IQAir Map

Being able to go to one resource to track air quality is both efficient and helpful for those wanting to be conscientious about their overall level of exposure, safety measures, and health. The IQ Airmap is a free app and website tool that shows current air pollution measurements in real-time, even showing air circulation patterns with isolines. IQ Airmap was started by the private company IQ Air, which has been selling air monitoring, filtration, and circulation products since 1963, with the support of non-governmental and non-profit organizations like UNEP and Greenpeace. Data for the map is lifted from government monitoring stations, where they exist, and smaller independent monitoring stations hosted by individuals who partner with IQ Air and out of places like national embassies that collect air quality information where other monitoring stations might not exist. The map can also be adjusted to show hotspots, fires, and wind worldwide as well, all factors that can impact the overall air quality of a given location. With the broad recognition of the health hazards of air pollution, being able to pan anywhere in the world and look up air quality metrics for almost every location worldwide is certainly an important tool for public health and the education of the general public. There might be a possible conflict of interest in an app being created by a company that sells air filtration products such as personal face masks, though the partnership of well respected public health and environmental organizations does add a certain level of authenticity to IQ Air’s reporting.

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