It also provides environmental data, like noise and pollution levels.

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Their results, published in Environmental Pollution, show that as radiation levels in an area rose to 35 microsieverts per hour, the average number of birds dropped by almost a third compared with the areas where radiation levels were only 0.5 microsieverts per hour.

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These "environmental sensor stations" would use the phone network to offer real-time and hyper-local records of the city's rain levels, pollution and other environmental conditions.

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City environmental bureau readings showed 2.5 microgram pollution levels well above the 200 mark in most parts of the city at midday on Sunday, but these were well below the readings of 700 seen in January.

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Data from the US Environmental Protection Agency were used to work out levels of pollution for addresses in California.

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The data used came from a daily monitoring of pollution levels recorded from 2007 through 2009, as collected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

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At regional and local levels, it is important to reduce other environmental stressors such as local sources of pollution into the ocean.

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Environmental Organisation ClientEarth recently warned that in terms of European Union rules, London will have "illegal levels of air pollution until 2025".

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The study was actually conducted in and reported on air pollution in Boston, but it pointed out that air quality levels even below current standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency still pose risks to people who breathe particulate air pollution.

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