While the Aerobiome Team collected samples in Fort Greene Park in the Summer of 2023, several park visitors and urban park rangers asked about their work. They explained what they were doing and shared their coloring book and stickers explaining microbiomes and their work. Keen to learn more about the work of the Fort Greene Park Conservancy (FGPC) after discovering the numerous events held at the Park that promote environmental awareness through wellness and learning from nature, they contacted FGPC and learned of their Green Team Program.
The Green Team Program is an eight-month “environmental education and work opportunity for a diverse group of young people between the ages of 14 and 19 who spend their free time learning how to mitigate—and even potentially resolve—the environmental harms and public health risks to Fort Greene Park.” Together, members of the Hénaff Lab and FGPC led a hands-on workshop that illustrated the impact of the urban aerobiome on environmental justice. During the workshop, the cohort was given a custom notebook and field map that explained urban aerobiome microclimates, offered reflective questions about its components and influence, and provided a map and directions to extract microbial DNA using household items.