2013
Feb 01
Bring the noise! Raise awareness of noise pollution now.
by  goodman   on 2/01/2013 2:21 AM
Category: map stories; news

Environmental noise is one of the most omnipresent pollutants in the world today. Our modern way of life means that wherever we live, work, or play we can mostly expect to be subjected to noise from road vehicles, aircraft, industry or even other people. If we are exposed to too much noise for too long it can have detrimental effects on our health and it is for these reasons that people are beginning to pay attention to the sounds around them.
C:\Users\goodman\Pictures\NoiseWatch.png
NoiseWatch was first launched at the end of 2011. It provides both noise information from official scientific sources and crowdsourced observations from citizens. Official noise data are provided from a number of European cities and near real time noise measurements from a limited number of European cities. Crowdsourced noise data are provided from our users.

NoiseWatch allows users to submit observations on their surrounding sounds and rate the quality of the aural environment wherever they are in the world. To share your local noise observation, you can either click on the Rating tool in the web application or download the mobile device app (available for iPhone and Android) and submit your real noise measurement to our database. Your rating will instantly show up on the map.

Version 2.0 updates
With the new updates to the mobile application, the data we receive through crowdsourcing is now more descriptive and follows the source classification of the EU Environmental Noise Directive. The user is now asked to indicate whether their measurement is taken inside or outside as well as determine the most dominant source of the noise (road traffic, air traffic, rail, industrial or other). These data are all shared in the Noise Watch web app, which has been retooled and is now based on the ArcGIS Online functionality. The Eye on Earth platform and other Watches are now all built in this same environment.

The web app now also makes some aggregation on user feedback/measurements. The application contains a number of different map layers from which the user can select. To change which layers to view, click on the Layers drop-down menu bar.

Check out the app (iPhone and Android) and bring us the noise. Then see the results on the NoiseWatch map.

C:\Users\goodman\Pictures\NoiseWatch.Lisbon.png

Permanent Link to Post | Email Post Link | Number of Comments 3  Comment(s)

Comments

Time for Europe to act on noise

Hi there,
The best way to tackle the problem of noise pollution is at the source. The European Parliament has the chance to do this on Tuesday 5th February when it will debate new vehicle noise limits and vote the following day.

Find out more at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/content/20130125STO05494/html/MEPs-to-vote-on-new-noise-limits-for-cars-and-lorries 
 on 2/1/2013 3:29 AM

Real time noise management in Montenegro

Great post!  Is there a possibility to team up on a project in Montenegro?  WE at UNDP together with the Government of Montenegro are looking at the best, real-time mechanisms for noise management (here's the blog post: http://europeandcis.undp.org/blog/2012/11/30/what-i-cant-hear-you/) and would love to team up and test various methods to enable better decision making for local authorities and engage citizens in this process.  Let us know?
@ElaMi5
 on 2/4/2013 4:40 AM

Re: Bring the noise! Raise awareness of noise pollution now.

This project sounds very interesting and EEA would like to assist in whatever way possible. Unfortunately, the blog link doesn't connect, so do you have a weblink or other sources by which we can learn more?
 on 3/5/2013 3:17 AM

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