Impact and Accomplishments
Clean Air Ambassador Program: 32 businesses, individuals, schools, and municipalities hosting “Purple Air” low-cost air quality sensors. This network of clean air stewards provides a highly comprehensive map of air quality across the 60 miles of river valley and drainages where people live, work, and recreate. In 2021, we included two sensors from the Okanogan Valley - one in Riverside and one in Okanogan.
Keeping students safe: advising and indoor air sampling for Methow Valley School District and Little Star Montessori that resulted in air purifiers being placed in every classroom and active space, as well as protective recess and athletic practice policies during wildfire smoke.
Improving indoor air in the community: indoor air sampling for schools, businesses, and community members.
Preventing thousands of hours of smoke from outdoor burning: conducted vegetation and chipping drives to provide an alternative to outdoor burning, in partnership and sponsorship with Town of Twisp, Okanogan County Public Works, and the Okanogan County Conservation District. Contributing to efforts towards a valley-based composting and biochar facility.
Improving winter air quality: held clean home heating workshops to reduce winter woodsmoke and replacing old smoky woodstoves through a grant from WA Dept. of Ecology.
Community outreach and education: on air quality issues and solutions (radio ads, newspaper articles and editorials, flyers, Facebook, blog posts).
Improving air quality policy locally and beyond: providing input to state and regional policies and communications related to prescribed burning; smoke complaint documentation; use of low-cost air quality sensors in decision-making; public health; and climate change resiliency.
Building strong partnerships: including Room One, Fire Adapted Methow Valley, Methow Valley Ranger District (US Forest Service); Methow Valley School District; Little Star Montessori School; Bush School Methow Campus; WA Department of Natural Resources; WA Department of Ecology; WA state and local Health Department; Okanogan Emergency Management and AeroMethow Emergency Response; Methow Ready; Confluence Health and Family Health Center clinics; Methow Recycles; Town of Twisp; Okanogan County Fire District 6; Methow Conservancy; University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences; Okanogan River Airshed Partnership and more.
Mentoring: seven student interns and conducting academic research towards improvement of smoke readiness, risk communication, and disaster preparedness and response.
