Seaw rds The Marine Option Program Newsletter
April 2013
THE GREEN ISSUE 6 “ for some WHERE DOES YOUR TRASH GO? “LARGEST BEACH CLEANUP IN HAWAI‘I HISTORY” A YEAR OF GENERATION BLUE
places, such as Hawai‘i, recycling just might not be the answer. ”
APRIL 2013 The Green Issue Contents: Page 4: Student Perspective Page 6: Ocean Organization Page 9: Generation Blue Page 10: Day 2 Page 12: A “Green” Short Story Page 14: Critter of the Month Page 15: Seawords Flashback Page 16: Maritime Archaeology Symposium
Cover Photo: This month’s cover photo is courtesy of UHM MOP student Kimberley Wood. The photo was off of the Wai‘anae Coast of O‘ahu. Back Photo: UHM MOP
Seawords
Volume XXVII, Number 4, April 2013 Editor: Naomi Lugo Associate Editor: James Stone Assistant Editor: Kathryn Lam Dr. Cynthia Hunter (éminence grise) Seawords- Marine Option Program University of Hawai‘i, College of Natural Sciences 2450 Campus Road, Dean Hall 105A Honolulu, HI 96822-2219 Telephone: (808) 956-8433, Fax: (808) 956-2417 E-mail: <seawords@hawaii.edu> Website: <www.hawaii.edu/mop> Seawords is a monthly newsletter of the Marine Option Program at the University of Hawai‘i. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Marine Option Program or of the University of Hawai‘i Suggestions and submissions are welcome. Submissions may include articles, photographs, art work, or anything that may be of interest to the marine community in Hawai‘i and around the world. All photos are taken by MOP unless otherwise credited.
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Letter From the Editor: This month is brought to you by the color green. Green as in the green movement, and green as in part of the planet we live on. In this issue you will find various articles on the environment, all of which in one way or another tie into the ocean. As scientists, marine biologists, or just ocean enthusiasts we have a duty to help protect the ocean that we depend on and love. Remember to take a step back this month to remember why the ocean has made such an impact in your life.
-Naomi N. Lugo Editor
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UHM MOP students came across this aquatic specimen while snorkeling in the waters around Coconut Island on the HIMB fieldtrip on March 2nd.
Dieter Stelling/UHM MOP
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STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
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The Trash and Recycling Ways of Honolulu Where does your trash go? Kathryn Lam, Assistant Editor
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s the United States continues to make progress in fields such as medicine and research, it also becomes more and more aware of the imprint that it is making on the world. Although the U.S., makes up five percent of the world’s population it uses 20 percent of its resources. “As it is, humans are using 50 percent more resources than the Earth can replenish in a year,” says Rachel Kaufman, reporter from National Geographic. “In other words, humans use the equivalent of 1.5 planets per year. By 2030, humans will use the equivalent of two planets each year.” If humans continue to exploit the planet’s resources the way that they are, resources will run out. Some people have realized this, and have begun recycling and reusing items in an attempt to decrease the amount of materials they use. However, this is only a start. Many people still continue to buy new products when they are not needed and others don’t recycle. According to an IBIS World press release in 2008, the U.S. produces more waste than any other nation in the world on a per person basis. Each person generates on average 4.5 pounds of municipal solid waste (MSW) per day. Recycling is thought, by many, to be a small step in the right direction. It seems to be the Holy Grail that rescuers of the planet are looking for in order to save humanity from running the earth dry. However, for some places, such as Hawai‘i, recycling just might not be the answer either. According to the Honolulu Department
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of Environmental Services, the island of O‘ahu’s recycling rates are above that of the national average and Honolulu “ranks among the top cities in the country in landfill diversion” as over 70 percent of Honolulu’s waste is being diverted from Waimanalo Gulch Landfill via recycling and “waste-to-energy” facilities that power 7 percent of O‘ahu’s electricity. The Honolulu Department of Environmental Services also says that steel cans, low-grade, low-value papers, and plastics are better off in the trashcan. But not everything can be recycled or turned into energy. Landfills may not be the smartest option as trash deposited in landfills pile on top of more trash, compressing it and sealing it in the ground. As a result, the trash barely decomposes as it is near impossible for air and water to get in. “Most landfills are more like mummifiers than composters,” wrote Elizabeth Royte in ‘Garbage Land,’ a book about where the world’s trash goes and how it never really leaves us. Not only that, but the world’s greatest landfill is not
UHH MOP
actually on land. A mass amount of human’s trash ends up in the oceans. This garbage swirls around and ends up in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and in the stomachs of marine animals everywhere with statistics as shocking as over 1 million seabirds a year. These animals die because the plastic clogs their stomachs and they are no longer able to consume the food that they actually need to survive.
