Know the air you breath

Hackney’s free air pollution forecasting and alerting service airTEXT is being re-launched this week and now includes a new smart phone app, providing new ways for residents to learn about predicted air pollution, UV and grass pollen levels as well as day and night time temperatures.

Air pollution affects us all, especially those who spend a lot of time outdoors either walking, cycling, running or working, but particularly anyone who is suffering from asthma, bronchitis, heart problems or similar diseases as well as very young or elderly residents.   The service is designed to help ensure you have the necessary medication at hand during times of high air pollution levels and to help prepare your day ahead to reduce exposure.

The service will send a warning message via text, voicemail or email if air pollution levels in Hackney are expected to reach moderate, high or very high levels.  Users with smart phones can check pollution levels at any point during the day.  Along with the alerts the airTEXT website includes street by street pollution maps and also lets users know what to do, to try to avoid being affected by air pollution.

To get the service you can either download the free airTEXT app, which has been created for iPhone and Android phone.  Those who don’t have access to such mobile phones, can instead receive text alerts from the service by dialing follow airTEXT_hackney to 86444.

Those who currently receive pollution alerts by email or voicemail will continue to do so but SMS users have these new options.  Visit www.hackney.gov.uk/airtext.htm for more info.  The airTEXT website http://www.airtext.info/ also has a searchable interactive map of London which allows users to view predicted air pollution levels anywhere in London.