Still doubt the accuracy of low cost air quality monitors?

By -
Today, local forest fire events have triggered extremely high air quality readings in Kamloops BC. For more than two years the BC Ministry of Environment and others have been raising doubts about the quality and accuracy of citizen science networks like PurpleAir. They have issued statements to media, city councils, and other branches of government calling this equipment cheap smoke detectors that are Made in China.

It's an inconvenient truth for them when smoke problems catch them with their pants down.

Today the Air Quality Health Index lagged several hours in telling people in the community about the real risk.

They had their index at a low risk level of 3 out of 10 when it was clear from our readings beginning at 3AM that this was a dramatic underestimate. The same thing happened all of last Summer in the region with incredibly high levels of risk to the population that were systematically downplayed.

Here's (yet again) proof that these devices work - and they work well!




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Press release - Wood Smoke is a Serious Health Hazard

By -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wood Smoke is a Serious Health Hazard (April 6, 2017, Vancouver, British Columbia)— Vicki Morell feels like a prisoner in her own home. And she warns that if it happened to her and her family, it can happen to you too.  The misery began 12 years ago when wood smoke from a neighbour’s fireplace began to permeate the Morell family’s home. The smoke gives Morell headaches and causes burning eyes and other health effects. “My wood-burning neighbours have told me that it is their right to burn wood,” said Morell. "But what about my right to breathe fresh clean air in my own home? I don’t understand why the right to burn wood outweighs another’s right to breathe clean air.” Morell used to think that closing windows would keep out the wood smoke, but she soon discovered that she was wrong. Wood smoke particles are far smaller than the width of a human hair — so tiny that, research has shown, the insides of nearby houses can wind up having nearly 80
Read more

Clean "country" air is an illusion

By -
Image
If you moved to the "country" for clean air and a healthy lifestyle it's time to rethink things. Right now air quality on Gabriola Island is mosty in the warning zone due to wood burning appliances like woodstoves and fireplaces with air quality readings of over 100. By contrast downtown Vancouver at rush hour is in the 50s and downtown Victoria is in the teens.
Read more

Comparing Fuel Prices

By -
Image
Dave Neads found this article with this chart at the end. Dave's comments are below the picture. You can compare different fuels to see whether you're paying too much  for your particular situation. http://umaine.edu/publications/7216e/ The important part of this paper is the chart at the end. It shows the relative cost for different fuels based on BTU delivered. Pay attention to the different assumptions, not every wood stove is equal, not every type of fuel is equal. The heat delivered by each scenario is relatively fixed, the ratios between each source don't change. Your scenario may or my not match one of these scenarios. When you compare electric kW to wood, paying 10 cents per kWh is the same as paying $290 a cord  (Pine and fir)  if you use a 70% efficient heater.  Rarely  does a heater put out 70%, most air tights are in the 50% or less range. In that case you should pay less per cord because you'll need more so the price of wood that is eq
Read more