T’ephra Bag citizen science project: initial findings

We report the initial findings of the ‘T’ephra Bag citizen science project, a one-year pilot study that commenced in October 2019. This initiative, which is directed at primary school students and their families, aims to test the chemical weathering potential of tephra (volcanic ash) when buried in a pot of local soil and planted with a common grass species. A parallel aim is to raise awareness among participants of the potential of geological-based solutions for climate change through the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration in the atmosphere. A second aim of the project is to investigate participants’ perceptions of climate change and carbon emission reduction technologies and to test the effectiveness of such citizen science initiatives in changing the attitudes and perceptions of school children.