A mural that eats pollution is going up in downtown Edmonton next month

Imagine if art could take on the increasingly necessary task of cleaning pollution out of the air. Well, it’s about to happen in Edmonton.

To celebrate the arrival of spring, Volkswagen Canada is launching the first of three commissioned murals to “contribute to cleaner air and a more sustainable future,” according to a news release from the car company.

The three commissioned murals will cover 5,600 square feet of otherwise blank wall space with a special pollution-eating paint that absorbs carbon dioxide.

Beginning this week, the first mural, commissioned by a local artist, will be available to view at 144 Ossington Avenue in Toronto.

The second and third murals will be unveiled on May 6. Edmonton’s mural will be located southwest of the downtown core at 10025 106th Street NW, outside the Baker Centre.

The third mural will be unveiled the same day at another location in Toronto.

CNW Group/Volkswagen Group Canada

You might also like:
• Alberta says it won't bring in anything like BC's salary transparency laws
• 10 fantastic things to do in Edmonton this weekend: April 19 to 21
• Last-ever Arizona Coyotes win comes against Oilers

“We’ve made significant progress as an organization and it’s become second nature to consider the sustainability and environmental impact of our work for the future of mobility,” says Edgar Estrada, president of Volkswagen Brand Canada.

“These murals serve as a visual and engaging representation of our vision for a greener city and a greener world – where even street art helps to reduce carbon emissions.”

The mural initiative is part of the brand’s transition to a lower carbon footprint. Since 2017, Volkswagen has saved more than 850,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide globally and is on track to decrease its dealer network’s carbon footprint by 30% by 2030, the company claims.