I came across a couple of interesting environmental projects via Treehugger this morning that utilize maps in the execution of their respective missions.
The first is a project called MESSAGE, or Mobile Environmental Sensing Systems Across Grid Environments, which is a pilot program that uses a sensor network in the United Kingdom cities of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear to track pollution hotspots.
In the Gateshead network, 50 wireless sensors have been housed in metal boxes and attached to railings and lamp posts across major roads. The sensor collect information about carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, other pollutants, temperature, humidity, noise level and the number of vehicles that pass. The information is sent to a central server once a minute, enabling the creation of a near real-time pollution map that mimics traffic patterns. While the project has been implemented to find ways to cut down on traffic pollution, it’s also interesting in that it results in what amounts to real-time traffic updates using a completely different method than that used by GPS devices.
The next project that is being conducted by a Norway-based NGO called Bellona that focuses on implementing carbon capture solutions.
The Bellona map lets you sort through carbon capture initiatives across the globe, sorting them by whether they are operating, proposed or speculative. You can also sort projects on the map by the method used to capture carbon emissions and where they will be stored.
