Do you feel like you’re suffocating?  What aboug coughing? Any respiratory disaeses? Your neighbourhood is always under a heavy curtain of smoke? The news never really tell you anything, but you are absolutely sure something’s wrong? You would like to know how things look like for real? Who’s in charge of the air qualtiy anyway?
Join us! Belgrade Open School invites you to take part in the action of civil monitoring of air quality in Lazarevac, starting from February to April 2019.
If you are interested in takin part in our action, we invite you to complete this questionnaire, no later thatn January 31st. The number of participants is limited.

As participants, you will be able to measure the air quality, to share your monitoring results with other participants and people all around Serbia, to learn how to find and better understand the official information on air quality. You will learn where do different kinds of pollutants come from, as well as what kind of effect they might have on your health. You will understand what institutions are in charge, which laws regulate the matter of air quality. You will have an opportunity to take part in direct action aimed at imporving the air quality in your city. You will learn how to best influence your local community regarding the air quality.

Lazarevac is one of the centers of energy industry, which hampers the quality of air. Energy sector, traffic, industry, coal and burning wood as primary energy sources for household heeting – all of these factors result in poor air quality, with a direct negative impact on public health and the environment, especially during the witner season. There are insufficient monitoring stations, their improper functioning and the alck of clear, easily accessible and understandable information, as main factors that result in insufficient knowledge and awareness of citizens and decision makers on this pressing issue. According to the altest data from the World Health Organisation, there is 11.415 people who die in Serbia annualy due to the air pollution. This is particularly dangerous for communities around large energy and industrial complexes.

For these reasons, we are initiating the citizens’ monitoring of air quality in Lazarevac! Citizens’ monitoring has a primar goal of raising awareness of hte public on this subject. Air quality monitoring will be conducted from February to April this year.

All citizens who get selected to take part in the action will receive an air quality device from BOS. Introductionary training for air qualtiy monitoring will be organised at the beginning of February in Lazarevac.

Belgrade Open School contributes to accountable environmental policy, based on public participation in decision making and the partnership of civil society and public institutions. We adovacte for environment protection, transition towards renewable energy sources, improved public health and quality of lives of citizens, as wella s for partnership approach of all interested stakeholders in development of environmental policy. You can learn more about our activities by visiting our website – www.bos.rs/ekz-eng

Photo source: canva.com