Air Quality

Breathe Easy, Allston Brighton

In 2025, we launched our most ambitious climate resilience project yet. “Breathe Easy, Allston Brighton” is an 18-month air quality study creating a first-of-its-kind, publicly accessible map of real-time air quality data across the neighborhood. Alongside the study, we’re conducting a public awareness campaign on the health risks of air pollution while educating community members on how to use, access, and understand the data from our study. Our goal is to equip Allston-Brighton community members with the tools to protect their health and advocate for a cleaner future.

In the 1950s, the I-90 Highway (or the Mass Pike) was built through Allston-Brighton—and while it offers certain benefits to the neighborhood, it has also had a lasting detrimental impact. More than 70 years later, residents living near the highway and across Allston-Brighton still live with air pollution from the thousands of cars and trucks that pass through the highway each day. This year, we’re working to empower this community with data and information, so those most impacted can understand the risks to their health and what steps they can take to ensure cleaner, healthier air inside their own homes.

We believe the best solutions start by understanding the problem at a grassroots level. With “Breathe Easy, Allston-Brighton” we’re committed to building that understanding.

Real-Time Air Quality Dashboard

About the Study

Our study involves 30 participating community members, and is taking place through 2026 into 2027. Participants are a mix of homeowners and renters, all living within a mile of the I-90 Highway.

Over the course of the study, we’re using two Purple Air Monitors per participant: one inside, and one directly outside each of their homes. These monitors measure real-time, minute-to-minute air quality (fine particulate matter, PM2.5) data which is publicly accessible 24/7 through Purple Air’s air quality dashboard. (see above)

Indoor Air Monitors

Outdoor Air Monitors

This data is supplemented Dr. Shang Liu of Northeastern University, ABHC’s project partner. His team operates the iSUPER mobile “lab in a van,” which drives around the neighborhood to identify pollution hotspots.