What is the TeaComposition project?
The TeaComposition project is a scientific, fieldwork initiative based on the Global Tea Bag Index. Primary and high school students around NSW are using the humble tea bag to help the University of Sydney conduct an analysis of soil. By doing so, we can create a picture of soil health across NSW.
You might be wondering why we care so much about soil. If we dig down, soil is an essential, complex and highly valuable natural resource which we depend on to produce the vast majority of our food and fibre. Healthy soils underpin a healthy environment, productive crops, economic sustainability and food security.
Over four years, more than 50 NSW schools and 3,200 students have tested the decomposition capacity of the soil on their school grounds. This has provided researchers with local information about soil microbial decomposition dynamics and soil health.
Acknowledgements
The TeaComposition project is grateful to an anonymous donor whose kind contribution has allowed the funding of this project.
3 months
Length of time tea bags are
placed in the soil
2 sites
Comparisons are made
between natural and
managed environments
2 varieties
Green and rooibos tea
is decomposed in soil
2018-2022
Years of operation to
collect citizen science data