The social challenge is to demonstrate to the inhabitants of Basilicata that local authorities do not do their utmost to monitor the real environmental and health impacts of the oil industry. In addition to demonstrate that even the local scientific community does not use the best available technologies to detect pollution, demonstrating that the network of conflicts of interest has in fact blocked environmental research. Demonstrate that with citizen science we can change the policy of oil corp

Coasts, territorial waters and lakes of all selected states

The social challenge is to demonstrate to the inhabitants of Basilicata that local authorities do not do their utmost to monitor the real environmental and health impacts of the oil industry. In addition to demonstrate that even the local scientific community does not use the best available technologies to detect pollution, demonstrating that the network of conflicts of interest has in fact blocked environmental research. Demonstrate the environmental non-sustainability of oil and the damage it causes to water reserves, agriculture and livestock. Finally, demonstrate that with citizen science we can react and reverse the negative trend, forcing oil multinationals to work better or abandon expansion plans.

I do it for those families of farmers and ranchers who after generations of effort and hard work have seen the health and beauty of their places nullify after the arrival of the oil companies, I do it because many of them have also fallen seriously ill due to pollution. They have seen the value of their lands decrease, they have had to change grazing areas, they have lost peace of mind and trust in institutions.
I do it for future generations, to train new ranks of land keepers and stop the oil companies' hunger for conquest.

Territorial briefings will be organized with associations and committees active on environmental problems (oil wells, landfills, industries). The meetings will be of two types: the first open to the public, the second open to those who have given their availability to action during the first meeting. We will share priorities and ways of disclosing the data. Meanwhile, our association will study the areas recommended by the population with satellite instruments.
The actions on the ground will be recorded step by step, also used to raise further funds as well as to document the various phases of the project. We will use drones, beyond the satellites.
Through the web and social networks we will be able to define the details of the actions in the field

With the funds of the Idea Challenge we could improve our instrumental equipment, broaden the analyzes to the discharges of the most impacting industrial plants, strengthen the links with local activist cells, buy new software for satellite observation, force local authorities to review various environmental and health authorizations

Our project aims to explain the chain of impacts and document them where local authorities have not done so. Citizens with new and irrefutable data in their possession. We will train local citizens on content, supporting them in their participation and transparency as required by the Aarhus Convention. Our model of action is easily emulated, it can be constantly repeated by the locals even without our direct support. We will improve the local knowledge of environmental problems, we will inform them about their rights in the environmental field, we will always be at their disposal for any kind of tutoring or advice. Their quality of life will improve both from the point of view of their participation in the media debate and therefore in decision-making processes

Our association is mainly made up of young emigrants from Basilicata. From a distance we have been committed for years to protect its nature and landscape, using above all remote sensing and citizen science. We love our land but for work reasons we are forced to defend it from afar with the support of locals. Inside there are: doctors, lawyers, engineers, chemists, biologists, journalists, programmers. Our relatives and many of our friends and activists have remained in Basilicata and we want to defend their health, but also our future as we could return to live there. We also have experts in space geointelligence, satellite remote sensing and during the pandemic we invested even more in the remoteization and digitization of citizen science

16000 eur for ENVI software, 5000 eur for sensors, 2000 for travel and accomodation costs, 1000 eur for pubblic relations, 9000 eur for personell and other costs

Participating in the meetings will enrich us thanks to the new experiences that we will come to know. I would certainly like to receive technology advice, to compare our best practices with those of others