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Description
In this project, we are engaging the residents of the five most smog-polluted districts of the city of Toruń in activities to reduce low emissions, i.e. the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere. We want to involve citizens in information and education activities aimed at people with outdated coal-burning cookers.
In Toruń, the largest share of air pollution comes from household emissions (65.9%) and point source emissions (17.5%). According to data from Toruń City Hall, interest in grants for replacing heating has dropped significantly since the beginning of 2022. In the first quarter, only 33 applications were submitted for a city grant, compared to 87 in the same period in 2021.
As part of the project, we are recruiting and training 20 community anti-smog advisors. Their task is to contact residents and inform them about the need to replace their heating, available subsidies and where to get advice. The advisors identify problems and barriers to replacing cookers. The information collected will be used to develop recommendations on the offer of support available in Toruń. In addition, we are conducting an educational campaign. The advisors will be provided with ongoing mentoring and team-building meetings. Ten of them will have the opportunity to become certified energy auditors. We also organise workshops for people representing local authorities in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province. Their aim is to present the conclusions of the project and discuss the possibilities of introducing new solutions in individual municipalities. Thanks to this project, we will collect data necessary to introduce changes to anti-smog tools, which in the future will contribute to faster replacement of cookers and improved air quality. The project is coordinated by the Bydgoszcz Smog Alarm association in cooperation with the Sustainable Development Laboratory and the City of Toruń.