Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Mapping Air Pollution Around the World


Air Pollution in New York is a Google Map that provides a visualization of air quality in the Big Apple. The map is from the same creators as the Air Pollution in Asia map (see below).

Markers on the map are color-coded to display the air pollution level based on the EPA graduation. Green indicates that the current air quality poses little or no risk. You can click on the individual markers to read the full readings from the selected air pollution monitor.


Houstonians also have a way of tracking outdoor air quality, thanks to a real-time map created by the University of Houston and Air Alliance Houston. The Houston Clean Air Network uses a Google Map to show ozone levels in the City of Houston.

The map uses a color coded overlay to display the ozone levels on the map. Purple colors represent 'hazardous' levels, while green indicates 'good' levels. The current readings from different locations around the city are also displayed on the map via numbered map markers.

The map also includes the option to look at and animate the ozone levels for any previous day.


The London Air Quality Network provides information about air quality in and around London.

The site includes a Google Map that allows Londoners to view air quality from monitoring stations positioned around the capital. The stations collect data on London's air quality twice a day and the map is updated hourly.

As well as the traditional Google Maps visualizations of air pollution London Air has a very cool 3d Map of Air Pollution in London. This 3d map seems to have been around for a while because it visualizes air quality in London in 2003, with predictions for the years 2004-10.


Air Pollution in Asia is a Google Map of real-time air quality readings.

The map provides a visual guide to air quality across China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and a number of other Asian cities. When looking at the map the dangerous pollution in China is immediately evident. There also seems to be highly dangerous air pollution in Delhi.

Users can click on any of the map markers to view the latest air pollution reading from the selected air monitor and click through to get detailed readings and readings from nearby monitors.

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