Activity: Environmental APIs Exploration

Objective

Discover environmental data APIs that can power climate action apps with focus on accessibility and global equity.

API Sources to Explore

Air Quality Data

• EPA AirNow API (US-focused)
• OpenWeatherMap Air Pollution API (global)
• IQAir API (global, real-time)

Climate & Weather

• OpenWeatherMap (free tier)
• NOAA Climate Data (US government)
• World Bank Climate API

Evaluation Framework (15 minutes)

Accessibility Assessment (8 minutes)

For each API test:

Technical Barriers:

• Registration complexity and rate limits
• Documentation quality
• Free tier restrictions

Geographic Coverage:

• Global South representation
• Rural vs urban data availability
• Real-time vs delayed updates

Social Impact Rating (7 minutes)

Rate each API (1-5) for supporting:

1. Environmental Justice: Can identify pollution disparities by neighborhood?
2. Public Health Alerts: Real-time warnings for vulnerable populations?
3. Educational Content: Trend visualization capabilities?
4. Action Planning: Granular enough for local interventions?

Mini Implementation (10 minutes)

Choose one API and create a simple function:

const getEnvironmentalInsight = async (lat, lng) => {
  const response = await fetch(/* Your chosen API */);
  const data = await response.json();
  
  return {
    location: { lat, lng },
    airQuality: /* extract relevant data */,
    recommendations: /* based on data levels */,
    lastUpdated: /* timestamp */
  };
};

Equity Considerations

Document:

• Data Gaps: Which communities lack coverage?
• Cost Barriers: What limits comprehensive data access?
• Community Integration: How might local groups contribute data?

Deliverable

Recommend best API for social impact goals with gap analysis.

📤 Submit Your Work

Complete this activity and submit your work through the Activity Submission Form