Wildlife Photograph

Air Quality Initiative: The Air We Breathe

For The Air We Breathe program Ijams Nature Center has formed a partnership with Knox County Air Quality Management in order to implement an interactive education program that addresses air quality issues in our region.

The Air We Breathe program is designed for sixth grade students as well as the general public. The program seeks to help target audiences to understand the different pollutants and their sources and the effects of air pollution on human health and natural systems. Participants also learn how we can control air pollution through regulation and technology and what we can do to reduce air pollution by our actions.

For 6th graders The Air We Breathe is a three hour onsite program that focuses on the air quality monitoring station demonstrated at Ijams, a lab analysis of monitoring station results in addition to hands on educational activities that reinforce the program’s objectives.

General public attending The Air We Breathe programs will hear a one-hour program whose topics include an overview of air quality issues, regulatory and technological solutions to air pollution problems and the connections between our actions and air pollution.

This is the first year that Ijams Nature Center and Knox County Air Quality Management have undertaken The Air We Breathe programming. During this initial year and for many to come we hope to continue reaching 6th grade students in a majority of Knox County Schools and impacting an adult audience to make behavior changes that will improve air quality in our region. We also plan to form more partnerships with area businesses and non-profit groups to bring a cohesive message to the community about air quality issues, concerns and solutions.