Space to Breathe
The Local Challenge
Air pollution is the largest environmental threat to public health in the UK, contributing to an estimated 43,000 deaths each year. The impact is especially serious for people with respiratory conditions, and climate change is increasing the incidence of airways disease. Alloa, a post-industrial town in Central Scotland with high levels of social deprivation, is not immune to these challenges. Public libraries – trusted, accessible spaces visited by thousands each year – are well-placed to help communities understand, monitor, and improve air quality.
The Initiative
Space to Breathe is a year-long programme combining environmental education, citizen science, and community wellbeing, launched by Alloa Library and the community health group Breathe Easy. At its centre is a monthly “Space to Breathe Group,” open to Breathe Easy members, carers, library visitors, and the wider public. The group explores clean air topics through talks, training days, and a hands-on local lichen study, using lichens as indicators of air quality around the library and other meeting venues.
Inside the library, an “air-friendly” seating area filled with plants creates a welcoming space for conversation, supported by curated reading materials; outside, a dedicated planter improves the air and enhances the library’s green presence on the high street. A small “lending library of things” offers residents access to practical tools such as portable air monitors, magnifying lenses, and seed packs, to help them explore and improve air quality at home. Throughout the year, activities build practical skills in monitoring and enhancing indoor air, inspiring participants to take action in their own spaces and share what they learn with the wider community.
What’s Next?
Through this initiative, Space to Breathe will host at least 12 group meetings, engage hundreds of residents in learning about air quality, and directly involve participants in citizen science. Members will gain the knowledge to monitor and interpret local air quality, the skills to improve it, and the confidence to share these practices with others. The library will establish a seed and plant propagation scheme, gifting air-friendly plants to the community and inspiring similar “clean air oases” in other public spaces. By documenting the approach, the project will create a template that can be adopted by other libraries and community venues, ensuring the benefits extend far beyond Alloa.
Contact theeuropechallenge@culturalfoundation.eu if you have any questions or want to be connected with the team behind the project.
