Inland Seas Blog #1: Introduction

Here on the Inland Seas, we are learning about the current issues with the Great Lakes. Our ultimate challenge is to engage our peers in discussion and action for sustainability in the Great Lakes. Our group is broken into four sections. The first group is focusing on the invasive species and their effect on the lakes. The second group is focusing on the pollution and how to prevent it. The last two groups are focusing on water quality and quantity to help conserve and make the lakes cleaner. During our trip we all will be taking videos and pictures to share our experience with others. We are also doing a lot of hands on field research to better understand our issues with the lakes.

E-waste: Do you know where your old cell phone is?

Your obsolete or broken computer, cell phone and other electronic products have a name: e-waste. Most people just toss out these things without thinking about where they wind up. Much of our electronic waste is shipped to developing countries, where improper disposal methods have created environmental hazards. In addition to their valuable metal content, a lot of electronic components also have contaminants such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, mercury and brominate flame retardants. When old laptops, televisions and cell phones are broken apart to retrieve the precious metals inside, these contaminants can harm the health of workers if they aren’t using proper equipment and protective gear.

Making BLU "green"

One of the most important things to Shedd’s Auxiliary Board is being aware of the impact that we as a group, and as individuals, have on the environment. This year the Auxiliary Board started a Conservation Committee to help us actualize some of our ideas and turn them into ways we can make a positive impact on the community. One of the goals of the Conservation Committee was to make BLU, our annual fundraising event taking place on July 17, as "green" as possible. With the help and guidance of the experts at Shedd we are proud to be taking the following steps to minimize the impact this event has on the environment:

Shedd in the Gulf

As a respected leader in the field of animal care and environmental conservation, Shedd Aquarium is lending its experience and expertise to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill rescue and rehabilitation efforts. In fact, a member of our animal health division, vet tech Mayela Alsina, is in New Orleans now to work with Audubon Institute’s sea turtle and marine mammal rescue and rehab efforts. As the scope of the environmental tragedy has increased, so has the need for help, and Mayela joins other animal care specialists from the area and around the country at the Audubon Aquatic Center, where she will spend the next two weeks. Currently the center is caring for 106 sea turtles, 101 of them directly affected by the undersea oil well blow out that continues to pollute the Gulf.

Fish of the Month - Farmed Rainbow Trout

July’s Fish of the Month is farmed rainbow trout, a fish that the Right Bite team has many fond memories of! We absolutely love visiting the Rushing Waters trout farm whenever we can, to talk trout with Peter, the manager, and even to put on some waders to help harvest the fish! Located in Palmyra, Wisconsin, about a two-hour drive from Chicago, this beautiful trout farm sits on 80 acres of pristine forest. Rushing Waters has 56 ponds and raceways to grow the rainbow trout. The staff harvests the fish year-round by hand, never using any chemicals or antibiotics.

What else is fantastic about farmed rainbow trout? For starters, most carnivorous farmed fish eat more protein than they provide to the people who eat them, which is an inefficient use of marine resources. For example, it takes three pounds of wild fish to grow one pound of farmed salmon! However, farmed rainbow trout are incredibly efficient at converting their feed into protein. That, coupled with ecologically responsible farming methods, makes farmed rainbow trout a best choice for sustainability.

Dangers of plastics

Everyone has their hang-ups, and mine are made of plastic. I will do almost anything to avoid taking home a plastic bag or cup, which can land me in awkward situations – like the time I lugged home 24 cat food cans in an undersized backpack, or the time I canceled a coffee order at the airport because the baristas wouldn’t use my travel mug. Still, I’d rather see just how many library books I can cram into my reusable tote than yield to the temptation of an extra plastic bag.

Fish of the Month - Wild salmon from Alaska

June’s Fish of the Month is wild salmon from Alaska.

The pristine Pacific waters off the coast of Alaska are home to five types of wild salmon: pink, chum, sockeye, coho and Chinook -- the last one being Alaska’s official "state fish" and a dinnertime favorite of Right Bite staff! It’s no surprise why Alaska would choose salmon for this honor, as they are truly special creatures.

For starters, wild salmon are anadromous, meaning they’re born in freshwater rivers and lakes but quickly swim downstream to spend their adult lives in the salty Pacific Ocean. Once at sea, salmon can travel widely, feasting on crustaceans, squid, zooplankton and other organisms responsible for the beautiful pink-orange flesh that they develop.

ACCA: Marine and Island Ecology course Day 4

After breakfast we headed off to the island (Warderick Wells) to learn more about the terrestrial plants of the Bahamas and island formation. We played in the water at Emerald Bay and then headed to the park headquarters for a look around. After traveling a short distance to Brad’s Reef, we collected data for our projects on a reef located within the park. Cambridge Cay was our next destination at the south end of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. We snorkeled a reef in Cambridge Cove covered with live elkhorn coral. While on the reef we identified and tallied fish species found on this reef for the REEF organization. After dinner we hopped back in the water for our first experience for a night snorkel. The long-spined urchins were there to great us as we made our way up to the reef. All exhausted from a long day, we headed off to our beds.

ACCA: Marine and Island Ecology course Day 2+3

The exploration has begun! Yesterday was an action packed day full of island walks and snorkeling the beautiful waters of Allen’s, U and Leaf Cays. However today (May 16th) we dove into our research projects and started to collect data. All of our research projects are different from one another, but all of our investigations concern Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Non-Protected Areas (NMPAs). The MPA we visit during the trip is called the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. Today we collected data while snorkeling a reef outside of the park. Then we traveled to the park and walked up Bush Hill Cay for a breath taking view of the Exumas. Next we traveled to Little Wax Cay to try our hand using a seine net to collect animals (quickly surveyed and then released). We traveled to Warderick Wells were the park headquarters are located and moored for the night, anxious to see what tomorrow’s explorations had in store for us.

ACCA: Marine and Island Ecology course Day 1

Today we got a late start to our journey. Leaving Nassau, we saw some incredible sights. Giant hotels, large houses and magnificent bridges, showed us the enormous impact human activity can have. Once we got out in the open ocean things got a little choppy. We were all still trying to find our sea legs while we caught some rays (and some of us caught some z’s). We arrived in Allen’s Cays around 7 pm and listened to a lecture from our resident geologist Kelly Jackson. She taught us how the islands were formed and about the two different types of rock: Holocene and Pleistocene. Pleistocene is older and harder than Holocene, and it will ring when you hit it. After the lecture, we hit our bunks quite quickly to rest up for our busy day tomorrow.