Get set for Green UNISON Week by becoming a citizen scientist

With the end of summer now just days away, it’s time to think about Green UNISON Week. It takes place from 13-20 September, and this year the week is highlighting citizen science.

Citizen science is simply volunteers getting involved in science, whether it be collecting data or campaigning. Green UNISON Week hopes to highlight the movement and present opportunities to get involved.

Greg Marshall (pictured above) is a senior advisor on water for England’s Environment Agency (EA) and chair of UNISON’s EA sector committee.

He says that, “Citizen science can play an important role in supporting organisations. It can help build knowledge to either drive campaigns, expose issues or, indeed, support regulators – as happens at the EA – to improve nature, improve the environment that they’re in.”

Noting that there are different types of citizen science, Greg turns to his own employer as an example.

“In the EA, we collect a lot of rainfall data which feeds into our flood modelling and dry weather modelling,” he says, explaining that much of that data is provided by ‘citizens’ and comes from a variety of sites. “Often those sites are in people’s back gardens or the backs of pubs. A whole army of people collect that data and send it in. And it’s not ‘amateur’ – it’s real data helping to feed into our models.”

Greg notes that citizen science can also help campaign on environmental issues – pointing to the “very high profile” campaigner on water quality and the state of Britain’s rivers, Feargal Sharkey.

The former singer spoke at a fringe meeting at UNISON’s national delegate conference in June this year, about which Greg says: “I was impressed … his level of knowledge was clearly high.

“His level of legislative knowledge, his level of expertise – he’s developed that himself. I think that’s an important thing around citizen science – that the preserve of all knowledge doesn’t necessarily rest in an Environment Agency employee or director. There can be lots of experts and enthusiasts who can help.”

Why get involved?

Greg says that the central question asked by many people when considering whether to become involved in citizen science will be ‘What does it mean to me?’

“It could be a planning application to build over a heathland where you live. It might be that there’s a big river survey on a habitat that runs at the bottom of your community.”

He adds that it’s easier than ever for people to become involved, whether that’s online, talking to friends or even using apps on their phone to drive information and gather data.

“And that’s a good thing – the concept of people becoming involved in issues, campaigns, in subject matter is an inherently good thing,” he says.

He stresses that citizen scientists are not replacements for a trained and paid workforce; volunteers should always add value to existing work and not replace expertise on the cheap.

However, he continues, that shouldn’t lead people to doubt the value of what citizen scientists provide. He notes that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs sponsoring this kind of approach is a good indicator as to that value.

How to get involved

There are great opportunities for UNISON members to get involved in citizen science and Green UNISON Week.

One of those is The Big River Watch, promoted by the government, in partnership with the Rivers Trust. It happens twice a year and is a chance to help build a picture of river health across the UK.

The second of this year’s watches takes place from 6-12 of September – so is a good way to get involved in the lead up to Green UNISON Week. You can find out more here.

Northern Ireland has also had some large citizen scientist projects over the last three years, and is about to embark on more in 2025, but is currently in-between national citizen science projects right now.

However, it has been agreed that members and branches in Northern Ireland might want to engage on the issue of monitoring indoor air pollution using the new Trade Union Clean Air Network (TUCAN) guidance.

If you or your branch want to get involved with this potential project in Northern Ireland, you can email policy@unison.co.uk so that your details can be forwarded to the regional co-ordinator.

Ways to get involved in Green UNISON Week itself, between 13-20 September

There are many things that you could do to locally mark the week – here are just a few ideas:

• Hold a Green UNISON event
  You could run a lunchtime stall in the canteen, show a film or arrange a talk. Why not invite a speaker from a nearby environmental campaigning organisation to come along? Ask people to make personal – or team – green pledges, such as committing to create less waste, to recycling targets, green office practices (less printing, switching from plastic to cardboard folders etc) anything green.
• Run a green workplace training activity
  Talk to your UNISON learning rep and look into running a lunchtime activity session for green reps and members who’d like to learn more.
• Run a green survey
  Ask your friends and colleagues for ideas on how to ‘green up’ your workplace. Get people involved and offer a prize or raffle.
• Find out what your employer is doing to reduce their environmental impact
  Ask your employer to share this information with UNISON and consider how you could bring climate change commitments onto the bargaining agenda. To help with that, look out for our new toolkit for engaging with your employer on climate change, how it affects your workplace and the services our members deliver. Bargaining on Green issues in the Workplace will be launched on the first day of Green UNISON Week and is a step-by-step guide covering the basics, but also guiding you to get fully engaged in a partnership approach with your employer on everything about climate change.
• Find out if your UNISON branch has an environment rep
  If not, encourage your branch and any interested members to get involved and become green reps. A downloadable poster and leaflet are now available.
• Set up a local green network
  You can find other colleagues who share your concerns about climate change and let Green UNISON Week be your springboard into starting a new green union network where you work that can link to the regional and national networks for support and to share ideas.
• Attend the Understanding Climate Anxiety workshop: 12:30–2pm Thursday 19 September
  Register here for a 90-minute webinar to find out more about climate anxiety and how you can support yourself and others to turn fear into hope, and hope into action.

Find out more about Green UNISON