📊 Collect Open Data to Bridge Research and Practice

Open data provides evidence to bridge reality on the ground with policy and programs.

because change doesn’t wait for voting age.

Why Collect Open Data?

Local measurements make invisible environmental, social, and economic patterns visible - helping bridge research and practice.

What I did

Toronto Lockdown Musical - Noise Data

I collected neighbourhood noise readings during COVID-19 lockdown and shared them as open data - then turned the dataset into music to help people “hear” city change.

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Tree Density & Air Quality - Schoolyards and Parks

I used satellite imagery and open tools to measure tree cover around schools and parks, then compared results to local pollution indicators to highlight where shade and cleaner air are missing.

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Lake Ontario - Water Quality Data

I built a simple sensor to collect turbidity and other water-quality readings, then shared the measurements in a clear scale so anyone can understand lake health.

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Street Tree Density - Downtown Toronto

I used City of Toronto open datasets to compare street-tree density along King, Queen, Dundas, and College Street, revealing differences in how tree cover is distributed across major downtown corridors.

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How you can do it too

  1. Pick one local question you can measure - air, noise, water, tree cover, or traffic.
  2. Gather readings with a phone, a simple sensor, or public city and satellite datasets.
  3. Share the results openly in a clear format so others can understand and act on them.