2006 Essay Contest Finalist

Entry by Jack Furness

What it Means to be a Citizen Scientist

What is a Citizen Scientist? How can we be one? How can being a Citizen Scientist affect us? Why are these questions important? A citizen scientist is an ordinary person getting involved in science. No PhD required. You don’t have to know anything about science, because you will learn. Being a citizen scientist means making observations, helping to clean up your neighborhood, or just studying science in school. These are just a few of the ways that you can get involved and become a citizen scientist. It is important to be involved in the study of science. If no one was, it would become an extinct discipline. It takes everyday people, willing to get involved, to preserve the important art of science.

Webster’s Dictionary defines science as, “Knowledge gained by systematic study and analysis.” I believe there is no better way to be a citizen scientist than to make observations and record data. This can do many things. It can help professional scientists with their own observations. It can be useful when trying to find answers about nature. An old saying says, “History repeats itself.” The same can be said for nature. If you keep weather maps over a long period of time, you will see that weather repeats itself. People often get worried about global warming when they notice that the past few summers have been warmer than average. If you look further back you can see a pattern in temperatures of past summers, A few years are warm, then the next are cool. Weather and temperature variations tend to be cyclical.

The discussion of the environment is a very important part of the world around us. As it changes, it affects other things. Usually, when the air has many pollutants in it, people become unhealthy as well. It is important to support the environment because we need it to survive. Plants provide us with oxygen which we need to breathe. When the environment is unhealthy, plants are unhealthy. If plants die, humans can’t eat or breathe. At present, there are more than enough plants to supply the world with adequate oxygen, but when large tracts of forest are cut down to make room for farmland, it takes a great toll on the amount of oxygen in the air. Although deforestation is a serious issue, the main problem is mostly pollution which harms our health. Smoke and smog can give people lung cancer, which is often fatal. So you see, it is very important to protect our environment.

Being a citizen scientist is important, because it gives everyone a chance to be a positive influence on our earth and to make a difference. It is important to have knowledge and to keep learning. Being a citizen scientist is one of the best ways I can think of to do this.