This story is part of “How Does It Work?” — The Better India’s series that takes the everyday things you see, use and rely on, and uncovers the clever technology, design and sustainable thinking that makes them work better. From the objects in your home to the systems around you, we break down the ideas behind them in simple, easy-to-understand language. Because innovation isn’t always about futuristic machines or complicated technology. Sometimes, it’s hiding in the things we use every day.

In just a couple of months, the air across Delhi-NCR will start feeling different.

The skies will turn hazier, morning walks may become less inviting, and checking the air quality index could become as routine as checking the weather. For many people, winter also means reaching for masks, keeping windows shut, and wondering whether that familiar layer of haze is fog, smog or a bit of both.

And this is not only a Delhi problem. Air pollution affects people across Indian cities, with pollutants such as fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and other harmful gases contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular health risks.

But what if, alongside efforts to reduce these pollutants at their source, some of the surfaces around us could help........

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