ACID BRITAIN

This proposal addresses issues of acidification and eutrophication of inland waterbodies resulting from the accumulation of air pollutants partnered with an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to the global climate emergency. Acidification and eutrophication of inland waters in the UK has been becoming increasingly worse over recent years, negatively impacting those that interact with and rely on these waters, whether that be economically, or recreationally. More importantly, the ecologies and habitats that these waterbodies sustain are also being affected. Studies have shown acidic or eutrophic conditions hinder growth and development of plant species and can even cause death of plant and animal life as a result. Despite much of our air pollution originating in urban areas and major transport links, large amounts of air pollutants end up in rural areas with large amounts of vegetation. Acid Britain is a field + lab-based research centre located on the edge of Lake Windermere, Cumbria. The project consists of a variety of strategically placed interventions across the hillside used to collect, monitor, test pollutants and the resulting effects they have on ecosystems and environments. The interventions have been designed to capture and contain the pollutants before the reach the soils and waters in the surrounding area, thus preventing acidification and eutrophication. The collected pollutants are then harvested and used for further testing or manufactured into fertilisers for local agriculture. The public project will also include a laboratory, data centre, visitors centre, scout hut, outlooks, field labs, pollutant indicators, pollutant accumulators, water treatment and refinery.