Sustainable Silicon Valley (SSV) Awarded $300,000 Community Air Grant from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for the Youth Air Quality Advocates (YAQA) project in East San José to Fight Air Pollution

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Mar 08, 2022, 11:17 ET

SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SSV's Youth Air Quality Advocates (YAQA) project will provide teachers with resources and engage students in challenging STEM-based activities geared toward air pollution and civic action. The project will advance environmental justice in the greater San José community through student-led presentations at libraries, community centers and houses of worship then propose solutions to poor air quality.

“Youth Air Quality Advocates will empower students to advocate for better climate change policies in San José and throughout California—all crucial steps in improving local community health and climate resiliency,” Councilmember San José District 4, David Cohen. In the ESUHSD, the YAQA project includes nine San José high schools located in a California Climate Investment Priority Population area as designated by CARB and a recognized high priority AB 617 community for the Air District (BAAQMD).

"Young people have the talent and drive to help us tackle the challenges of climate change. The YAQA Program is the ideal resource for our community to engage our students and empower them in their stewardship of our environment," said City of San José Mayor Sam Liccardo.

The CARB Community Air Grants Community Air Grants are designed to establish a community-focused approach to improving air quality and reducing exposure to toxic air pollutants at the neighborhood level. AB 617 requires CARB to work with stakeholders to tackle pollution at the community scale.

"East Side Union High School District (ESUHSD) supports and commits to working collaboratively on the YAQA program," said ESUHSD Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, Teresa Marquez.

The two-year YAQA project is a hands-on curriculum designed to educate high school students about pollution, enable them to build low-cost air sensors and analyze data. The project will guide students to understand how local policies affect air pollution and empower them to affect changes in their communities.

BAAQMD's Veronica Eady said, "The Air District is specifically excited about projects that strengthen the youth engagement component of our work, particularly including youth from East San José, one of the Air Districts AB 617 priority communities."

The YAQA project will utilize both off-the-shelf sensors and BackpAQ, an SSV-designed kit for students to build their own sensors. Both types of sensors collect information on outdoor (PM2.5) and indoor (CO2) pollution.

CA State Senator Dave Cortese said, "I am especially pleased to support this environmental justice program that will serve our students and provide them tools to become lifelong stewards of our planet."

The YAQA project is led by the non-profit "think & do tank" Sustainable Silicon Valley (SSV) in partnership with TD Environmental Services (TDE).

To learn more about YAQA, contact SSV Air Quality & Mobility Director, Andrew Clark, at [email protected].

SOURCE Sustainable Silicon Valley