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WHAT WE DO
FOR OUR COMMUNITY
We build and maintain a network of low-cost, open-source air monitors placed where people live, work, and gather.
Our goals are simple and urgent:
Place monitors near industrial development
Establish baseline air quality before operations begin
Measure air pollutants in real time
Hold industry and regulators accountable for pollution
Help ensure the safety of our community
WE ARE
THE CANARY
For over a century, coal miners carried canaries into underground tunnels. The birds were more sensitive to toxic gases than any instrument of the time and provided an early warning when the air became dangerous.
Our air monitors, like the canaries, are an early warning system, operated by the people most at risk, for dangers they cannot see or smell.
NEIGHBORS WATCHING OUT
FOR NEIGHBORS
Community Air Monitoring - Licking County is an initiative born out of a simple but urgent concern: as massive industrial development reshapes our region, what does that mean for our air quality?
Big corporations and government agencies expect us to trust that everything is safe. Our air monitors will verify that.
Our grassroots group is 100% volunteer-run and is part of Buckeye Environmental Network, a nonprofit coalition of Ohioans working together for a healthier environment.
Help us get more air monitors installed across the county by donating online or via check to: Buckeye Environmental Network, with CAM in the memo line and mail it to: Buckeye Environmental Network | PO Box 82314 | Columbus, OH 43202
IN THE
NEWS
Recent stories related to data centers, Intel & our community air monitors
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Find answers to common questions about local air monitoring
Will you install air monitors in Franklin County or other areas outside Licking County?
Thank you for your interest in our work. Our program is currently limited to installing and maintaining air monitors within Licking County, so we are unable to place monitors in Franklin County or other areas.
If you’re outside our service area, we’d encourage you to explore the resources below, which may help you start a program in your own community.
Can you help us create a community air monitoring program like yours?
We’re glad to hear other communities are interested in our work. While we don't have the capacity to provide training and consulting to other communities, we have compiled some resources we found most helpful as we built our program. The questions that follow organize them by topic to make them easier to navigate.
What are the best resources to learn the basics about local air quality monitoring?
Start by checking out the Community Air Monitoring Fundamentals webinar series by U.S. EPA. This series of webinars covers air quality concepts, how air quality and monitoring are regulated, and how measurement devices work. It also walks through the steps of building a monitoring project: setting objectives, managing data, selecting equipment, creating a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), siting and installing devices, analyzing data, and communicating results.
Do you have a guide for creating a community air monitoring program?
The Guidebook for Developing a Community Air Monitoring Network from the California Air Resources Board is a great place to start. This guidebook shares the steps, lessons, and recommendations from the Imperial County Community Air Monitoring Project in California. It was created through a partnership of community members, academic researchers, a public health organization, and government, and it shows how a locally-led, community science approach can put air quality data in residents’ hands.
What kind of air quality monitors do you recommend?
We are still testing different models and brands of air monitors and cannot recommend any specific type at this time.
We recommend The Enhanced Air Sensor Guidebook. The Guidebook covers information about air quality, air pollution monitoring, and air sensors including how to:
Plan and conduct an air quality monitoring study
Select, setup, and use air sensors
Analyze, interpret, communicate, and act on results
Understand the basics of air sensor performance
Where should we place air quality monitors?
We recommend checking out the Guide to Siting and Installing Air Sensors from U.S. EPA. It includes information on where to locate air monitors, plus:
Outdoor Sampling Considerations
Top Five Considerations for Installing Outdoor Air Sensors
Evaluating Your Outdoor Sampling Site
Outdoor Collocation with Regulatory Monitors
Indoor Sampling Considerations
Documenting Your Installation
Are there other air monitoring efforts in Ohio?
Yes, there are a couple initiatives we are aware of:
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission Neighborhood Air Quality Monitoring Program which looks at how air quality differs from neighborhood to neighborhood.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality Monitoring Map shows current air quality conditions, including PM2.5 and ozone, at monitoring stations across Ohio using U.S. EPA data.
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