades. Many communities are looking for proactive ways to protect their residents’ health and ability to enjoy the outdoors. At the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), we’ve been advocating for clean air in this region since 1969.

Local elected officials and municipal staff play a crucial role in ensuring the quality of life of residents, but it might be unclear exactly how air quality can be impacted at the local level. In this workshop, we will establish a useful knowledge base and share resources and potential funding opportunities to help municipalities implement innovative projects.

We hope to hear from participants about how air quality relates to their own strategies and goals to ensure a safe, healthy community for their residents. We’ll touch base on a wide variety of topics, such as open burning, asbestos abatement, and air quality monitoring - all of which will be covered in more detail in a written primer provided to all participants.

GIVEAWAY: We will be giving away one Purple Air monitor to a workshop participant or partner in each county. These easy-to-use monitors are simple and reliable - the data is automatically uploaded to a publicly available real-time map on their website.

Are you an involved community member looking to share information with your local government? Feel free to join and take the information home with you.

Find out more about this program: www.gasp-pgh.org/aqprimer