Motivation and Inspiration: A steel mill in Ohio is strategically located next to a power plant and a tomato farm (which uses heat exhaust from it). In our research, we found a NASA spinoff company that optimizes the efficiency of a building by considering the placement of rooms within it. (https://www.ekotrope.com/) We wondered if we could improve the efficiency of strategies used to reduce pollution. Could we improve air quality by strategically placing pollution sinks near pollution sources? Could we improve efficiency in other applications by strategically spatially placing resources?

Tools:

• The web app was developed with Javascript and HTML. 
• It is hosted on Github.
• We used the mapping API Leaflet, https://leafletjs.com/
• A Simulated Annealing algorithm was used to find the optimum tree location.
• We calculated average CO2 absorbed per year for different for different tree species based on age, height and diameter.

Future work on our web app: (if we had more time)

• The web app contains information about pollution sources near Ft. Wayne Indiana. This information was entered manually from 2018 EPA data. We found relevant live NASA satellite data for all locations, but didn’t integrate it. Next, we would like to integrate this data.
• The web app calculates an optimality score based on the ability of five tree species to absorb carbon dioxide. Data sources used contain information on methane, nitrous oxide, and other pollutants. Next, we want to use data for other tree species and other pollutants.
• Trees may absorb pollutants more efficiently at different times in their life. Pollution levels vary with time too. We would like to incorporate time dependent effects.
• We would like to measure better data on absorption and emission of gases by trees.

Future work more generally: (if we had more time) This tool is designed to help city planners place trees in the best locations. However, many situations can benefit from optimizing how resources are spatially laid out. 

• The electrical grid is most efficient if solar panels, wind turbines, and other sources of electricity are spatially next to the loads.
• A farm has best yield if crops that add nutrients to the soil are placed next to areas of soil that lack those nutrients.
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• Less pollution is produced if a factory is located spatially near its source of raw materials and near its customers because trucks that transport ingredients and finished products pollute.

We used data from the EPA on carbon dioxide emission and other pollution from factories and fills.  https://ghgdata.epa.gov/ghgp/main.do#

We found NASA satellite data on carbon dioxide emission and other pollution that could be used to verify and provide real time data.  https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/

References on carbon dioxide absorption by different trees are given below.

Live Web App: https://amitofsk.github.io/index.html

Video: https://youtu.be/EOfWkMZgE-M

Code Repository: https://github.com/amitofsk/amitofsk.github.io

Data on Carbon Sources:

• EPA data from companies on methane, CO2, and nitrous oxide sources: … Ft Wayne specific

 https://ghgdata.epa.gov/ghgp/main.do#

• NASA satellite data on methane, CO2, nitrous oxide and other pollutants: … For verification

 https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/

Data on how well tree species can absorb pollutants:

• https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79135_79218_79615---,00.html
• https://www.carbonpirates.com/blog/how-much-carbon-do-trees-absorb/
•  https://ecoss.nau.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/chapter18Menyailo.pdf
• https://www.unm.edu/~jbrink/365/Documents/Calculating_tree_carbon.pdf

Data on age, height, diameter average per tree:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fagus_sylvatica
• http://biorefinery.utk.edu/technical_reviews/Tree%20Size.pdf
• https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_pode3.pdf
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populus_deltoides
• https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_1/tsuga/canadensis.htm#:~:text=Mature%20eastern%20hemlock%20trees%20attain,160%20ft)%20(34).
• https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/usda/amwood/239hemlo.pdf
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_pine