This US neighborhood is full of hazardous air pollution. Can a network of sensors make ‘the invisible visible’?

Pacoima residents are deploying hyperlocal air quality monitoring to combat hazardous pollution in their neighborhood, which is surrounded by highways and heavy industry. Environmental project manager Shance Taylor and resident Jose Luis Salas are shown installing an Aeroqual sensor, a shoebox-sized device with wires and numbers, on the side of Salas's house. This initiative is part of a community air-quality monitoring program organized by Pacoima Beautiful, a local environmental advocacy group. The program aims to make the invisible threat of air pollution visible to the community. The Aeroqual sensors are designed to provide real-time data on air quality, empowering residents with information about the environmental conditions they are exposed to daily. This effort highlights a growing trend of community-led environmental monitoring in areas disproportionately affected by industrial and vehicular emissions. The data collected by these sensors can inform local policy decisions and advocate for cleaner air standards in Pacoima and similar communities facing similar environmental challenges.