Children play in an AirBubble, an innovative playground providing clean air thanks to algae (seen in tubes in the background) that absorb pollutants and carbon dioxide and in return produce oxygen, in Warsaw, Poland, on July 26, 2021. Image: AFP/Wojtek Radwanski
At a new playground in central Warsaw, Poland, algae feast on pollutants and carbon dioxide to provide a bubble of clean oxygen in a city ranked as one of the most polluted capitals in the European Union.
“There is untapped value in bringing the bio-intelligence of natural systems into cities,” said Marco Poletto, co-founder of the ecoLogicStudio urban design firm behind the project.
He suggests “turning buildings into living machines that produce energy, store CO2 and clean the air,” according to a statement.
The Polish capital was selected for the inaugural edition of the AirBubble as the city is in particular need of clean air.
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
According to data released by the European Environment Agency (EEA) last month, Warsaw ranks 269th for air quality on a list of 323 European cities.
The list was created based on the average level over the past two years of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the air pollutant with the highest impact on health.