Tim Steinberger, the director of the Honolulu Department of Environmental Services in 2010. “There are just certain things that you can’t turn into energy, you can’t recycle, you can’t ship off island.” To figure out the best way to dispose of your trash, visit: “http://www.opala.org/solid_waste/what_goes_ where_table.html.”
“What do we do with expired meats, canned goods, milks? When a whale washes up on the beach?” asked UHM MOP
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Fieldtrip to He‘ Fishpond Kathryn Lam, Assistant Editor
The last day of the Maritime Arc Symposium was spent at the He‘eia Fish He‘eia, Ko‘olaupoko, O‘ahu.
UHM MOP
Keli`i Kotubetey, CBED Coordinator of Paepae o He`eia Fishpond instructing the participants on how they are going Bruce Lum/Kamehameha Schools to clear the mangroves.(right) an aerial view of the fishpond.
Sustainable Coastlines: Keeping the Beach Free of Debris Naomi Lugo, Editor
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orking to keep Hawai‘i’s coastlines clear of marine debris, Sustainable Coastlines’ main strategy against trashed coasts is the use of volunteers and public outreach.
According to their website the organization was created in February 2011 and inspired by international sights of waste and the over-use of plastics. The first Sustainable Coastlines team formed in New Zealand, but afterwards Sustainable Coastlines Hawai‘i formed with the goal to help by “Uniting people to protect Mother Ocean.” SCH holds regular beach clean-ups around Hawai‘i. The first of April’s will be held on April 13th at Hanalei Beach in Kauai. Later on in the month and in honor of Earth Day, SCH will be holding an Earth Day Festival and beach cleanup at Makapu‘u beach. Director of Communications, Lindsey Kesel, stresses that these cleanups are not only important for people to see how everyday items can affect the ocean 8|
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as debris, but also to serve as a place to network and discuss solutions to debris and cutting down on ocean pollution. She also says that the potential for the organization to make an impact is increasing by the year since more people attend their events each time with about 1,500 volunteers in attendance at their cleanups. However, getting involved is not limited to physically cleaning up the beach. Kesel says that they are “open to however any one wants to come in and help.” Those who do want to help can email SHC their interests (photography, writing, data, etc.) and work that relates to their interest will be found. Their website also has an email list that people can join to stay informed.
Participants took MOP shuttles from Ea Road to the fishpond. After the daughter o the fishpond goers sang a mele kāhea, a ty or chant, to ask permission for the group to area, Keli‘i Kotubetey, CBED Coordinator o
eia
haeology hpond in
ast West of one of pe of oli, enter the of Paepae
o He‘eia, took the participants around the fishpond and taught them about the history of the He‘eia fishpond.
OCEAN UPDATES
The fishpond is in the care of Paepae o He‘eia, a private non-profit organization that was established in 2001. Paepae o He’eia works in partnership with Kamehameha Schools who own the land in order to maintain the fishpond for the community. After a quick history and a walk around, Kotubetey took the participants to the back area of the fishpond past where the wall broke and showed them how the workers were clearing out the mangroves to prevent them from trapping excess dirt inside the pond. The participants then took gardening shears and helped to weed out the mangroves across an expanse of land.
UHM/MOP
Pruney Fingers, Evolutionary Advantage Most things happen for a reason. When it comes to being exposed to water for too long, you’ll begin to prune. Your hands and feet will wrinkle up after soaking in water for extended periods of time. Scien-
tists may have an answer to why. In 2011 researchers proposed that the grooves created by wrinkles in wet fingers and feet is your body’s way to improve grip by channeling water away. The phenomenon is similar to the way car tires react with a wet road. Scientists have linked pruning to an evolutionary development that allowed humans to improve their grip in water.
