Citizens or Consumers? Air Quality Sensor Users and Their Involvement in Sensor.Community. Results from Qualitative Case Study

Michał Wróblewski, Joanna Suchomska and Katarzyna Tamborska
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Michał Wróblewski: Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Faculty of Sociology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
Joanna Suchomska: Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Faculty of Sociology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
Katarzyna Tamborska: Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Faculty of Sociology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 87-100 Toruń, Poland

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 20, 1-15

Abstract: This article presents the results of the qualitative research conducted on Polish users of the Sensor.Community network. Different types of motivation behind the decision to engage in the collection of air quality data are discussed. Users’ motives have been found to result predominantly from the concern for the health and safety of their loved ones, as well as the need to control air quality (and ultimately the quality of life) in their immediate environment (home and neighbourhood). Users do not display civic behaviour such as working for the local community. Three factors have been proposed to explain this status quo. First, the motives related to health and safety, as opposed to motives behind seeking a resolution to an environmental problem at the local level, may contribute to the solidification of individualistic attitudes. Second, Sensor.Community is organised in a way that does not promote a greater involvement from the network organisers in the development of the initiative and retention of users. Instead, the network focuses predominantly on the technical aspects of operation. Third, users have no sense of agency as, in our opinion, they remain largely unaware of the value of the data they collect.

Keywords: citizen science; air pollution; citizen engagement; monitoring; environmental data (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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