Participation in citizen science can lead to a range of positive outcomes. As people work collaboratively to address urban problems, they gain new knowledge and skills, expand their social network, develop a stronger sense of belonging and caring for their neighbourhood, city, and the environment. Exposure to these benefits can trigger changes in attitudes and behaviour that, in turn, can affect individual lifestyle choices.

One driver of change worth noting in this regard is information provision. It can take the form of real-time updates on the spatiotemporal variation of air pollution, based on which people can decide if they should take any protective measures like wearing a mask, closing a window, or avoiding a busy street. Another important motivating factor is the prospect or, better still, evidence of gathered data being used for research purposes or policy making, as people are more likely to contribute toward a common cause when they know their actions will make a difference on a bigger scale. Change can also be stimulated by competitive challenges with game mechanics that require people to alter their habits, such as travel modes or routes, if they want to earn points and top the rankings. Even simple information sharing between participants can provide the much needed impetus for change. Interaction with peers can set in motion group dynamics that challenge prevailing attitudes and allow new ideas to take hold within communities. As awareness about results spreads, new behaviour can gradually establish itself as a social norm. In Sofia, it took the form of a modal shift from private car to public transport.

Case studies

Sofia

In September 2023, a school-bus service was launched in Sofia within the framework of the European Mobility Week. The service ran along two routes that cover 11 neighbourhoods and several schools, including the 18th SU 'William Gladstone' and 32nd SU 'St. Kliment Ohridski' - two largest schools in the capital. The main objectives were to improve accessibility for students living in suburbs and to make school environments safe overall. In Sofia, many children are driven to school by car. This includes not just those in grades 1-4 (elementary school), but also older kids (grades 5+). The situation contributed to bad air quality, heavy traffic and even road accidents near schools.

Surveying parents (left) about the school bus service in Sofia (middle and right)

To assess whether a school bus had any impact on air quality, 4 sensor.community kits were installed at William Gladstone and Kliment Ohridski. Complementary to hands-on workshops for students, educational sessions were organised by COMPAIR researchers from Sofia Green, who introduced parents to air quality, citizen science, and behavioural change. A few months later, parents were asked to provide feedback. The survey revealed that 60% of students who started using the bus service were previously driven by car. The associated reduction of private vehicles coincided with lower PM concentrations near schools, a development picked by the deployed sensors at the usual drop-off and pick-up times. Furthermore, 210 respondents said they would like the bus service to continue (the first four answers in the figure below). The main reasons given were a noticeable reduction in air pollution around schools, plus the boost to independence and socialisation when children travel by bus.

Survey responses show many parents want the school bus in Sofia to continue

In Sofia and other COMPAIR pilots, the research team stimulated individual motivation, creativity and group dynamics to set participants on course for sustainable lifestyles. In Sofia, behavioural change manifested itself in parents’ desire to send their children to school by bus instead of driving them. This example can serve as an inspiration to other cities that are looking for proven ways to mobilise communities to act on environmental challenges.

Lessons from the Sofia campaign 

Flanders

A high-school in Herzele implemented a six-week-long educational track on air quality at the start of 2024. The course followed the learn-do-reflect approach:

• Learn: First, the teacher gave an introductory lecture based on COMPAIR’s air quality guide (D5.1). The project team then provided an additional 1h training on experimental design and COMPAIR’s air quality measurement devices and apps

• Do: Students participated in a COMPAIR workshop in which they designed their own experiments based on a desired topic: a) building your own air quality sensor, b) benchmarking sensor devices, c) characterising pollution sources, d) mapping pollution in a city, e) mapping clean air routes. The workshop was followed by an experimentation phase that lasted four weeks

• Reflect: At the end, students presented their findings to their peers, teachers and COMPAIR experts

Experimental design by a group of students comparing two routes to school

Skills gained from this involvement were meant to reinforce STEM education and further raise environmental awareness among school children. Before and after the track, students completed a questionnaire on their modes of transport to school. Questionnaire results show an increased preference for active and collective transport modes, and a reduction of nearly 20% in car use among participating students.

Before, after and difference in reported transport modes to school

Lessons from the Flanders campaign

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