RSA: Brief 4 The Right to Breathe Maria Constantinos Lucy
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2 Cont Brief ents Key Points Research Initial Ideas The Problem Solutions Survey Green Spaces Research Product Design Mock-ups Research Final Designs User Testing Presentation Evaluation
The Right To Breathe 3 Brief How might we ensure that everyone living in areas with poor air quality are guaranteed their right to clean air? - Be open-minded, creative and inquisitive. Your intervention could be a piece of speculative design, a product, a system, a policy proposal, a campaign, a service or any combination of these. - Lack of access to clean air disproportionately affects vulnerable communities, such as those living in poverty. The hardest hit countries are found mostly within Asia and Africa. - Think about how the local context could impact on your solution. - How does your proposal respond and relate to cultural values and dynamics, local economies etc. - Consider the system: air pollution is a complex challenge that requires collective action from citizens, governments and the private sector. - Understand local and global factors that impact on your chosen area.
4 Climate Change World Health Organisation Local Issues Big Corporations No. 1 Environmental Health Risk Human Rights Consumption Toxic Levels Vulnerable Communities Preventitive Plans Key Points
The Right To Breathe 5 World Health Organisation The World Health Organisation is in place to promote world health and keep the world safe, taking action when serious health risks break out.They work through many different issues and have said themselves that air pollution is one of the most serious environmental health risks. Air Pollution The biggest cause of air pollution around the world is the combustion of fossil fuels and the release of CO2 emissions. It is estimated that every year 7 million people die of air pollution. Ot may not be noticeable in certain parts of the world, but 91% of the worlds population lives in areas that exceed the WHO limits for air quality levels. Climate Change Air pollution a big factor in climate change. It causes changes to the ozone layer, which in turn affects the water cycle, agriculture, natural habitats, and contributes to global warming. In order to make a positive difference to climate change we must also focus on air pollution.
6 Pollution Solution To combat air pollution there is many things that we can do. As an individual, we can reduce the amount we drive, this can be done by walking or cycling or using public transport. It is also important that we save energy in the home, by turning things off that are not in use and buying energy saving light bulbs. We can also reduce our consumption of things which are made using lots of fossil fuels such as plastic. Research
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8 Product Development The idea of developing various products that will reduce the amount of particulates in the air. Other products also measuring the air quality to inform people of the environment they are in. Idea 1
The Right To Breathe 9 Camp- aign Another idea, is to address the air pollution in the UK through a campaign. In terms of climate change, air pollution is one of the most difficult to resolve as an individual. The biggest cause of air pollution comes from big corporations burning fossil fuels for industrial production and the mass of transport around the country. To combat these issues I would like to make a campaign which is able to target both big companies and local citizens. I think that by producing big billboards or electronic posters, we can make the public aware of the major issues that these companies are causing. On these signs, I want big corporations to see them and I also think it would be helpful to show links to petitions to try and be heard by the companies that way. Alongside this large campaign, I would like to make a series of leaflets aimed towards to locals. These will explain the simple changes people can make in their everyday lives to reduce air pollution, and inform them about the dangers. To keep these ideas sustainable, I think it would be best to produce them on recycled paper.
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12 Plants That Help Aloe Vera: Aloe vera helps to clear the air of dangerous carcinogens including benzene and formaldehyde. Unlike most plants, aloe releases oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide during the night. Rubber Plant: Their large leaves can absorb airborne chemicals and break them down, rendering them harmless. They absorb exhaled carbon dioxide and convert it to breathable oxygen. Rubber plants also eliminate bacteria and mold spores in the air. Bamboo Plant: Bamboo Palm, growing between 3 to 6 feet tall, the long, elegant leaves of this sturdy palm sweep away toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, carbon monoxide, xylene, and chloroform. In addition to helping you breathe fresh air, it is an excellent spider mite repellant. Dracaenaa: According to the NASA Clean Air Study, Dracaena is one of the most efficient plants at removing formaldehyde from the air in your home, including benzene, trichloroethylene, and xylene. However, keep your pets away from this plant, as it can be toxic to animals when ingested. Idea 3
The Right To Breathe 13Whats The Issue? The main problem with trying to solve a climate change issue is that there is only so much that individuals can do to change the planet. The real need is to reach out to bigger cmpanies and local councils and suggest plans that could be put in place to make local areas greener and hopefully decrease air pollution. Another main issue with air pollution is that it is not often noticed, as it is not something you can physically see. However, just by checking some statistics you can see the serious problems behind it and how it can make many people very ill. Hopefully through this project we will be able to spread the word about air pollution and encourage people to make a change.
