Due to its 13 private generator service providers operating 20 hours per day along with the second largest power plant in the country operating for the past 50 years directly downwind of the community, the 20,000 residents of Barja are suffering from a serious toxic air pollution problem. The low quality diesel fuel burned at these energy generating sites is releasing a multitude of toxic emissions including sulfur dioxide and high concentrations of particulate matter which are associated with numerous types of cancer and health ailments. On top of this, heavy quarrying in the area is kicking up dust which not only presents its own sweep of health issues but is suspected of leading to lower agricultural yields.
Mapping the operation and associated air pollution of the 13 diesel generator providers, analyzing dominant air flow patterns and monitoring air quality at key locations, unlocking and extrapolating data on historic air pollution emitted in Barja by the Jiyeh power plant and Turkish powership, investigating the best location for a public space removed from the intense air pollution, incentivizing the municipality to donate the aforementioned public piece of land to be transformed into a green space, and surveying the community for desired tree species and amenities in the future green space.