2023 STANSW Young Scientist Awards Presentation Ceremony
Scientific Investigations Earth & Environmental Science 7-8
Isabelle Cheung , Loreto Kirribilli , Are compost liners really biodegradable ?
Isabelle tested the biodegradability of the compost bin liners in soil , ocean water , rainwater and food waste . She found that the liners degraded the fastest in food waste but very slowly ( or not at all ) in ocean water . Her research has implications for the viability of many food waste collection schemes and also gave rise to many areas of further research .
Chloe Fang , PLC Sydney , Does recycled water affect plant growth ?
Chloe investigated the effect of recycled water such as laundry water and rice water ( used to wash rice before cooking ) on the growth of pea plants . Her tests demonstrated that there was no negative impact of using recycled water and that there was a small increase in average growth when using rice water .
Xavier Louie , Sapphire Coast Anglican College , Is your house on the dark side ?
The colour of house roofs in residential areas has been suggested as a factor in contributing to the overall temperature of the area . Xavier designed a method to test this hypothesis using a laser thermometer and 2D models of neighbourhoods in rural , regional and urban areas . The results of his investigation did not support the hypothesis that dark roofs absorb and radiate more heat to the surroundings .
- 20 -