Tithi

In the last blog, we mapped the landscape of air data, exploring its origins, collection methods, and the significance of each source. But measurement is only the beginning. Data becomes meaningful when it informs decisions, drives accountability, and ultimately, shapes the air we breathe. This is the story of how air data becomes policy, and […]

We breathe over 10 kilograms of air every single day, far more than the food and water we consume (Pleil et al., 2021). And yet, air is invisible, intangible, and often taken for granted until it makes us cough, wheeze, or stay inside due to smoke. But the air we breathe is a personal experience

In my previous post, “Pollution Without Borders: What Atmospheric Science Teaches Us About Global Connections,” I introduced readers to Dr. Jim McQuaid, an atmospheric scientist whose career has taken him from the Sahara Desert to Indonesian peatlands, always chasing gases and particles, and processes that tie our air together. I recommend starting there for a

The green economy is more than solar panels, wind farms, and clean tech. It’s also about who leads, who benefits, and whose voices shape the transition. Around the world, particularly across Africa, women are on the front line of climate change. They are often the first to feel its burdens, from energy poverty to food

Air pollution doesn’t stop at borders. A wildfire burning in Canada can send smoke curling across the Atlantic, producing great sunsets in London. Storms born in the Sahara Desert can drift across the Atlantic Ocean and become hurricanes that eventually crash into the U.S. Gulf Coast. Local pollution events have global consequences, often in ways

From predicting wildfires to mapping urban heat islands, the fusion of AI and geospatial data is reshaping how we understand and respond to climate change. Behind these innovations are people like Ryan Kmetz, who are redefining what’s possible when technology meets environmental science. When Ryan Kmetz reflects on his career, the central thread is his

Air pollution isn’t just the visible haze over a city skyline or the acrid smoke from a factory stack. It’s a complex and shifting cocktail of gases, vapors, and microscopic particles (many of which are invisible) that travel through the air, interact with one another, and cause profound harm to our health, ecosystems, and climate

When I first came across Air Aware Labs, something caught my eye. Air pollution is one of those crises that exists in plain sight, and yet remains largely invisible in our daily lives. You can’t see the nitrogen dioxide on your running route or the PM2.5 particles in your morning commute. And yet, they’re there,

“While you don’t need to apologize for having grown up privileged or having privilege, it’s your job to use that to advocate for the people who have less than you.” These were words shared by environmental policy expert Maria Tooker during our conversation. Maria works in sustainability and policy, but is also a connector, an

Shifting careers is never easy, especially when you’ve built years of experience in a field and suddenly feel called to something more urgent, more meaningful. As the climate crisis intensifies, with record-breaking heat, rising pollution levels, and growing pressures on ecosystems and communities, many mid-career professionals are asking themselves the same question: How can I