Submersible Luxury In Dubai A new hotel in Dubai will allow its guests to stay 30 feet below the surface of the sea. The underwater portion of the hotel will have 21 rooms, an underwater diving facility and a bar. “All rooms are sound proof and have curtains of different levels of transparency.” said Deep Ocean Technology. The hotel will comprise of two discs—an
Deep Ocean Technology
underwater disc and an abovewater one. This new underwater hotel shines an even brighter light on Dubai’s infatuation with sensational architecture.
Underwater Wine Aging 48 bottles of Mira Winery’s 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon are partaking in an underwater aging harborspirits.com experiment. The bottles will be placed in the Charleston Harbor for three months to find out if aging wine underwater can affect its taste and chemistry. “We thought we should give it a try,” said Jim Dyke Jr. President of Mira Winery, also a Charleston native. The cages in which the wine will be submerged in are equipped to collect data to keep Dyke and his team aware of their precise location.
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GENERATION
BL UE
THE OCEAN SPANS OVER 70 PERCENT OF OUR WORLD. It is responsible for regulating temperature, food production, sustaining numerous marine species, and is a source for inspiration among multiple other things. The ocean gives us so much and it is time for us to return the favor and take actions to make the ocean ecosystem healthy again. Almost every action that we take affects the ocean in some way. Our everyday choices can be tailored to support a healthy ocean. Here are some examples of green acts that will keep the ocean blue.
Actions for the Ocean A Year of GB Generation Blue started in our May 2011 issue of Seawords. Next Month will be the 2 year anniversary of the column, and for this special Green Issue we have posted the best Generation Blue tips of the first year of GB. If you want to contribute to GB, send us an email at Seawords@hawaii. edu.
May 2011 Use eco-friendly health and hygiene products. Less chemicals on your hair and skin equal less chemicals that flow into the ocean. Greening up your hygienic routine will help reduce the effects of changing ocean chemistry that pollution has caused.
June 2011 Attend a beach cleanup. To make a direct impact, attend a beach cleanup to pick up the trash on the sand before it floats out to the ocean. There are regular organized beach cleanups hosted 10|
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by many organizations. To find a beach cleanup close by, go to your local Surfrider Foundation chapter’s website to browse events. To find a Surfrider chapter near you, go to: surfrider.org
July 2011 Subscribe to oceanrelated e-newsletters. Receiving e-mails from non-profi ts working for healthy oceans is a great free way to show your support. Many will send you e-mails about action that you can take; whether they be clean water petitions or letters to Senators. Organizations like
Oceana, Surfrider Foundation, Blue Planet Foundation, and Ocean Conservancy provide regular newsletters.
August 2011 Eat sustainable seafood. Over-fishing is a major problem facing the oceans. Demand for fish is causing depletion of species and detrimental environmental impacts. Monterey Bay Aquarium has compiled a sustainable seafood guide for each region of the United States. It categorizes seafood species into,
Best Choices, Good Alternative, and Avoid so you know what is best to eat. There is even an app for android phones that allows you to access the Seafood Watch Guide from your mobile device. To download the Seafood Watch Guide for your region go to: montereybayaquarium. o r g / c r / c r _ seafoodwatch/ download.aspx
September 2011 Don’t throw away your old boards, paint them! Surfboards,
Student/UHM MOP
s k at e b o a rd s , longboards and other types of boards can be converted into canvases. Instead of just tossing your old board use it to show off your creative side. The planet will thank you.
October 2011 Keep cool water in the fridge. Running the tap until cold wastes water, and ice takes energy so having a pitcher on hand helps conserve valuable resources. Having water readily available will make you more likely to drink more water, and avoid using plastic bottles
November 2011 Find time to get out in the ocean. It can be easy to get stuck in a routine and consequently stuck in the city away from the ocean. Take time to get back to nature and to remember why it is important to protect it.
December 2011 Re-use
“gray
water”.
Gray water is excess water from cooking, dish washing, bathing etc. Collect this water and use it to water plants indoors and out.
