Most People Aren’t Climate Scientists, But We Should Talk About Climate Change Anyway. Here’s How We Did It in North Carolina.

Do you find it hard to talk about climate change? You’re not alone. Surveys indicate that 72% of Americans report that they believe in climate change, but only 35% are talking about it regularly. Climate change is a challenging topic – reports of devastating wildfires, hurricanes and other events have increased in frequency, and discussing … Read more “Most People Aren’t Climate Scientists, But We Should Talk About Climate Change Anyway. Here’s How We Did It in North Carolina.”

Categories: Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Nature & Outdoors

Watching plants with Project Budburst

Guest Post by Sarah Jones Learn more about Budburst on SciStarter. Link to https://scistarter.org/budburst Join Communities Across the World in Observing Plant Life Cycles – Any Plant, Any Place, Any Time! I haven’t always loved plants. I loved the animals that took shelter in branches, eating leaves and fruits. I loved the lake surrounded by trees … Read more “Watching plants with Project Budburst”

Categories: Biology, Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors

Is Rainwater Safe to Drink? Runoff Collected by Volunteers Offers Clues

Life on Earth needs water to survive. Yet, drinkable water is a rapidly dwindling resource. Out of all the water on our planet, only 2.5 percent is freshwater. And of that 2.5 percent, just 0.3 percent is readily accessible as surface water. According to FreshWaterWatch, by the year 2050, half of the world’s population will … Read more “Is Rainwater Safe to Drink? Runoff Collected by Volunteers Offers Clues”

Categories: Climate & Weather

Track Four Emerging Climate Hazards Near You

This post was originally published as a SciStarter newsletter. Sign up to receive bi-weekly citizen science in your inbox! Earth’s climate is undergoing change that poses multiple threats. The science community seeks your help in tracking four emerging climate hazards: sea-level rise, extreme temperatures, droughts and floods. Your safety always comes first. Please only participate in … Read more “Track Four Emerging Climate Hazards Near You”

Categories: Climate & Weather, Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Newsletter

Boston is WICKED hot. This is what they’re doing about it.

Want to learn more about this initiative? Check out the Wicked Hot Boston series, Parts One and Two. Want to address climate hazards in your community? Head over to SciStarter.org/NOAA to find a citizen science project. Wicked Hot Boston It’s true: the world is getting hotter, and Boston is becoming WICKED hot.  This past summer, … Read more “Boston is WICKED hot. This is what they’re doing about it.”

Categories: Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Events

Human Impact: Climate Change and Citizen Science

This blog post is an edited excerpt from Human Impact, a new publication from Science Connected. Edited by Kate Stone and Shayna Keyles, Human Impact delivers 17 true tales of how humanity has changed the Earth, for better or for worse. This chapter appears in Human Impact as “Act Now: Engaging in Citizen Science,” and includes contributions … Read more “Human Impact: Climate Change and Citizen Science”

Categories: Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Environment

Wicked Hot Boston: Urban Heat Island (UHI) Mapping

Want to map extreme heat in your community? Anyone, anywhere can take action with ISeeChange. It’s not just in your head; Boston really is hotter in the summer. When urban areas are warmer than surrounding non-urban environments, we experience a phenomenon called the urban heat island (UHI) effect.  Cities are filled with large amounts of … Read more “Wicked Hot Boston: Urban Heat Island (UHI) Mapping”

Categories: Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Events, Nature & Outdoors, Project Profile, Science Policy, Science Practices

Help scientists track extreme weather this week!

Tropical storms loom large over different parts of the globe, while extreme heat and droughts wreak havoc on other areas. Flash floods and landslides plague parts of India, as dust storms make it difficult to drive and breathe in the southwestern United States. Extreme weather. We may feel powerless, but there are ways we can … Read more “Help scientists track extreme weather this week!”

Categories: Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Nature & Outdoors, Newsletter

GLOBE Observer

NASA GLOBE Observer Needs Your Help Reporting Dust Storms

NASA GLOBE Observer needs your help recruiting volunteer citizen scientists to report dust storms. Scientists want these data so they can improve forecasts of dust storms and send early warnings to the public. How can you help? Tell people in your community that if they see a dust storm, please report it using the GLOBE … Read more “NASA GLOBE Observer Needs Your Help Reporting Dust Storms”

Categories: Apps, Climate & Weather, Environment

beat extreme heat

Wicked Hot Boston: How can you help beat extreme heat?

How can you help beat extreme heat? Imagine a smoldering hot day in downtown Boston: temperatures have reached over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and the sidewalks and streets are absorbing the strong heat from the sun and radiating it back into the air.  Days like this are becoming hotter and more frequent. This “silent storm” causes … Read more “Wicked Hot Boston: How can you help beat extreme heat?”

Categories: Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Environment, Events