The Problem
Air pollution in Utah affects health in a number of ways, including coughing and shortness of breath to exacerbating conditions such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis. Therefore, for this project we intend to interview state political leaders, physicians, scientists, and youth about the impacts of air pollution on health and suggested measures to combat the issue. Our interviews will be compiled on an interactive website that can be used as an educational tool for classrooms and personal use. The desired result of our project is to inform citizens about the impact of poor air quality on health, ultimately mobilizing communities to inform public policy and promote behavior change.
Our Plan
Steps in our project:
1. Find funding: We just applied for a $2,500 grant to support this project financially.
2. Identify partners and mentors to provide guidance to our R&S group throughout the project: We have contacted a Utah State University Marketing Professor to guide us on advertising our project, and we are partnering with the Utah Department of Health to identify the health impacts of Air Pollution.
3. Gather film equipment: we are working with our school's film teacher to gain camera equipment.
4. Begin Filming: Over the next several months, we gather interviews about the impact of air pollution on health and potential solutions to the problem from leaders and students around Utah.
Project Deliverables:
1. Website with Story Map- an interactive map of the state of Utah, in which users may click on a region of Utah and videos from that region will be displayed. The videos will capture interviews of citizens from that particular region, discussing how the air pollution affects their lives. The map also will be displayed on the following websites: http://epht.health.utah.gov/epht-view/ http://www.health.utah.gov/utahair/
2. Billboards with a portrait of interviewees and a quotation about the impact of air pollution on their lives
3. Social media pages to promote the campaign and continue the discussion