10 Projects Improving Air Quality Across Boston
Clean air is a human right. These local organizations are working to improve air quality and public health in Boston and beyond.
The City of Boston's Air Pollution Control Commission (APCC) works to make our community a healthier and more comfortable place to live, work, and visit. In May, the APCC brought together over 200 community leaders, researchers, advocates, agencies and policymakers to co-create a vision for future research and policy to improve air quality in Boston and beyond. Throughout this event, conversations and showcases alike carried the same themes; the devastating impacts poor air quality has on a person's health and quality of life, and the importance of utilizing cross-sector partnerships to secure long-term health victories.
During a “Lightning Round”, we heard from 10 different community organizations, government leaders, and researchers who are already working to improve air quality across the city. Here are their projects:
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Non-profits can receive up to $200,000 in project funding!
10 Projects Improving Air Quality Across Boston
Breathe Easy, Allston-Brighton is a local clean air project by the Allston-Brighton Health Collaborative (ABHC), to measure air quality for Allston-Brighton residents who live along the Mass Pike. The project uses PurpleAir sensors that have to be plugged in continuously, which can limit participation for residents who do not have an outdoor electrical source. ABHC has teamed up with Artisans Asylum, a local makerspace, to create a solar-powered battery that can power the sensors for these residents and increase participation.
Boston Public Schools collects data from 4,500 sensors inside 119 schools, identifying any need for interventions to protect students and staff from environmental pollutants and low air quality.
Air quality is critical to students’ health and learning, and schools face intensified air pollution extremes under climate change. Boston University School of Public Health used minute-level data from rooftop sensors installed across 108 Boston Public Schools to examine school-level variation in fine particle pollution and develop an early detection approach for high air pollution events. Findings show substantial variation in the number of events across schools, highlighting how dense sensor networks can support school-specific exposure mitigation strategies.
The Fairmount Indigo CDC Collaborative and Air Partners launched a Backpack Monitor Ambassador Project to engage with residents in collecting real-world air quality data throughout the Fairmount Corridor. Using specially equipped backpacks, participants monitored their exposure to air pollution during their everyday commutes on public transit, walking, and biking.
GreenRoots is installing air sensors to better understand and quantify local air quality conditions in East Boston, a community affected by Logan Airport, Route 1A, and nearby industry air pollutants. By collecting reliable data, GreenRoots is better able to identify problems, advocate for solutions, and protect public health. Through a partnership with Northeastern University, they are also making data more publicly accessible through an interactive dashboard.
After HEET 's map of gas leaks catalyzed local advocacy, Massachusetts passed a law requiring quick repair of the largest gas leaks. Collaborative research found that the leak extent method was the best way to identify the 7% of leaks that emit most of the methane. Since implementation of the repair law, methane emissions from the gas distribution system have decreased approximately 20%.
The Museum of Science supports community-led initiatives across Massachusetts, such as local air quality monitoring along major corridors such as I-93 and Route 128. The
The Neighborhood of Affordable Housing's (NOAH) air quality project seeks to facilitate access to outdoor air quality data in East Boston while simultaneously mitigating immediate risk to marginalized individuals. To achieve these goals, they installed air quality sensors across the neighborhood and provided online access to local air quality data. This involved training their youth crew to analyze the data and share results with the East Boston community, as well as distribute DIY air purifiers through community workshops.
Tufts Medical Center and Tufts’ Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies collaborate with Boston's Chinatown on initiatives such as Boston’s Community Heat Action Plan, which partnered with Chinatown residents to secure 12 improved green spaces and grants for six restaurants to test lower-emission cooking.
The City of Boston's Community Clean Air Grant Program funds community-based projects that monitor, mitigate, or reduce air pollution in Boston. Following a successful relaunch in 2025, this annual grant program supports air quality initiatives that improve public health and address climate change at the local level. So far, the program has awarded $1,257,480 to nine projects. See the 2025 recipients and their projects here.
Have an air quality project in mind? Through June 30, 2026, eligible non-profits are invited to apply for up to $200,000 through the 2026 Community Clean Air Grant Program. Learn more and apply at Boston.gov/clean-air-grant/
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Non-profits can receive up to $200,000 in project funding!
