Online lesson about smog for high schools

On June 12th 2017, as a part of the LIFE IP “Implementation of Air Quality Plan for Małopolska Region – Małopolska in a healthy atmosphere” there was organized an online lesson for high schools about the air pollution. The lesson was held online using the “Małopolska Educational Cloud”, which is an innovative information and communication platform, allowing to conduct interactive classes by universities and secondary schools of Małopolska. The lesson was focused on the basic information about the air pollution and smog. The main theme blocks of the lesson were:

    • What is the smog and how is it formed?
    • What are the effects of exposure to the smog?
    • How to fight against the air pollution?

The lecture, taught by Professor Piotr Kleczkowski from the University of Science and Technology in Krakow, was heard by students of 10 high schools from the Małopolska Region:

  1. Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie w Andrychowie (Maria Skłodowska-Curie High School in Andrychów),
  2. II Liceum Ogólnokształcące w Zespole  Szkół Ogólnokształcących Nr 2 im. Hetmana Jana Tarnowskiego w Tarnowie (Hetman Jan Tarnowski 2nd High School in Tarnów),
  3. Liceum Ogólnokształcące w Powiatowym Zespole Nr 1 Szkół Ogólnokształcących im. Stanisława Konarskiego w Oświęcimiu (Stanisław Konarski 1st High School in Oświęcim),
  4. I Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Bartłomieja Nowodworskiego w Krakowie (Bartłomiej Nowodworski 1st High School in Krakow),
  5. I Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Stanisława Staszica w Chrzanowie (Stanisław Staszic 1st High School in Chrzanów),
  6. Zespół Szkół Chemicznych im. Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie w Krakowie (Maria Skłodowska-Curie Chemical Schools Complex in Krakow),
  7. Zespół Szkół Łączności im. Obrońców Poczty Polskiej w Gdańsku w Krakowie (Defenders of the Polish Post in Gdańsk Schools Complex of Connection in Krakow,
  8. Zespół Szkół Ekonomicznych im. Jana Pawła II w Gorlicach (John Paul II Economic School Complex in Krakow),
  9. Zespół Szkół Ponadgimnazjalnych im. W. Witosa w Nawojowej (W. Witos Upper Secondary School in Nawojowa),
  10. Zespół Szkół Ponadgimnazjalnych im. Józefa Piłsudskiego w Zakliczynie (Józef Piłsudski Upper Secondary School in Zakliczyn).

The main idea of these activities was to raise awareness among young people about the dangers of smog. Such classes are an excellent source of information about the air quality and an incentive to actively participate in the fight against the air pollution. The awareness of each inhabitant of Malopolska is another step towards improving the quality of the air we breathe.

The lesson was carried out within the implementation of the action E.2. “ Local education and information campaign to promote clean air ”of the LIFE IP “Implementation of Air Quality Plan for Małopolska Region – Małopolska in a healthy atmosphere” / LIFE-IP MALOPOLSKA / LIFE14 IPE EN 021.

At the end of January, a particulate matter measuring device was installed on the Wadowice market, in line with the Integrated Project “Implementation of the Air Quality Plan for the Malopolska Region – Malopolska in a healthy atmosphere”. The results of the measurements show that the air in the city during the heating season is of very bad quality.

In the last week of January, the average PM10 concentration in Wadowice was 289 ug / m3. In the same period, in Krakow, fighting against massive smog, the average was lower by almost 100 ug / m3 and was 198 ug / m3. The results recorded in both cities significantly exceeded the standards and reached a level that is dangerous to human health.

The air was also of poor quality in February. The air in Wadowice was below the permissible level of contamination in April – after the end of the heating season. During the measurements, a total of 50 days was recorded that exceeded the daily standard for PM10 concentrations – all during the heating season. The Polish levels of the need for informing and alerting about smog have been exceeded many times, despite the fact that they are very high. The first (200 μg / m3) was exceeded for seven days, while the second (300 μg / m3) for six. Twice, the daily average exceeded 400 ug / m3, reaching 800% of the limit.

Detailed information on the results of the measurements can be found in the following presentation.

Summary of the measurement results in Wadowice

Actions aimed at air quality improvement undertaken by Wadowice

The Malopolska Region is not alone in the fight for clean air in the region. Once again, the efforts of our region have been recognized internationally. Following the LIFE project, the Malopolska Region has now become a partner of the World Bank and the European Commission in the implementation of the “Catching-up Regions” project which aims at helping to eliminate smog.

Within the project, the Malopolska Region has been already visited by the World Bank experts: Ashok Sarkar and Anand Subbiah. In order to better understand the problem of smog, they visited several municipalities in the region: Wadowice, Jordanów and Maków Podhalański. They also talked with the representatives of the Provincial Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Krakow. This week, experts will be going to the Silesian Region. Currently, the World Bank representatives will be carrying out an analysis of legal requirements and whether the Malopolska Region will be able to introduce additional tools that will enable the modernization of single-family houses.  They will also estimate the need for additional support, taking into account the demographics, conditions of the region and the characteristics of individual buildings.

The solutions developed in the Malopolska Region to improve the energy efficiency of buildings will also, in the future, be available to other regions in Poland.

The “Catching-up Regions” program (formerly, Lagging Regions) is targeted at the less developed regions of the EU. It is a research and advisory program. So far, two regions have participated in the project: Świętokrzyskie and Podkarpackie. In their case, the main axis of cooperation was economic development and business support. Now the project has been joined by the Silesian and Malopolska Regions – regions that face the problem of polluted air and take the furthest action in the fight against smog.