Image (c) Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.
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Marine & Freshwater Environmental Education
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Earth Day, Every Day
I tend to be a little quiet and not post often in April. With Earth Day as a central theme for so many organizations this month, what more can I offer? Well, I can share 50 simple ways to make Earth Day, Every Day! These small actions will have you thinking more about how we’re […]
How long do seastars live?
Seastars can live up to 35 years in the wild! It really depends on the species. Their wild habitat includes coral reefs, rocky coasts, sandy bottom, or even the deep sea of all the world’s oceans. There are approximately 1,800 different types of sea stars. They have been known to live up to 10 years […]
Do you know your seafood?
With the holidays right around the corner there will no doubt be plenty of indulgences. It is important to keep in mind that seafood can also be considered an extravagance if you’re choosing an unsustainable option to serve or taste. Did you know that the global fishing fleet can catch up to two and a […]
What makes up the ‘salt’ in salt water?
I am writing this as a very long overdue expansion to a post that I wrote November 25, 2008, “What happens if I swallow salt water?“. The pertinent information lacking was the composition of the salt in salt water (my sincerest apologies). The salt in salt water is: 77.6% table salt; 10.88% magnesium chloride; 4.74% […]
Share your love of the ocean with these unique and inspiring gifts
With less than two weeks before the big ‘gift-o-rama’ day, it’s time to hunker down and get those gifts in time for wrapping and shipping (after all, shipping ground is a lot less harmful for the environment than air). Here’s a list of gift ideas that will inspire anyone on your list to follow your […]
It’s as easy as A, B, Sea: U for Upwelling
Upwelling is the phenomenon of wind moving surface waters thus to make way for cold, dense water that comes from the bottom of the ocean. It seems to most often happen on the west coast of continents. That is why you typically need a nice wet suit all year round to go surfing in California.
What is the mystery of the chambered nautilus?
“Year after year beheld the silent toil That spread his lustrous coil; Still, as the spiral grew, He left the past year’s dwelling for the new, Stole with soft step its shining archway through, Built up its idle door, Stretched in his last-found home, and knew the old no more.” Oliver Wendell Holmes (1804-1894) The […]
10 techniques for science bloggers to discover inspiration
I’ve been blogging for five years and lately what has happened is that I’ve been fortunate to share my successes and challenges with other people. Fresh off the plane from Science Online Oceans (the most unconventional, inspiring, and interactive conference I’ve ever attended – loved every minute!), I noticed a reoccurring challenge that other online […]
Sea turtle track safari!
With amazing spring temperatures so early this year, sea turtles may begin creeping out of the sea earlier than usual. If you’re in the southeastern U.S. during sea turtle nesting season (typically May through October) you may have the opportunity in the early morning to stumble across the flipper tracks of a female sea turtle […]
Linda Thornton, an inspiring aquaculturist on a mission for sustainability
If you’ve got some spare time this weekend, take some time to enjoy this fantastic documentary of one woman’s quest to transform shrimp aquaculture practices. Andrew Revkin of the New York Times helped produce this 16 minute documentary of Linda Thornton, a biologist who uprooted herself from her home in Illinois to Belize, and set out […]
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I think it weighs 21.4 pounds