Pure Air in the Poconos

Let’s do science together.

The Center for Collaborative Heat Monitoring is proud to partner with Sanofi and Pocono Mountains United Way on a participatory community science campaign to learn more about air quality and health in eastern Pennsylvania.

Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know about upcoming events or workshops and stay updated on the latest in air quality science.

Sign up for updates

Why study air quality in Swiftwater?

Air Quality Affects Community Health

Exposure to poor air quality is linked to deleterious health outcomes and presents an inequitable public health challenge to American communities.

Participatory Science in Data Deserts

Communities like Swiftwater are “data deserts,” or areas where there is little to no atmospheric data or monitoring available. Lack of data can mask potentially dangerous atmospheric and public health conditions and limits a community’s ability to understand their risk and respond to poor air quality events.

Learn more about our approach

Frequently Asked Questions

  • This project combines two types of data collection which will allow us to learn as much as we can about air quality in the Poconos.

    First, we will collect furnace filters from 5-6 homes in the area and install research-grade sensors inside and outside those homes. This will give us long-term, highly detailed data that reflects the everyday experience of air quality in the Poconos.

    We will also provide a set of portable, low-cost sensors that can be used by interested community members to answer their own questions and collect data.

  • No prior knowledge of air quality science is needed to participate! All that is needed is an interest and willingness to learn new things.

    We will host a workshop in March where we will provide all the training that is needed and distribute the low-cost sensors for you to use.

    The research-grade sensors will be installed by experts and require little to no maintenance from homeowners.

  • We are using two kinds of sensors. The research-grade sensors collect air temperature, humidity, and air quality data, and are about the size of a small carry-on suitcase. The low-cost sensors collect air quality data and can be held in your hand. Our sensors use Wi-Fi and/or an app to log and transmit data.

  • We will install the research-grade sensors and distribute community sensors in March 2026. We will return to Swiftwater in spring 2027 to uninstall research-grade sensors and collect loaned community sensors. At that time we will also share a draft report for community feedback.