Community Celebrates First-of-its-Kind Air Quality Education at Point of Care
The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE), alongside Mayor Mike Johnston and community partners, celebrated the expansion of the Love My Air program into Denver community health clinics. This milestone event marks a major step in delivering environmental health education and real-time air quality data directly to residents alongside trusted health care providers.
Love My Air is Denver’s air monitoring network, providing real-time air quality information through a mobile app using cutting-edge pollution monitoring technology. Through partnerships with schools and community organizations, the program also offers workshops, training and outreach focused on connecting air quality and health. Since the program began in 2018, Love My Air’s educational efforts have been focused in Denver Public Schools. The expansion into health clinics brings this work to the point of care for the first time.
“Monitoring air quality in real-time helps us better understand local environmental impacts and empowers communities to make informed decisions about their health,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “Thanks to Kaiser Permanente, Tepeyac Community Health Center, and Inner City Health for partnering with us to bring air quality education directly into the spaces where people seek care and support.”
In 2024, DDPHE’s Love My Air program received a grant from the Kaiser Permanente Community Health Fund at the Denver Foundation. The grant supports the placement of air monitors and interactive education kiosks at three locations: Tepeyac Community Health Center, Inner City Health, and the Kaiser Permanente East Denver Medical Offices. This expansion will increase access to local air quality data for both patients and providers, helping residents make informed decisions about their health.
“Poor air quality has significant negative health impacts, and access to real-time air quality information will be a game-changer for communities who have long suffered the worst effects of air pollution in Denver,” said Mike Ramseier, president of Kaiser Permanente in Colorado. “Love My Air’s work aligns perfectly with Kaiser Permanente’s mission to provide high-quality, affordable care and improve the health of the communities we serve.”
The event celebrated the installation of the first air monitor and kiosk at Tepeyac Community Health Center. Mayor Johnston unveiled the new kiosk alongside Kaiser Permanente President Mike Ramseier, Tepeyac CEO Jim Garcia, and Inner City Health CEO Charles Gilford III.
The addition of these monitors will complement the existing Love My Air sensor network by increasing data points across Denver neighborhoods, allowing DDPHE to survey a broader range of pollutants with greater accuracy. The expansion also strengthens community connections by placing environmental health tools in trusted, accessible spaces. A key component of the project includes a redesigned Love My Air mobile app and updated kiosks to better communicate air quality data to users.
