#EarthDay2016: monitor the air quality you breathe, with a Tweet

By
Thursday, 21 April 2016

Pollution is rising at an alarming rate and people frequently get into discussions about the air quality in India. People do not have a quick, easy way to get live updates of the air quality in their neighbourhood. But the situation is set to change on #EarthDay2016. By working together with @IndiaSpend, we’re launching a new #Breathe hashtag service to enable Indians to get real-time information about the air pollution levels around them through a simple Tweet.

As a live communications platform for people to use every day, Twitter powers this new #Breathe service to increase public awareness about the alarming rise in air pollution levels across major cities in India. In the initial launch phase, Twitter users will be able to constantly monitor the air quality in their neighbourhoods in three major cities: Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.

As per the World Health Organisation’s list in December 2014, 13 out of 20 most polluted cities worldwide are in India:

  • Delhi
  • Patna
  • Gwalior
  • Raipur
  • Ahmedabad
  • Varanasi
  • Lucknow
  • Chandigarh
  • Agra
  • Bhopal
  • Dehradun
  • Jaipur
  • Ranchi

Taking into consideration the strategic importance of the above cities, the next phase of the campaign will aim at bringing the #Breathe service to these remaining cities.

How does it work? Tweet using #Breathe hashtag with your location, then you will get back a reply Tweet with a real-time update about the air quality in your area. The reply Tweet will include a visual notification with a measurement of the air quality along with possible health implications.

Example Tweet:
#Breathe Saket

Reply Tweet:

#EarthDay2016: monitor the air quality you breathe, with a Tweet

Close-up view of air pollution data in reply Tweet

Not only is Twitter the best way to see what’s happening in your world right now, but it is also the best place for real-time information updates to make your life better every day. Pollution levels across India are rising and is a huge health issue affecting millions of people. By leveraging India Spend’s air-quality monitoring network, Twitter is democratising access to live air pollution data to help Indians make healthier living decisions from Earth Day 2016 and beyond.