Street-Level Air Pollution, Health Disparities, and Advocacy

Abstract

Recent mobile monitoring and high density distributed network campaigns have provided unprecedented insight into intra-neighborhood air pollution variability in Oakland, CA. A study examining these data in relation to health records found that elderly residents with higher levels of traffic-related pollution in the immediate vicinity of their homes had elevated cardiovascular risks. West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, a local environmental justice organization, in partnership with Environmental Defense Fund, a large environmental non-profit, is leading efforts to use these findings to influence community, city, and state level efforts to address harmful air pollution. Several important learnings have emerged from our work to date. First, community residents with experiential understanding of local air pollution sources are key partners in interpreting hyperlocal pollution data. Community partners are also the most credible and trusted communicators of data to local residents, and the most effective advocates for local policy change. Second, messaging around air pollution-related health impacts and inequities at the street and block level can be particularly effective in engaging a broad range of stakeholders. Findings must be communicated in clear and compelling terms, and “scientific interpreters” can help accurately represent scientific findings in suitable language and formats. Finally, efforts to translate study results to action require long-term commitment and follow-through – preliminary data and findings should be shared with community partners as early as possible and ongoing support and collaboration must continue long after research is completed. These elements: trust-based partnerships with local advocates, effective communication, and long-term engagement, require substantial investment of resources beyond those required to conduct traditional research, but are core to enabling translation of hyperlocal air pollution data to action.