Data is an important way to understand the world around us. Quantitative data can explain how the environment impacts our health. It can help show whether certain groups of people are more impacted by pollution than others. It also can help set up a way to evaluate progress on improving environmental quality.
However, we know that numbers cannot tell the whole story of a community. Qualitative data is also very important. Qualitative information can provide context about what it is like to live in a community. It also can be more accessible to audiences that relate more to stories than to numbers.
Colorado EnviroScreen uses quantitative data to help us understand disproportionate environmental health risks. It also includes qualitative StoryMaps to tell a more complete story about disproportionately impacted communities in Colorado. These StoryMaps include pictures, text, and audio recordings. They help paint a clearer picture of the environmental challenges that communities face and what makes these communities strong and resilient.
In 2022, we piloted a StoryMap project to accompany the EnviroScreen. You can access StoryMaps by clicking on the StoryMap layer in the Colorado EnviroScreen tool or using the links below:
If you have feedback on how we can work together to reduce pollution and public health risks experienced by disproportionately impacted communities in Colorado or questions about the StoryMaps, you can contact us at cdphe_ej@state.co.us.