Waterford students run innovative air pollution campaign

Primary school students from Tramore Educate Together and St. Stephen's De La Salle in Waterford chanted "no idling", from their school gate in an innovative campaign to improve the air quality at their Waterford schools. 

Displaying their artistic talents, the students collaborated with local artist Darty the Creator, to push their parents to take small actions to stop air pollution around their schools.

"You hold the keys," the young activists said having identified parents idling their cars while completing the school run pickup. "Idling your engine can stunt young lungs."

The campaign, which was funded by Creative Ireland, has pushed the students to make a difference to improve the air quality in their own community and explore local causes of pollution.

Ms Meg Halley, teacher and Green Schools Coordinator at Tramore Educate Together praised the ownership the students took over the project: “The children have taken real ownership of it and want to improve the air quality in their local area.”

Working with Darty the Creator, the students inspired a series of campaign banners which are on display at the two schools where parents and students can see the importance of clean air to the whole community. After air quality monitors were installed outside the two schools, to show how the air quality changes throughout the day, the students identified key pollution times during pickup and drop-off times.

“The students were able to identify spikes in pollution levels at both school drop-off and pick-up times, resulting from traffic on the road outside," said Gráinne Kennedy, Climate Action Coordinator at Waterford City and County Council. "In particular, the practice of leaving the engine running, or idling, was identified by the children as contributing to poor air quality," she said.

The air quality monitors measure the amount of Fine Particulate Matter, created by solid fuel burning and exhaust emissions which can lead to childhood respiratory disease and other adverse health outcomes. Having decided to address this pertinent health issue for young people, the students raised the issue to parents during the peak times. 

Chanting slogans and encouraging parents to be mindful of air pollution, the students in Tramore held posters including a large cutout exhaust cloud representing the pollution from cars. Students in St Stephen's school communicated the students' concerns to the parents to avoid leaving their cars in idle.

"The children who took part in this project were not content to just find out about pollution, but wanted to take action to reduce it," said Mícheál Ó Cadhla, the Community Climate Action Officer in Waterford City and County Council.

"It is up to all of us, whether dropping kids to school or at any other time, to avoid idling and switch off our engines.”