PASSIONATE Geelong residents are now equipped to become part of the world\u2019s largest pollution project as citizen scientists, setting in motion potential infrastructure change across the region.<\/p>\n
A training day at Cobradah Homestead in Bell Post Hill hosted by the Bellarine Catchment Network (BCN) and the CSIRO last week has equipped local participants with the ability to adopt a data site and conduct quick and easy surveys as part of a data collection project running from April 18 to April 25.<\/p>\n
The surveys will help CSIRO researchers understand how people and the environment move litter from land out into the sea.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have 18 sites across Geelong and the Bellarine spanning from Lara to Ocean Grove and this workshop allowed volunteers to become citizen scientists,\u201d CSIRO senior researcher TJ Lawson said.<\/p>\n
Organised by BCN\u2019s Caring for our Bays program, data collected by residents will be collated later this month by CSIRO as part of the Greater Geelong Plastic Pollution Count.<\/p>\n
The data obtained will be sent to City of Greater Geelong to assist with correcting city infrastructure, the first time council has joined the initiative in any capacity.<\/p>\n
Volunteers at last Friday\u2019s workshop learned the methodologies of recording data to the CSIRO\u2019s database, learning about transects and identifying types of rubbish.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s fantastic to see residents as enthusiastic about this project as I am, it\u2019s why I love my job,\u201d Lawson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love it when volunteers ask questions and want to make a difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis project allows people to collect data that is actually going to be used in their local areas and feed up into a national dataset used by the CSIRO.\u201d<\/p>\n
Project facilitator for Caring for our Bays, Rebecca St Ledger, said the program has been refined as much as possible so anybody can participate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis data project could be for kids, students, retirees, sporting clubs or anyone in general,\u201d Ms St Ledger said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe surveys should take half an hour to conduct and at any time over the week CSIRO will be collecting data.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is still time to be part of the survey. To find out more, email Ms St Ledger at rebecca@bcn.org.au and the BCN can provide training on how to conduct an environmental survey.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PASSIONATE Geelong residents are now equipped to become part of the world\u2019s largest pollution project as citizen scientists, setting in motion potential infrastructure change across the region. A training day at Cobradah Homestead in Bell Post Hill hosted by the Bellarine Catchment Network (BCN) and the CSIRO last week has equipped local participants with the […]<\/p>\n