Eighteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

There is an increasing trend in the use of low-cost sensors for supplementary air quality monitoring around the world, empowering citizens and communities. However, low levels of formal education and low rates in the dominion of a second language in Colombia have historically impaired the possibility of citizens to embrace new technological developments and scientific knowledge. On the other hand, opposite to what has occurred in other regions of the world, where environmental regulatory institutions have taken the lead role to evaluate and communicate the capabilities and limitations of these new low-cost technologies, local authorities in Colombia have not taken part leaving a deep vacuum for communication to the public. Academia has tried to implement activities to promote the development and analysis of these novel tools. In Universidad Central, we have integrated the use of low-cost sensors in classroom activities, interdisciplinary final undergraduate projects and research projects to increase the visibility of the low-cost sensors. This is particularly relevant in our case given the socioeconomic level of our community, mostly from low or very low-income families in Bogota. Bogota, one of the biggest megacities in South America, is among those with worse air quality. The pollution is heterogeneously distributed in the city, mainly focused in low and very low-income districts. This work presents the results of all academic interventions and socializations made since 2019 using the low-cost sensor project in Universidad Central with students and their communities.