Participatory Mapping to Keep Norwood Cool

Environmental Justice - Keep Norwood Cool
Spring Health Sciences Cafe
Exposure to Air Pollution and Child Health
Learn the results of ground breaking research done right here in Greater Cincinnati, through clear maps, data and engaging presentation. Everyone believes in proactively impacting our environment, but how is our environment impacting us? Understanding leads to better decision making as we create a climate friendly Norwood.

A Community Health Grant
Keep Norwood Cool received funding from a Community Health Grant in June 2020 to conduct the Participatory Mapping to Keep Norwood Cool Study. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, Community Health Grants are awarded to partnerships between academic researchers and community members seeking to systematically address community health issues.
Training Day for Climate Relay
Learn to measure and upload data from your environment for a study led by CCHMC and UC, and facilitated by the Norwood Health Department and Keep Norwood Cool. It’s fun and educational, and helps create a climate friendly Norwood! Sign up now for event happening on Saturday, July 25!
Report on Community Huddle July 2020
Project Overview
Zoom Meeting Video

Study Plan
The objective of the study will be to collectively identify both positive and negative factors that affect the microenvironments and associated microclimates of Norwood and then study how these factors affect the health and wellness of people living, working or playing in it.
The study is expected to include numerous opportunities for Norwood citizens to receive education, complete training and then work along researchers as “citizen scientists”. Citizen scientist activities include: 1) scouring Norwood neighborhoods to both make and record visual observations (e.g. presence of garbage and trash, trash cans, trees, standing water, etc.) using their mobile devices; 2) querying neighbors and bystanders about their feelings of well-being and stress near locations likely to be heat islands using an online survey tool; and 3) carrying sensors on pre-planned walking or bike routes throughout a designated week to measure air temperature and levels of air pollution.
From these data, special multimedia geographical maps called StoryMaps will be created to represent, interpret and communicate sensor, observation and well-being information collected in Norwood. By layering the differing information collected on maps, the KNC team, partnering stakeholders and citizen scientists can make comparison between areas, identify key issues, make decisions together and mobilize future actions to promote healthier microenvironments in Norwood while minimizing the effects of less healthy ones.