With AiREAS we created a measurement network in Eindhoven to see how air pollution affects our health and how we can improve the situation by initiating actions. As we progress we come across all kinds of issues that cause our immediate concern as human beings and parents but receive little to no support from money driven governance.

The following report re-enforces our intention to address the responsibilities in public schools around environmental conditions in class rooms and in the city quarters where our children grow up. The fact that Ultra Fine Particles (UFP) affect their brains (and heart, lungs, blood vessels, bladder, etc) showing problems in behavior and cognitive potential, is causing this concern. It has been confirmed by various other studies at schools.

UFP_en_cognitive_performance_masterproef_2012 (1)

Our children are obliged to go to school due to our educational system. As parents we expect to receive them back in at least the same shape and health as we delivered them. It is reasonable to expect that school and the environmental conditions to and from school show the same type of responsibility than our parenthood at home.

Is this behavior just cultural, educational or also caused by air pollution’s brain damage?

Our education facilities have been built and maintained around economic efficiency, not sustainable human qualities. In order to change this and find support from our social system representatives we decide to do the following:

• Stimulate entrepreneurial citizenship (STIR Academy) to address the school and city quarter issue together.
• Create an effective platform to influence democratic political processes and related public financing priorities.

The duality of addressing key issues directly through active citizenship and system’s influencing creates a transformation that includes the sustainable progress priorities. 2014 will be key again in Holland because of local city official’s elections. The precedents that result will be communicated again here.

Our youth should be healthy, happy and positive