Table 1
Safecast and CuriousNoses side by side.
| SAFECAST | CURIOUSNOSES | |
|---|---|---|
| Key defining moment | 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster | Air pollution–related events in the 1990s linked to large-scale road construction projects in Antwerp |
| Main concern | Radiation risks and information transparency | Air pollution, primarily traffic-related emissions (NO2) |
| Scale | Global focus | Regional focus (Flanders) |
| Initiators | Technology entrepreneurs and volunteers from USA, Japan, and the Netherlands | Ringland members (Antwerp-based citizen movement) and professionals (scientists, designers, and urban architects) |
| Funding sources | Momoko Ito Foundation, Knight Foundation, Shuttleworth Foundation, crowdfunding, and others | Project partners (75% of total cost); citizens charged €10 for testing kit |
| Approach to data | “Pro data:” data collected by citizens and, ideally, validated with professional experts | Hard data collected by citizens and validated by professional experts |
| Core values | Independence, innovation, transparency, openness | Community, engagement, sustainability |
| Relation to formal institutions | Informal collaborations with local and regional institutions in Japan and across the world; agenda-setting for international action | Formal collaboration with Flemish universities, research centers, mass media, and supported by Flemish government; agenda-setting in Flanders |