Birdhouse gives free Wi-Fi if air is clean

TreeWifi, a smart birdhouse that provides Wi-Fi for free when the air around it is clean, is being developed in an effort to improve air quality in Amsterdam. The makers aim to install these in more trees to encourage more people to ride bikes instead of using cars that contribute a lot to carbon emissions.

The Wi-Fi birdhouse uses built-in sensors that detect when air in an area is not that polluted anymore. When the quality is acceptable, the birdhouse glows green, signaling that a nearby person can already connect to the web wirelessly.

The technology is seen as very helpful because air pollution is one of the top causes of death in Amsterdam and a concern worldwide, and despite biking being common, some areas still do not follow EU or existing standards on air quality. In addition, if its creators succeed in making the birdhouse livable for birds, it can help keep and improve ecosystems around the city.