{"id":31873,"date":"2024-06-20T03:03:33","date_gmt":"2024-06-19T19:03:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smartairfilters.com\/?p=31873"},"modified":"2024-06-24T22:59:32","modified_gmt":"2024-06-24T14:59:32","slug":"knitting-the-air-visualizing-air-quality-through-knitting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smartairfilters.com\/en\/blog\/knitting-the-air-visualizing-air-quality-through-knitting\/","title":{"rendered":"Knitting the Air: Visualizing Air Quality Through Knitting in Poplar, UK"},"content":{"rendered":"

Knitting the Air is a community project that visualises air quality data through the power of knitting in Poplar, East London. Over 120 knitters have contributed to the ambitious goal of knitting data from two Breathe London air quality sensors. Starting in March 2023, their aim is to knit data for the entire year to help raise awareness about air pollution. Caroline Murray, Project Manager at Poplar HARCA explains how it all started and the conversations it is sparking,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knitting the Air supported by Poplar HARCA and EcoWorld London and is part of Poplar Green Futures, a community led approach to create a greener and healthier Poplar.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What inspired the creation of ‘Knitting the Air’ and the unique concept of visualising air quality data through knitting?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We started Knitting the Air when air quality sensors were installed by researchers from Imperial College London\u2019s Breathe London programme. As a housing provider in East London, we know air quality is a big challenge and one that we\u2019ve been working to address with local communities for quite some time. It\u2019s one of the biggest environmental risks to public health in the UK, but general awareness is still quite low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when we installed the sensor on one of our estates in Poplar and started getting readings for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) it posed the question: how do we get people interested and curious in this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which is where the knitting comes in! It might seem strange, but knitting and data in fact have a lot in common. Knitting is essentially like coding and there is a long tradition of knitting data. A group in the US called Tempestry have been knitting temperature blankets, showing climate change. A personal favourite is a knitter in Germany who made a scarf visualising their train delays during their daily commute. So it got us thinking: why not use knitting to visualise the air quality in Poplar?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Caroline Murray (Knitting the Air)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Can you share the story of how ‘Knitting the Air’ mobilised over 100 knitters in Poplar, Tower Hamlets, UK?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We set ourselves the goal to knit data from not one, but two Breathe London<\/a> sensors in Poplar for a whole year. That is a huge amount of knitting (over 1500 individual squares), but we felt it was important to explore air quality across the seasons. Plus we wanted to make something big to catch attention. Quickly we realised we were going to need a lot of help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, there are many Knit and Natter groups locally, plus we\u2019d just started a lunch time knitting club at Poplar HARCA. So with yarn, needles and patterns at the ready, we got out and about across Poplar to see who wanted to be involved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A game changer was when we connected with The Aberfeldy Practice, a local GP surgery which is a short walk from the sensors. They\u2019ve always been aware of poor air locally, and see the impact it is having on peoples\u2019 health every single day. Turns out they love knitting too and many of their staff have been solidly knitting for over a year now and are such champions for the project. They\u2019ve even referred patients to get involved!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As word began to spread (knitters like chatting after all) people started calling us or messaging on Instagram asking to get involved. We\u2019ve been running knitting meet-ups too, where we knit data together. I think part of the appeal is being part of something collective and bigger than yourself, plus people can contribute as much or as little as they want. Whether it is one square or many – it all adds up.  <\/p>\n\n\n