EEA Photo-Story Competition: ImaginAIR
The European Environment Agency (EEA) is excited to announce its new photo story competition ImaginAIR, giving you a chance to show the impact of air in your part of Europe.
The quality of the air we breathe affects our health and our environment. Even though the impact of poor air quality in Europe is not always visible, air pollution can damage plants, trigger respiratory diseases and result in a shorter life expectancy for humans. We are all affected by air pollution.
Entrants are requested to express their story and experiences of air pollution in Europe creatively through a series of three photographs in one of the following categories:
- Air and Human Health:
Air pollution is a major environmental risk to human health. Detrimental health impacts can include harm to the respiratory system (including asthma and coughing), harm to the cardiovascular system (including increased risks of heart attacks), harm to the nervous system (including memory and learning impacts), harm to the reproductive system and cancer. - Air and Nature:
Air pollution can damage crops and other vegetation by impairing growth and reducing the ability of plants to take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Acidification of soils and freshwater through air pollution can also cause disturbances in the ecosystems with harmful ecological effects, including biodiversity loss and changes in species diversity. - Air in Cities:
Air pollution is typically more concentrated in cities due to the increased density of road transport, commercial activities, households and energy use – all of which contribute significantly to the emission of substances that are damaging to human health and the environment within and outside the city borders. - Air and Technology:
Since the Industrial Revolution in 1800s, technological progress has created machines and production lines that have been source of pollution – water, air, soil. But today technology also offers us solutions not only to measure air quality more effectively but also to find innovative ways to reduce the impact of our consumption and production patterns on the environment.
Submissions open on 24th September, submissions close 7th October 2012 ... get your cameras ready...
A €500 prize will be awarded to the winner of each photo story category.
For information on how to apply visit www.eea.europa.eu/imaginair