The map is a repository of eyewitness reports and photos of pollution in the Gulf Region from affected citizens, NGO’s, government agencies, and the parties responsible for the pollution. This system enables fenceline communities, workers, and concerned citizens to speak out about how oil, petrochemical, and other fossil fuel pollution is threatening their livelihood, their health, and the ecosystems they rely on.
The map utilizes the Ushahidi mapping platform, originally developed by Kenyan bloggers to track reports of post-election violence. Ushahidi means “witness” in Swahili. LABB's iWitness Pollution Map was the first application of the Ushahidi platform in a humanitarian response (BP Oil Spill) in the United States and is currently the longest running deployment of an Ushahidi instance.
