The Power of Citizen Science to Tackle Microplastic Pollution

It is a good idea to make use of the public's interest in the impact of plastic pollution on the environment; however, there is a significant problem if the data collected by citizens are to be used for scientific purposes. Ensuring standardized methods and quality control is difficult but necessary for the samples and data to be used in peer-reviewed research (Zettler et al. 2017). Another crucial challenge is how to persuade citizens to engage in science and to answer the questions: Why should I do this? What do I get from this? Therefore, good communication is paramount. People should be encouraged that positive behavioral changes are required to lower their environmental footprints (Fritz, See, and Grey 2022). Therefore, the role of researchers and academics is very important to provide information to the public and make difficult science into something simple and easy to follow.