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A publication of the American Planning Association, California Chapter, Northern Section

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Street Air on Earth Day

By Zelda Zivny, Milo Wetherall, and Charlie Millenbah, April 22, 2019

In 2018, we were the proud recipients of APA’s 2018 National Planning Achievement Award for a Grassroots Initiative — Gold for our Street Air Project, and its associated award-winning film Columbus Discovers Air Pollution.

Our research found that if cities chose to make simple design changes to pedestrian areas (or as we say, to the street-edge), the area’s outdoor eating experience could be notably safer as well as more enjoyable.

Having garnered significant results from our research as well as success from our Street Air group, we intend to continue working with the city [of San Francisco] throughout the Columbus Avenue redesign and plan to help other cities who reach out to us, seeking design suggestions for their new projects.

Our recently completed film, Airgregates, the Impact of Concrete Mixing Facilities on the Bay View Community,” has been selected as a finalist in the upcoming Clear the Air Film Fest sponsored by Breathe CA and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Street Air is expanding by bringing on more students with ideas for projects they’d like to pursue. PM 1 monitors have been recently donated by local North Beach families and we have started some of the first street-edge PM 1 measurements in California.

Read the full blog post on planning.org here.

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