Examples abound of low-cost equipment that can be used for monitoring. A host of commercially available water-quality monitoring kits would fit the capabilities of youth. These kits monitor for phosphates, bacteria, pH, and dissolved oxygen, among other characteristics. Other procedures and equipment can gauge the level of biological activity. Kits that detect radon and carbon monoxide are also available for measuring indoor air quality.
Simple traps can ascertain the extent of animal diversity in the community.
Clearly, these monitoring activities cannot substitute for ongoing regulatory monitoring that might, for example, measure water pollutants in parts per billion. Youth monitoring is intended to provide additional insight into environmental conditions that goes beyond simple regulatory compliance. The key factors involved in unleashing the potential of these resources are time and rewards. There is reason to believe that both could be marshaled in sufficient quantities. Youth are primarily engaged in education.