Urban Sound and Citizen Science
“Participatory applied research on monitoring noise pollution in the city”
This project is an experimental effort to collect scientific data used in environmental management and urban development by applying participatory action research methods. The objective is to compile knowledge and guidelines for implementing a civic science project, strengthening the network of citizens and academics to participate in the science activities in the urban context, and establishing national and international academic activities regarding citizen science and public participation in the production process and using information for urban development planning. The focal point of the data collection is noise pollution in the city.
Increasingly, noise pollution is considered an important issue in the urban environment. Noise pollution adversely affects the health and quality of life of the residents and visitors to the city. Currently, in Bangkok, there are only six government-operated noise checkpoints. Thus, project explored the possibility of using participatory action research in the collection of noise data using principles of citizen science In order to create a detailed noise pollution map that can be used to manage the city and create public participation.
To facilitate the citizen science process regarding noise pollution in the city, this project applied simple scientific methods in everyday life to create public participation and to create noise pollution awareness in the city. This project includes a comparative study of sound level meters and smartphones to create a noise map from information from a smart phone application. From the data collected, there can be an analysis of noise pollution risk areas from an open spatial database of the city.
The experimental studies in this project use open science processes and participation in policy and innovation in the city. This is an important starting point for raising public awareness at the city level related to environmental problems in their midst. There is a continual threat of an environmental crisis in the densely populated urban setting such as Bangkok. There needs to be constant monitoring of the air quality situation and noise pollution through transparent data collection and sharing this information with the public. That way, informed policy ideas can be proposed and implemented.
