Science fun day puts air pollution in the spotlight

Green activities for kids at Silwood Park campus this Sunday - News

By Danielle Reeves
Wednesday 1 October 2008

Finding out how air pollution affects plant ecosystems in the UK is the objective of a science fun day taking place at Imperial's Silwood Park campus this Sunday, 5 October.

The fun day has been organised by Imperial biology researchers who are running an air pollution research centre at Silwood as part of the national Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) network. OPAL is a Big Lottery Fund initiative which aims to inspire communities to discover, enjoy and protect their local environment.

Visitors to the fun day will be able to tour the OPAL Air Centre experiment

The fun day is aimed at children aged 8 – 12 and their families, and will feature hands-on science activities exploring the themes of the natural environment and pollution. The activities will include an interactive nature trail giving visitors the chance to explore the parkland of Silwood, identify plant species and take bark rubbings, as well as opportunities to learn about biology and the natural world.

Young people and their families will also be able to take tours of two research facilities at Silwood: the OPAL Air Centre, a working experimental research facility investigating how ozone pollution affects plants, and the Ecotron, a high-tech lab containing mini-ecosystems which can be manipulated to represent different climate scenarios on planet Earth.

Visitors will also be able to meet the researchers and PhD students working on these projects to find out how pollution affects local plant communities and ecosystems in Berkshire, and to ask them questions about science, ecology, pollution and climate change.

Dr Sally Power, a senior lecturer at Imperial who is leading the OPAL Air Centre project said: "This event promises to give young people an opportunity to discover more about the natural world all around us, and to explore the links between human activities and important environmental issues such as biodiversity loss, air pollution episodes and climate change."

Dr Linda Davies, an Imperial researcher who is the Director of the national OPAL network added: "Everyone can take part in OPAL by exploring and discovering the natural world around them. There are activities to suit all ages and abilities and everyone's contribution is valuable. OPAL wants to inspire a new generation of nature lovers and engage more people in environmental issues of both local and global relevance."

The science fun day will take place on Sunday 5 October from 11.30 – 15.30. The event is free and attendance is open to all.

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