The St. Louis Community-based Air Quality Monitoring Program, Air Watch St. Louis, aims to equitably, scientifically, and strategically site air quality monitors at identified congregations throughout St. Louis to help fill the air quality data gap throughout the region. This approach is growing community power through base-building, leadership development, and the development of community-led campaigns and actions to address air quality concerns to public health.
The St. Louis Community-Based Air Quality Monitoring Program aims to promote Environmental Justice (EJ) to achieve health equity by addressing one of the leading urban environmental challenges outlined in the Environmental Racism in St. Louis report, air quality. The program will bring together EJ organizers, community and clergy leaders, and science-based partners.
We are installing air quality monitors on the PurpleAir monitor network. These monitors are affordable, effective and easy to install, and our aim is to have MCU members, affilliates and friends install their own to extend the regional quality monitoring network. If you are interested in installing your own air monitor, please contact us.
Our founding partners include members of the STL Interfaith EJ Task Force of Metropolitan Congregations United (MCU), science-based partners at The Nature Conservancy in Missouri, The Turner Group – a research lab within the Environmental, Energy, and Chemical Engineering Department at Washington University, and Washington University’s Environmental Studies Program.