By / Scenic Spots Home (compiled and reported)
The accommodation platform Airbnb and ocean conservation group Ocean Conservancy have announced the “Airbnb Antarctica Program,” through which five global science volunteers will travel to the world’s most remote continent—Antarctica—in December this year to join scientists in their research. They will participate in snow sample collection and microplastics studies, while also experiencing Antarctica firsthand.
The Airbnb Antarctica Program is now calling for five global citizens to explore the south and help protect the planet. (Photo / Airbnb)
Airbnb has found that users on its platform highly value environmentally friendly practices. Both hosts and guests support sustainable travel methods, using eco-friendly cleaning supplies and recycling services in accommodations, and the travel recommendations encourage guests to use public transportation.
The five science volunteers will explore the Antarctic continent alongside polar researchers.
Kirstie Jones-Williams, the scientist leading the Antarctica program, said: “Most people think of Antarctica as an isolated continent, but research shows that even the most remote places on Earth are affected by plastic pollution. This expedition will help us understand the pathways of microplastics drift. Moreover, because the expedition will be extremely challenging, science volunteers must be passionate and possess a sense of global citizenship. They should join with enthusiasm and share the research findings with the world.”
This program will allow exploration of Antarctica together with polar scientists.
During the one-month expedition, the five science volunteers will travel to Punta Arenas, Chile, to participate in intensive training. Through courses, they will learn about glaciology and field sampling, as well as become familiar with lab work and equipment operation.
They will also experience landing on a naturally formed blue ice runway by plane.
Then, they will fly to Antarctica, landing on a naturally formed blue ice runway deep inland, where they will carry out scientific research missions. They will collect snow samples from the Antarctic interior to study the foreign microfibers contained within and determine the origins of waste and pollution drift.
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