Keeping Watch 2016: Exploring Charlotte's Air Quality & Tree Canopy

The goal of KEEPING WATCH is to educate and activate diverse communities in Charlotte, and to inspire “citizen scientists,” through a wide range of integrated programs and presentations: contemporary arts, narrative nonfiction, photography and video, public exhibitions, film screenings, lectures and panel discussions, neighborhood-based events, and K-12 curricular activities. More than 14,000 people encountered KEEPING WATCH on Plastics in 2014; that number grew to 20,000 in 2015 for KEEPING WATCH on WATER: City of Creeks.

For spring 2016, the KEEPING WATCH project focuses on local air quality and tree canopy. Poor air quality in the United States is largely due to elevated concentrations of ozone and particulate matter in our urban centers. In general, Charlotte’s air quality has improved over the past decade, but since vehicles are the primary source of pollutants in our county and Charlotte’s population is growing rapidly, air quality could worsen in the coming decade if not given careful attention.