When we talk of pollution on TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk, you can usually be sure we mean air pollution, but of course that is not the only form of pollution we are exposed to thanks to road traffic.
In a bid to make it easier for European citizens to access and share data on noise levels in their area, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has launched a new online application on its Eye on Earth map service. The new NoiseWatch service is designed to help the many millions of people across the EU exposed to damaging levels of noise.
While it is often overlooked, noise pollution levels can drastically affect quality of life. High levels of noise can cause heart disease, cognitive problems and tinnitus, while prolonged exposure to even low levels of noise can trigger hypertension and disrupt sleep. At least 100 million European citizens are exposed to damaging levels of noise from major roads alone.
NoiseWatch is an additional service in the Eye on Earth map, which already incorporates WaterWatch, displaying information on bathing water quality, and AirWatch, which shows near-real time information on air quality. NoiseWatch will be based on data from 164 European cities.
An important aspect of Eye on Earth is that it combines official data with ‘crowd sourcing’ – allowing the public to upload their own observations and information. The EEA is also launching the NoiseMeter app for phones and other devices running Android, Apple iOS and Windows Phone 7.5 operating systems. This app allows anyone to rate noise levels in their area and upload them to the map.
It is hoped the Eye on Earth data will help inform policy makers in forming environmental policies.
