Indians can now get real-time data on air pollution in their cities with just a tweet. A new feature launched on Earth Day enables Twitter users in India to ask for this information using the hashtag #Breathe.
Twitter India said that it hoped to increase public awareness about rising levels of air pollution and its health effects in India, as well as democratise live air pollution data for everyone.
“Pollution is rising at an alarming rate and people frequently get into discussions about the air quality in India,” Twitter India said on its blog. “People do not have a quick, easy way to get live updates of the air quality in their neighbourhood.”
Here’s how to get on demand air quality updates in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru! #Breathe #EarthDay2016 pic.twitter.com/grgSvypc26— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) April 22, 2016
After users tweet using the hashtag #Breathe and their location, they will get a reply tweet with a real-time update about the air quality in their area. The reply will also include particulate matter levels, i.e. PM 2.5 and PM 10, and the health impact that this pollution may have. The service has been started in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and will soon be extended to other cities.
Twitter has developed the feature in partnership with India Spend, which runs an independent air quality monitoring network using low-quality cost sensors fitted with GPRS transmitters installed across the country.
Healthier living: Tweet #Breathe + location in Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore for live air pollution data. #EarthDay2016 pic.twitter.com/7TesAk6cmf— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) April 21, 2016
India’s air pollution levels have been increasing over the last decade, and reached their highest levels in 2015. Last year, the country’s air was also found to be more polluted than China’s for the first time.
In 2014, the World Health Organisation declared India’s capital Delhi to be the world’s most polluted city. WHO also revealed that 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities were in India, including several state capitals. In the second phase, Twitter’s #Breathe feature will be rolled out in some of these cities, such as Patna, Ahmedabad, Raipur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Chandigarh, Ranchi, Agra and Jaipur.