This research project focuses on advancing environmental sensing technologies to make them more affordable, accurate, and contextually aware. By leveraging ubiquitous sensing mechanisms—such as low-cost sensors integrated into everyday infrastructure—and incorporating advanced contextual awareness capabilities, the project aims to enhance the monitoring of black carbon emissions from traffic in Toronto. Black carbon, a key pollutant from vehicle emissions, significantly impacts air quality and urban health. Through innovative sensor networks and data analytics, this effort provides actionable insights for urban planners and policymakers to address pollution hotspots effectively. A natural extension of this work involves exploring traffic safety solutions, using similar sensing technologies to monitor and optimize traffic flows, reducing accidents while simultaneously addressing emission sources. By bridging environmental monitoring with traffic safety innovations, the project offers multifaceted benefits to urban planning, paving the way for healthier, safer, and more sustainable cities.