Since the start of the Trump administration, federal officials have been rolling back funding to federal environmental programs and scientific research — moves that threaten to leave vulnerable communities with fewer resources to address air quality concerns. That reality, along with the desire to broaden its reach, prompted the Charlotte-based advocacy group CleanAIRE NC to launch a new interactive online tool designed to educate North Carolinians on environmental issues and provide them with resources for healthier communities.
“Air pollution is an invisible and often understated problem, yet its impact on public health is profound,” said Rafi Vaca, CleanAIRE NC education manager. “We created this platform to demystify complex issues and inspire meaningful engagement.”
Mounting research reveals ongoing threats to air quality in urban and rural settings, from vehicle emissions, industrial sources and agriculture. One recent study found that residents living near concentrated animal feeding operations face significantly higher exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5): Levels were 28 percent higher near large cattle operations and 11 percent higher near industrial hog farms compared with communities farther away.
CleanAIRE NC has responded to air quality issues by partnering with communities across the state — from Charlotte’s Historic West End to rural Sampson County — to establish local air-quality monitoring and provide training and educational support for residents most affected by pollution.
A sense of urgency
Particulate matter, or particle pollution, is a mix of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air. Some, like dust, pollen or soot, are visible. Those usually fall in the range of PM10, particulate matter that is 10 micrometers, or about one-fifth the diameter of a human hair.
Other particles, such as PM2.5s, are so small they can only be seen with powerful microscopes, according to information provided by the EPA. Exposure to particle pollution can trigger serious health problems, including heart attacks, worsened asthma, reduced lung function and even premature death in people with heart or lung disease.
National studies echo air quality concerns raised by CleanAIRE NC. A 2022 report found higher risks of mortality across all age groups in U.S. regions with elevated PM2.5 levels — areas that often include vulnerable or low-income communities. The authors said the findings highlight the need for more equitable policies to improve air quality.
A 2018 study found that efforts to reduce PM2.5 levels in the U.S. from 1999 to 2013 resulted in a reduced mortality rate among elderly Americans, “worth $24 billion annually by the end of that period.”
Even as the Clean Air Act faces mounting challenges, environmental groups like CleanAIRE NC are working to bridge the gaps created by shifts in federal and state policy. The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 Sackett v. EPA decision redefined “Waters of the United States,” stripping federal protection from some wetlands. More recently, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced plans to reevaluate the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which declared greenhouse gases a threat to public health. Leaders of CleanAIRE say that together, these developments illustrate the importance of efforts like theirs to inform and empower communities.
Addressing the problem
Findings like these underscore the need for accessible information about air quality — which CleanAIRE is working to address through a new web platform, CleanAIRE Academy.
“The landscape of environmental health in North Carolina has drastically shifted in recent months,” CleanAIRE NC said in a statement. “Growing concerns about our state’s readiness to handle potential environmental emergencies, coupled with recent legal changes, underscore the urgent need for informed community engagement. The CleanAIRE Academy offers a reliable, expert-backed source of information, with content developed by seasoned professionals in air quality, health, policy, advocacy and data science.”
“The CleanAIRE Academy greatly expanded my knowledge of air quality and advocacy,” said Naami Abbey, a student at the University of North CarolinaCharlotte, who described herself as “passionate” about environmental justice and community health.
Abbey was an early user.
“The self-paced courses made learning so much easier, deepening my understanding of air quality and how to turn concern into meaningful action for environmental justice,” she said.
How the academy works
The academy offers two learning modules. “Air Quality 101” is designed to build a user’s foundation in air quality. The second, “Advocacy in Action,” helps participants “learn to navigate policy, craft compelling messages, and engage effectively with decision-makers.”
Four more modules are planned: “Air Pollution and Your Health,” “Environmental Justice,” “AirKeeper Dashboard” and “Community Science and Air Monitoring.”
“CleanAIRE NC has had a history of providing this type of environmental and air pollution education, starting with Atrium Health Network residents,” said Vaca, Clean AIRE’s education manager. “That was to connect environmental factors and pollution to support health outcomes, especially since this is often missing from traditional medical school curricula."
Vaca said that the shift to online learning will help the organization meet growing demand. “We can’t always take on additional projects like in-person trainings, but the requests we receive from communities facing pollution and other environmental challenges keep growing. So we wanted to scale our work to support them, even if we didn’t have a dedicated grant for their community.”
Vaca expects the academy to expand as it gains traction, to reach beyond their usual partners to transportation agencies or corporations.
“It’s for the public and our impacted communities,” Vaca said. “Now we want to grow it and expand it so it covers a lot more topics.”
Drawing on experience
The idea for the academy originated in house with staff experts in 2024.
“Part of the reason it’s taken so long is because we are getting expert advice and going through a full review process to gather feedback and update these courses so they meet the highest standards,” Vaca said.
The potential audience of academy users includes residents of affected communities, academics, students and policy makers, Vaca said.
In terms of what Vaca hopes academy course enrollees gain from the experience, she said: “I hope our participants or students see that these topics don’t have to be boring or intimidating.
“The takeaway should be that hope and resilience come when we lean on our communities, when we educate ourselves and support the work that is already being done for a cleaner environment.”
To enroll in or learn more about the CleanAIRE Academy, visit cleanairenc.org/academy.
This article first appeared on North Carolina Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.