What is Particulate Matter?
Particulate matter is a microscopic particle (solid/ liquid) suspended in the air. When inhaled, it becomes hazardous to the lungs, brain, and blood vessels.
This can lead to the development of diseases and various health complications.
What is the AQI?
The AQI or Air Quality Index is a chart used in order to communicate to the public in simpler ways how polluted the air is.
The number mentioned in the AQI scale is the same amount of 2.5 PM concentration micrograms per cubic meter suspended in the air
As the AQI number increases so does the risk of public health.
Depending on different national air quality standards, every country has their own air quality indexes.
What is our Solution?
Promoting Carpooling and Public Transportation
Our solution is pretty simple, by offering small rewards like front parking spaces for individuals who carpool to their work or school, people will be encouraged to carpool with friends. It saves people gas and time, causing them to rush and worry less about spending a ludicrous amount of money for gas every time they drive to work or school alone.
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Using public transportation will be encouraged by advertising that it saves individuals more time, energy, and money compared to driving alone in a single occupancy vehicle.
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Why did we not implement plants as one of our solutions?
Based on our research, plants would help the environment in ways such as reducing global warming effects but it does not efficiently reduce the amount of carbon emissions and particulate matter. It would instead cause a dramatic increase in humidity.
Prototype Carpool Pass and Carpool ID
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Conclusions:How will promoting carpooling and public transportation help reduce particulate matter that is suspended in the air?
With more people carpooling and using public transportation like buses and trains, less motorized vehicles will be used and the amount of carbon emissions being released into the atmosphere will decrease. Less carbon emissions will lead to less particulate matter.