The lack of transparency and information has for decades been a friend to rampant polluters. On the flip side, without objective comparisons, it is very difficult to recognize the positive efforts of some industrial plants to clean up their acts. Now a project called MapEcos is bringing the kind of transparency that tackles both sides of the problem.

MapEcos, which is an effort by a team of Harvard, Duke and Dartmouth academics and students, is a mashup that maps environmental performance of U.S. industrial sites. The emission information comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The mashup also includes information reported by plant managers on their efforts to improve their environmental performance.

Without information sources, such as MapEcos, most people view the environmental problem as an abstract issue that does not affect them directly. Finding out that a massive polluter may be located next door will bring the issue home. This type of information has the potential to galvanize communities into putting more pressure on companies to improve their performance.

MapEcos also has the potential of highlighting the positive efforts made by industrial managers. As good environmental performance will not be overlooked, managers have an incentive to come up with ways of cutting pollution. This in turn, puts additional pressure on polluters to fall in line.

The value of the site can be increased by adding new information sources and analytical tools. MapEcos already gives the ability to sort by industry, corporate owner, chemicals emitted and emission levels. An easy way to calculate industry averages or displaying the environmental profile of a chosen area would be useful. A difficult, yet worthwhile undertaking, would be to develop an objective green rating for every U.S. industrial plant that would quickly allow stakeholders to assess environmental performance based on the plant’s activities.