14 Audience Our solution to air pollution, will be to try and encourage big businesses, corporations, and local councils to install plants in public spaces which can the ability to reduce pollution. We have chosen to address these people because fighting pollution can be expensive and individuals can only do so much. We already know that businesses contribute the highest to air pollution so by targeting them directly it might encourage them to change their output and invest in things that can prevent it. It is also noticed that if companies put more effort into reducing their pollution or becoming carbon neutral they are more favoured by the public and customers. Problem
Whats The Right To Breathe 15 already bdeoainWabnllWeerrhge?eiahanadtadygstys d obneein? g done?
16 s Charity Global Action Plan has launched a y new initiative, Business for Clean Air, to help g encourage UK companies to tackle air pollution as ? their employees start to return to work. The intitiative offers free advice to businesses on things that they can implement to support green recovery and improve air quality in the long term. In a survey it was found that 74% of Brits would like businesses to improve of air pollution. It was proved during the first lockdown in the UK that air pollution in big cities decreased by a incredible amount, and that individuals have the ability to tackle this themselves. Chris Large, senior partner at Global Action Plan, said: ‘Business leadership on air pollution is imperative. It’s a health crisis that is crying out for business innovation, but it’s also an opportunity for businesses to radically improve the quality of life for their customers and employees. ‘The steps that will cut pollution will also reduce road accidents, improve work-life balance, promote healthy lifestyles and enhance community connections. There’s a brighter future that any large business can help to bring about, and our task force is offering free support to help businesses begin the change.’ Solutions
The Right To Breathe 17 We put together a short survey to try and get an understanding of the publics opinions on air pollution. We wanted to see if people are willing to change their ways to combat the problem, and also to see if methods are put in place to make businesses greener, will the public be interested in it. In total we got 52 responses and the results are below.
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The Right To Breathe 21 Green Spaces For this project, we would like to campaign the installment of green spaces in businesses and in public spaces. We have looked into installing walls of plants and also adding plants to objects that are already in public spaces which could be made greener. These will not only assist in reducing air pollution, but will also make centres greener and more appealing to the public. With an aesthetic design they will be both pleasing to the eye and efficient and with a purpose. We want to encourage as many businesses as possible to invest in these products and also get backing from local councils to put these in public spaces.
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24 These hexagonal planters form the base of liveable walls and street furniture that grow with their surrounding; these multi-functional planters are packed full of carefully chosen vegetation which aid the reduction of air pollution by filtering out harmful particles in the atmosphere. Each planter is a portable garden, interchangeable and flexible, they can be laid in multiple ways, crafted to form a lush haven of greenery that bring the serenity of nature into the heart of bustling urbanism; they create place to slow down and embrace the beauty of nature, a space for calmness, a space for inspiration, a space to breathe. Green Spaces
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The Right To Breathe 27 Research Chicago: Adding Green to Urban Design “Adding Green To Urban Design” presents a rationale, a vision and a detailed implementation strategy for economically sound and environmentally sustainable urban design. Urban design includes all exterior elements from the skin of the building to the street, including roofs, facades, yards, landscapes, open spaces, parkways, driveways, sidewalks, alleys and roadways. It is defined as those elements that are exposed to the environment and that affect the environment. The plan is intended to provide direction to the Chicago City Council in regulating urban design and to the Chicago Plan Commission in reviewing individual development projects. It is also expected to guide the Chicago City Council and city departments in making decisions about public investment and improving Chicago’s built environment. The plan began with eight city departments and public agencies meeting to review existing ordinances and practices that affect urban design. The discussion broadened between September 2006 and March 2007 to identify critical issues, suggest solutions and lay the groundwork for the plan. More than 50 professionals from outside City government contributed a combined 230 hours of pro bono time to the process.
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The Right To Breathe 29 research wall planting advert planting
Eco Advertising 30 Physical advertisements such as billboards and posters are commonly seen in everyday life. They can take up a lot of space, and often are not very environmentally friendly. We want to introduce a sustainable approach to advertising, which doesn’t just promote a company but also helps reduce the effects of air pollution. IPG Mediabrands’ OOH business unit Rapport has been offering to help make clients advertising sustainable and environmentally friendly. They have come up with a solution of a smog-eating coating which you can layer over billboards which will take in harmful greenhouse gases and converts them to harmless nitrates, cleaning the air. O2 also produced a similar kind of campaign to encourage its customers and the public to become more environmentally friendly. They used pistachio plants to create the living typography and created a series of posters using sustainable recycled paper which were made entirely out of wild-flower seeds so that parts could be torn off for people to plant at home. Research
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The Right To Breathe 41 Mock -ups We are unable to physically make these environmental billboards, so we have created a series of mock-ups which show where we think they would fit best in society. This billboard style is commonly found in city centres and shopping centres. We think that these would work best in outdoor spaces, either free standing at bus stops, or mounted on the walls of buildings. By mocking up examples of these environmental billboards in public spaces, it will emphasise our campaign to get these installed by local councils to help reduce air pollution.
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