The map first displayed world population data and was then changed to show different air pollution levels. The purpose of this exercise was to manipulate the way the initial data was being portrayed on the map. This was achieved by extracting part of a dataset, adding data to a project, selecting features by attributes, and exporting the selection to a new data set. This was important to highlight the correlation between population size and air pollution levels globally.

Typically in the environmental industry multiple different factors are influencing one particular area. By being able to quickly change how data is portrayed on a map it allows for a better understanding between different variables. For example, a map showing eutrophication in a map may also display population density to show the human impacts on water quality. This is crucial in environmental planning to make informed decisions on land use and conservation efforts