Ever been interested in visiting Antarctica? Airbnb has a chance for you to join them for an all-expense-paid trip!
Today, Airbnb and Ocean Conservancy announced the Antarctic Sabbatical, an unprecedented opportunity for five passionate individuals to travel to Earth’s most remote continent and join Antarctic Scientist Kirstie Jones-Williams on a first-of-its-kind scientific research mission in December.
The five volunteer citizen scientists will collect snow samples and study the extent to which microplastics have made their way to the interior of Antarctica. The goal of the Antarctic Sabbatical is to bring greater awareness to humans’ impact on the climate in one of the world’s least understood and most isolated ecosystems. By understanding the impact of plastic pollution generated elsewhere in the world, citizen scientists will deliver insights on how the global community can help protect both Antarctica and the planet.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U83x38-PT6g&w=560&h=315]On the month-long expedition, the citizen scientists will:
Attend an immersion training in Punta Arenas, Chile, where they will prepare themselves with courses on glaciology and field sampling as well as lab work and equipment practice.
Fly to Antarctica to begin their scientific mission, landing on a naturally formed blue-ice runway deep within the continent where the research will be conducted.
Collect snow samples from the interior of Antarctica and study them for foreign microfibers to determine how far waste and pollution has traveled across the world.
Visit the South Pole, where they can walk around the globe in just a few steps.
Get the chance to explore the beauty of Antarctic sites like the Drake Icefall, Charles Peak Winds coop, and Elephant’s Head to learn about the continent’s geography.
Return to Chile where they will continue to study their findings and work with Ocean Conservancy to become ambassadors for protecting the oceans. In this advocacy role, they will deliver insights on how the Airbnb community and others can help minimize their collective plastic footprint to support Ocean Conservancy’s mission.
Interested in doing your part to save the planet?Visit https://www.airbnb.com/d/sabbatical to apply. Applications will be accepted from Tuesday, September 24, 12:00am EDT, to Tuesday, October 8, 11:59pm EDT.