Vehicle exhaust makes up over 50% of the air pollution in Utah, and unnecessary idling of cars at schools contribute a significant amount of emissions released into the air each day. The goal of this project is to empower students to use their voices and the power of visual art to bring about change to take better care of their local community and have an impact on others. Students will make observations about our air quality, think about how and why air
pollution is caused in their community, and understand the science behind what they see through engaging demos. Students will be asked to brainstorm ways to create change, even small solutions like turning the key during drop-off and pick-up, and will see that they can have a huge impact on their own health and that of their teachers, classmates, and family members, as well as their fellow community members, including local flora and fauna.

Students will engage in a community art project that depicts the Salt Lake Valley- Wasatch and Oqquirrh range on either side, and silhouettes of each student in the valley. A hazy transparent grey-brown material representing poor air quality would be placed on top of the children’s’ portraits and the school and foot
of the mountains, covering the lower half of the banner. Once families have a chance to turn their keys and be idle-free we can remove this layer to reveal the image, imitating the goal we are actually trying to achieve. Through portable air quality sensors donated by the University of Utah Chemical Engineering department, students will be able to take quantitative measurements to see the effects of their efforts!

This projects aims to demonstrate how effective community art can be in initiating change and helping solve the air pollution problem!