In celebration of Earth Day, we ran a series of themed Chats to get people talking about environmental issues and climate change.

Chats connected students with scientists developing and using technologies to help solve the climate crisis.

They discussed the environment, plastics, climate change, and the role of scientific research in addressing these challenges.

6 schools across the UK took part, from Greenmeadow Primary in Wales to Mallaig High School in the Scottish Highlands. Over 6 Chats, 21 scientists talked with over 85 students ranging from Year 3 to Year 12. They had a lot to talk about, exchanging more than 1800 lines of Chat!

Earth Day’s theme this year was ‘Planet vs Plastics’. In a Plastics and Polymers-themed Chat, students heard about the challenges faced in materials research to balance sustainability of fuels with their cost.

Students raised questions about the reliability of scientific forecasts and the impact of individual actions on climate change. Scientists’ responses gave insights into data-driven models and the importance of working together to address environmental challenges.

🗨️ In the Chats

Student: How confident are scientists in their predictions about the future effects of climate change?

Isabelle S: I am not a climate scientist, but I am sure just like all scientists, they have been using past data to help build models that can follow patterns and trends as to what might happen!

Nijantha K: I agree with Isabelle, the more data you have, the better your forecast will be able to predict outcomes.

Clare W: in previous years, scientists were fairly careful not to over-predict what would happen at different levels of greenhouse gas emissions but the models are pretty good and we are definitely starting to see levels of warming that were predicted

🔎 Follow-Up Questions

We saw a similar theme in follow-up questions. Students asked about the impact of scientific research on society and the environment, demonstrating eagerness to delve deeper into the subject matter.

Some wanted to find out how they could help by talking to people who don’t always prioritise environmental concerns. One student, for example, wondered how to encourage their brother to use greener transport.