The Pigeon Air Patrol…

The world’s first flock of avian environmental crusaders, The Pigeon Air Patrol flew around London equipped with Plume’s tiny air-pollution sensors. The Patrol monitored air-quality in real time – sharing results live on Twitter as they flew. And anyone tweeting @PigeonAir received an instant update on pollution in their local area, from the nearest Patrol pigeon flying above them.

The two biggest things pigeons allowed us to do were:

i) Easily uncover important data during times when pollution levels are said to be the most toxic – the morning and evening rush hours, when London is otherwise gridlocked.

ii) Quickly deliver localised air-pollution data in a disruptive, engaging and newsworthy way. The Pigeon Air Patrol not only made the subject of air-pollution more accessible, it made it something people wanted to talk about.

It also allowed us to inject some wit and change the tone of the conversation.

DATA JOURNEY

Collecting and sharing data in an original and creative way that enhanced people's lives was the heart of this idea.

Using pigeons wearing tiny sensors, to go where no vehicle (or drone) could and collect data that was beamed direct to locals via Twitter, was a unique, empowering data journey.

IMPLEMENTATION & INTEGRATION

The raw data the pigeons collected would have been too complex for most people to grasp. So we created a 5-level air-quality scale – fresh, moderate, high, very high, extreme – based on WHO guidelines. Each person receiving personalised data via Twitter was told where on the scale their reading sat and what the associated health risks were – using vibrant info-graphics.

When people requested a reading, we looked at their location. If pigeon data was available in their area, and less than an hour old, we sent it. If not, we still wanted people to have more relevant, local readings. So the index was updated hourly throughout the day for each London area and shared as well.

Wherever or whoever in London you were, The Pigeon Air Patrol filtered and implemented data in a creative way you could use to make life-improving choices.

– Over 6000 new pollution data points uncovered across the city in 3 days

– Generating nearly 40,000 conversations online

– Inspiring over 2,000 news stories globally (*highlights below)

– Creating over 667 million impressions

– 93% of those who engaged said they cared more about air pollution as a result, which is a key predictor of behavior change.

– Facebook Trending Topic

– Crowdfunding goal exceeded inside 3 days.

– Backed by the £10,000 raised, Plume Labs can now make 100 wearables for new Air Patrol members to beta test… Soon there will be a human-powered monitoring network across London – all thanks to pigeons.

* Highlights list of global outlets running this story across TV, radio, print and online:

Time magazine, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Wired, the Evening Standard, TechCrunch, ITV, Discovery Channel, NPR, NBC News, Mashable, New Scientist, Washington Post, CNN, New York Post, Engadget, ABC Australia, Newsweek, Les Echos, Metro, TechRadar, Wall Street Journal, Time Out, The Independent, The Mirror, Forbes, Mail Online, BBC News, New Scientist, Fast Company, CNET, Marie Claire, Sky News and CBS.

This work has been entered into the Creative Data Lions because we collected and applied potentially life-improving air-pollution data in an imaginative, engaging way that’s never been done before.

Typical city air-quality monitoring involves static equipment and mathematical techniques to estimate, or model, likely air-pollution levels between sites. Our idea both overcame this obstacle to accuracy and removed one of air pollution’s most powerful weapons – invisibility – in one fell swoop.

In so doing, it reignited public debate around air pollution in London and delivered data in a more relevant and personal way.

GATHERING

Previously, the means for collecting London’s air-pollution data was limited to a series of readings taken from static locations combined to form an average. Perhaps the most significant problem with this, is that an average doesn’t mean anything to an individual in a specific location, who could benefit from that location’s specific reading.

We turned this limited approach on its head by collecting hyper-local data on the move, in mid air, to form a dynamic picture of London’s air-pollution. To do so we attached tiny, wearable pollution sensors to trained racing pigeons that followed strategic flight-paths across London.

INTERPRETATION & TARGETING

With our pigeons now collecting personalised air-pollution data, we then shared it in real time, using a simple pollution index, accompanied by info-graphics and clear, actionable advice. We did so in a colourful and light-hearted tone – thanks to a distinctive brand identity.

The pigeons were released at key times for high pollution – namely, the morning and evening rush hours.

The live data was used to engage people on Twitter who were already showing interest in their local areas and activities. By using a memorable hashtag and real-time platform we brought to life Plume Labs’ mission of democratising data.

SITUATION

Last year, almost 7 million people died from diseases caused by air pollution. 10,000 of those deaths were in London – a city that exceeded its EU air-pollution limit for the whole of 2016 by January 8th 2016.

Because air pollution is almost invisible, people can’t easily see when they’re putting themselves in harm’s way. And because the science explaining how it harms people is complicated, it can be hard for us to grasp just how big a problem air pollution is.

BRIEF

Environmental technology specialist Plume Labs is developing technology that helps people control personal exposure to air pollution and therefore improve their health. The challenge was getting Londoners to engage with it in a fresh, interesting way that made air pollution impossible to ignore.

OBJECTIVES

Raise awareness of poor air-quality in London; make people care more about local air quality; crowdfund further research to develop Plume’s technology.