Innovative Bench At Independence National Historical Park Monitors Air Quality, Weather
By John McDevitt
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia is one of five cities to test out a high-tech bench that allows the public to participate in the measurement of air quality and weather information.
It's called the Village Green Station, developed by the Environmental Protection Agency. It is situated at 6th and Arch Streets on Independence Mall. The system is solar- and wind-powered and has a built-in bench. It has instruments that measures ozone and fine particle pollution, along with weather conditions. Air quality index is displayed and a color-coded chart to determine what conditions are raging from good to hazardous.
"If you have asthma, you have an idea is the ozone elevated, is the particulate matters, the fine pieces that can get into your lungs, is that elevated," says Shawn Garvin with the EPA. "So it gives people real-time information so they can make personal health decisions. It gets people a little bit more linked into their air quality."
Click here for more information on Village Green pilot project.
Click here to check online air quality and weather data from the station.
