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If you are one of those who live badly with night noises that disturb your rest, or with the noise that disturbs your telework during the day, the new citizen science project launched by Zero, with the support of the Environmental Fund, may be of interest. This environmental association wants us to use the latest generation mobile phones to map the noise pollution that affects the Portuguese and, incidentally, show us some havens that are safe from this problem that causes sleep disturbances to 20% of the Portuguese. .
It is no coincidence that at the time this news is written, someone is showing the sound power of their motorcycle to the entire neighborhood. During the day, in this phase of confinement, it was noticed well, imagine the reader at night, when, in an even more peaceful urban environment, the same motorcyclist He decides to make the street the resonance chamber for his racing car. Throughout the country, due to airplanes or trucks, automobiles, motorcycles or other sources of noise, invisible but audible pollution is generated, with studied effects on the quality of life.
“Environmental noise is a problem worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is the second largest environmental cause of health problems, just after the impact of air pollution,” Zero recalls in the release note of MobilizAR, a project financed within the framework of the National Strategy for Environmental Education whose main objective is to contribute to “greater information, awareness and empowerment of citizens to act on local environmental problems, that is, air quality, noise and mobility ”.
Mapping online
So, let’s start with the noise. On the Internet, Zero set up a site, mobilizar.pt, where they explain how to download two applications (for Android and IOS phones, from Apple), which can help us monitor the environmental noise of the place where we live, work or study. Francisco Ferreira, leader of the association and university professor specializing in this area, promises that they will respond to all contributions sent to them by email, and that they will integrate an environmental noise map as complete as possible. The sound portrait will depend solely on the degree of participation.
Regarding air quality and mobility, the project is based on a communication strategy. There are already sensors to use with a normal mobile phone, and to measure some pollutants, but they still cost around 500 euros, points out Francisco Ferreira. Which, from what can be seen, has the expectation that, in a couple of years, there will already be solutions on the market of tens of euros that allow the measurements of particles or NO2 (Nitrogen Dioxide) to be multiplied by the territory. today they are limited to stations. that are part of the QualAr network. It will be with the QualAr data, and the existing application for the dissemination of data and alerts, that anyone can install on a mobile phone, that Zero will try to raise awareness about air quality.
Changing mobility
In terms of environmental and noise pollution, the urban space is highly affected by current mobility patterns – excessively motorized – which justifies the crossover of noise, air and mobility in the MobilizAR project. Which has a strong environmental education component, in which Zero will invest part of the financing of 35 thousand euros obtained from the Environment Fund. In addition to already conducting seminars online (webinars) with municipalities and teachers, the association invites 2nd and 3rd cycle students from all over the country to present innovative ideas for solutions or measures to improve air quality, noise and mobility, pointing out, in this Last case, for the promotion of gentle or active modes (pedestrian and cycling), as a cleaner and quieter alternative for many of the trips in urban space.
According to Francisco Ferreira, the MobilizAR team will be available to support students through webinars for each of the topics, and the works may be presented until January 30, through the site of the project. After a preliminary screening, by Zero, a vote will be opened for the public to choose their favorite initiatives and the five most voted ideas of the 2nd and 3rd cycle will receive laptops, tablets and chargers (power banks).
Use the pandemic to reflect
The project comes in a year in which the three components it covers were strongly affected by the covid-19 pandemic caused by the new coronavirus. With a part of the population confined during the spring, and another teleported remotely since March, road traffic has decreased, opening our perception of the city to sounds that were masked by this permanent background of traffic noise. There was a lot of news about this other, provisional change in our day to day life, and even the birds improved their song, having to stop competing with other sources of sound.
Even admitting that, once the pandemic is over, the return to normality will bring many of the problems that Zero has been warning of – see the case of Lisbon, where the noise of the planes has almost ceased to bother – Francisco Ferreira hopes that This experience helps to reflect on the cities we have. And above all, encourage us to imagine other lifestyles that free us from the burden of pollution, noise and the environment, which, almost without realizing it, accompanies us all the time, damaging our health.
