Click here if you're interested in either PIGEONS IN VESTS or air pollution!

[RowanMumsnet]

Ever seen a pigeon pecking away at a chip bag on the pavement and thought, "there's so much more you could be doing with your talents, Mr Pigeon?" You're not alone. Plume Labs and DigitasLBi are using pigeons to tackle air pollution.

The Pigeon Air Patrol is a flock of ten pigeons equipped with pollution-monitoring backpacks anchored by tiny vests - allowing real-time analysis of the air quality.

All this week in London, you can tweet your location to @PigeonAir and get an instant reply from the pigeons, telling you about the air pollution levels where you are. Handy if you or your DC suffer with asthma or any other respiratory conditions, or if you're just concerned about air pollution levels.

The pigeons will only be in London. Apologies to non-Londoners: please instead enjoy these picture of the pigeons looking fetching in their vests.

But if you are in London and you fancy having a pigeon tweet you with your local air quality readings this may not be an entirely accurate description of what happens please get on and tweet your local area (e.g. Hampstead, Brixton, Hackney) to @PigeonAir and let us know what happens.

NB these are homing pigeons, lovingly cosseted by top pigeon-fanciers, and a vet has been involved at all stages of the project.

Love
MNHQ xx

Edit: We've amended the Twitter handle. The correct one is @PigeonAir but previously we used @PigeonPatrol

Thanks,
MNHQ

[magimedi]

It's 2 weeks until April 1st - surely?

[RowanMumsnet]

Pigeons! Backpacks!

Not a drill!

[TwoLeftSocks]

Shit, their world takeover has started. Knew not to trust those little feathery buggers.

[Merrylegs]

Pigeons in tiny vests? You guys.

[elQuintoConyo]

Tis true - I have seen a pigeon over on the S&B board posting about a Boden gillet she's thinking about buying.

[OhShutUpThomas]

I wish they'd put tiny goggles and caps on them too

[mrstiggy]

I hate pigeons. Even vest wearing pigeons. They can't win me over with cute knitwear.

[coffeeisnectar]

[Coldtoeswarmheart]

Not on London but I would sooooo glued to this if I were. Clever birdies.

[Coldtoeswarmheart]

Missing "be" somewhere

[FranksBobot]

NB these are homing pigeons,

I read this as horny pigeons

[redcheck]

Is it just me who think they look a bit big and bulky for the pigeons?!

[icklekid]

Pah I take your backpacks and raise you actual vests!

[guerre]

What with the drones, the eagles chasing drones, and now air pollution pigeon crew, is the any room left in our capital's skies?

[RowanMumsnet]

[RowanMumsnet]

Ickle, that is a thing of wonder. May we enquire as to the back story?

[icklekid]

Sorry rowan just a Google image search for pigeon in vest...I could make up a better story on request though or ask 30, 8 year olds to write a story about it tomorrow for you

[DaphneWhitethigh]

The problem is that I really don't want to know the answer, because it will lead to me trying not to breathe, which is probably even worse for you than inhaling the toxic sludge that passes for air round here. Or, even worse, it might lead to me voting for Zak Goldsmith.

Are you planning mayoral candidate webchats by the way? We could confront them with terrifying pigeon-borne stats.

[SallyRoseMumsnet]

Sorry everyone, RowanMumsnet was a little too excited about pigeons in vests - the correct Twitter handle is @PigeonAir.

Thanks,
MNHQ

[ouryve]

It's only a short step away....

[Arpege]

I don't trust the pigeons to tell me the truth.

Wily pigeons.

[RowanMumsnet]

@DaphneWhitethigh

The problem is that I really don't want to know the answer, because it will lead to me trying not to breathe, which is probably even worse for you than inhaling the toxic sludge that passes for air round here. Or, even worse, it might lead to me voting for Zak Goldsmith.

Are you planning mayoral candidate webchats by the way? We could confront them with terrifying pigeon-borne stats.

We're going to do our best - watch this space (and thanks for asking)

[MajesticSeaFlapFlap]

I once saw a pigeon eating a dead rats eyes


Irrelevant to this thread but when does that ever stop anyone posting anything

[MajesticSeaFlapFlap]

Ouryve

That picture is disturbing, I find that pigeon mildly attractive