NHK video on (not official) mapping radiation

March 10, 2014

Mapping Radiation : “Empowering People”

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/newsline/201403100806.html

There is still strong concern about radiation especially around Fukushima

A grassroot organization has launched  online radiation map (do-it-yourself workshop in Tokyo to build their own measuring device).

monitoring effort  by more than 100 volunteers (mainly in Fukushima but also across Japan)

Popular workshops to make devices that allows people to measure radiation for themselves and make informed decisions.

Geiger counter coupled with GPS. It permits  1 measurement  every 5 seconds (ie 1 measure every 5-10 meters for somebody walking). Visible to everybody on the public website.

Help form donors from the world and technical help from engineers from various countries

Important to keep track of local variations (unlike government mapping which is not precise enough)

Creating transparency and openness is the best way to take action.

see : www.safecast.org 

Safecast is a global project working to empower people with data, primarily by mapping radiation levels and building a sensor network, enabling people to both contribute and freely use the data collected. After the 3/11 earthquake and resulting nuclear situation at Fukushima Diachi it became clear that people wanted more data than what was available. Through joint efforts with partners such as International Medcom, Keio University, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and GlobalGiving, Safecast has been building a radiation sensor network comprised of static and mobile sensors actively being deployed around Japan – both near the exclusion zone and elsewhere in the country.

Safecast supports the idea that more data – freely available data – is better. Our goal is not to single out any individual source of data as untrustworthy, but rather to contribute to the existing measurement data and make it more robust. Multiple sources of data are always better and more accurate when aggregated.

While Japan and radiation is the primary focus of the moment, this work has made us aware of a need for more environmental data on a global level and the longterm work that Safecast engages in will address these needs. Safecast is based in the US but is currently focused on outreach efforts in Japan. Our team includes contributors from around the world.

http://blog.safecast.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/SAFECASTflyer.pdf