2012 Earth Week Wrap-up

Shedd Aquarium’s 2012 Earth Week events were a great way to celebrate our blue planet.

On Tuesday, April 17, Shedd partnered with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to promote an easy water-saving home tool: rain barrels. Students from Gompers Fine Art Option painted colorful scenes on more than a dozen 55-gallon rain barrels. Some of the barrels will be donated by MWRD back to the school.

Lost and Found—A Shedd Postcard’s Odyssey

In 1957, Scott McMurry’s parents visited Shedd during a business trip to Chicago and sent a picture postcard of the aquarium to their teen-aged son back in Decatur, Georgia. His mother wrote, “We’ll probably be home before this gets there!”

Truer words have seldom been written.

A Day in the Life of Shedd’s Sea Otter Pup: Water Play!

“Are you ready for extreme cuteness?” animal care specialist Megan Vens-Policky asks as she invites me into the sea otter nursery for an hour and a half of watching Cayucos eat, train, play and, above all, be cute.

Energy - From Our Home to Yours

Earth Week is nearing its end, but energy savings can continue all year. In partnership with the Illinois Environmental Council, Shedd produced three videos about how we save energy in our aquarium home, and similar steps that you can take in your home. Today, we introduce the final video on energy.

Water - From Our Home to Yours

As Earth Week continues, it’s time to explore more energy conservation ideas. In partnership with the Illinois Environmental Council, Shedd produced three videos about how we save energy in our aquarium home, and similar steps that you can take in your home. Today, we look at our second topic: water.

A Salute to Our Volunteers, Part 2

We’re in the middle of National Volunteer Appreciation Week. On Monday, we introduced you to two volunteers who have given 25 years of service to Shedd. Today, we highlight three 20-year volunteers with thanks from the staff members they work with. They represent Shedd’s more than 800 volunteers who donate their time and talents to nearly every aspect of the aquarium’s daily operations, in front of and behind the scenes. Check out our honor roll celebrating more volunteers who achieved significant milestones in 2011. And consider becoming a Shedd volunteer yourself!
—Betty Goldberg, volunteer and dive program manager

Food - From Our Home to Yours

Happy Earth Week! This year, Shedd’s guests have many opportunities to celebrate our blue planet with us—and if you’re far from Chicago, you can join us, too. In partnership with the Illinois Environmental Council, Shedd produced three videos about how we save energy in our aquarium home, and similar steps that you can take in your home.

Earth Week: Adopt-a-Beach Event with Shedd Aquarium

This Earth Week, make a difference for the world’s largest body of fresh water! Join Shedd Aquarium at 12th Street Beach for an Adopt-a-Beach event at noon on Wednesday, April 18.

Adopt-a-Beach, a program of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, is a citizen-science initiative that helps keep Great Lakes beaches healthy through cleanups and monitoring. Shedd Aquarium adopted 12th Street Beach nine years ago.

Celebrate Earth Week at Shedd

Earth Day is April 22, and to celebrate Shedd Aquarium will be hosting a series of Earth Week events! We’re kicking off the celebration today by making green-themed changes to our daily dives, animal chats and animal encounters. If the Aquatic Show is on your itinerary, make sure to arrive early to watch the pre-show video—it will give you tips on how you can adapt your lifestyle at home to have a more positive impact on the environment. Take a look at what else we have going on this week:

A Salute to Our Volunteers, Part 1

During National Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 15 to 21, we’d like to introduce you to five volunteers who together have given more than a century of service to Shedd. They represent more than 800 volunteers who donate their time and talents to nearly every aspect of the aquarium’s daily operations, in front of and behind the scenes. At Shedd Aquarium, animals connect you to the living world, inspiring you to make a difference. Shedd Aquarium volunteers make a difference every day: to the animals, to the guests and to staff members throughout the building. These appreciations were provided by the staffers who work most closely with our honorees. Today we feature two 25-year volunteers. Check out our honor roll celebrating more volunteers who achieved significant milestones in 2011. And consider becoming a Shedd volunteer yourself!  
—Betty Goldberg, volunteer and dive program manager