January 2012 Don’t dump your aquarium fish into the ocean! This can be harmful to the ocean ecosystem since because there is a possibility of introducing invasive species. If you need to find a new home for your nemo take him to pet stores like Petland in Kahala. They will accept your fish donations and find them a new home.
February 2012
day. You can also reuse your bath towel. Just make sure you air it out to avoid any musty smells.
April 2012 Have a staycation. If you need a break, like we all do sometimes, consider taking it where you already are. There can be many hidden gems in your own backyard, especially in Hawai’i. Saving money on the travel aspect of your trip may allow you to splurge on other aspects like food or sight-seeing.
For more Generation Blue, check out our past issues.
Avoid standing when swimming, snorkeling or diving around coral reefs. This can do major damage to the delicate ecosystem.
March 2012 Use your beach towel more than once. Shake out the sand from your towel at the beach and hang it in a sunny spot so that it can be re-used for your next beach APRIL 2013
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DAY 2
24th Annual Symposium on the Maritime Archaeology and History of Hawai‘i and the Pacific James Stone, Associate Editor
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he second day of this year‘s symposium started off great despite a few technical difficulties due to strong winds causing a neighborhood wide power outage. With a little schedule shifting to incorporate the lack of electricity, presenters who opted to present without power points or few photos using just a laptop, filled up the first few slots and got the show on the road. The first presentation was titled, “West Loch Disaster, A Lasting Legacy,” by Deloris Guttman and Jenna Robinson from the African American Diversity Cultural Center Hawaii. On May 21, 1944 a Black unit, the 29th Chemical Department from Schofield Barracks was loading a Landing Ship Tank (LST) 353 with ammunition, gas and supplies when at about 3:08 an explosion occurred. The explosion spread fuel, ammunition, red-hot shrapnel and flames over to nearby LST’s and set new fires. This fire has become known as the West Loch Disaster and took the lives of 160 men, wounded nearly 400 and destroyed six landing ships. The West Loch Disaster was kept classified by the Department of Defense until1960. The family members of the young men received only notifications from the department that their loved ones were “missing.” The second presentation was by Erik Denson, titled, “The National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS) Diving With a Purpose and the Voyage to Discovery.” NABS was established in 1991 by Ric Powell and Dr. A. Jose Jones who were two of the earliest African-Americans to become certified divers. Denson also discussed the Diving With a Purpose (DWP) Underwater Archaeology program, which nurtures highly trained underwater archaeology advocates explorers and environmental stewards in support of maritime scientific and cultural expeditions worldwide. Kelly Gleason, a Maritime Archaeologist from the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries’ presentation was titled, Maritime Heritage Update from Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. “Looking for shipwreck sites is a needle in a haystack,” said Gleason. The main objective of the maritime heritage expedition were, “explorations, survey and interpretation of the diverse archaeological resources in these remote Pacific atolls.” The 2012 team comprised of scientist from NOAA, the national Park Service and Flinders University.
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Pete Nuttall, the fourth speaker, unfortunately wasn’t able to make it, but Hans Van Tilburg of NOAA read through Nuttall’s presentation, Waqa Tabu, The Great Fijian Drua. “The Drua or Waqa Tabu of central Oceania are widely recognizes as the greatest of the Oceanic seafaring vessels; massive battleships capable of carrying more than 200 warriors at speeds of 15 knots or more and of sailing within three points off the wind.” Nuttall’s conclusion was that, “there are numerous issues of cultural significance and protocol to be transversed before further archaeological examination of these leads can be pursued and Fiji will need collaboration with leading archaeological experts in this critical endeavor.” Then Hans Van Tilburg transitioned into his own presentation titled, Building International Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) Capacity in the Asia Pacific Region. Van Tilburg discussed a capacity-building training course organized by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that provide a foundational classroom and inwater training during a six-week program. The most recent foundation course was supported by Spain, the Netherlands, Cuba and the Jamaican National Heritage Trust. The last course recently concluded in November in Kingston, Jamaica. Steven Price, Maintenance Chief, Co-pilot and Researcher from the Hawai‘i Undersea Research Lab presented on sunken motorcars from 1917 to the late 1940’s in Hawai‘i. His presentation was titled, The Deep Sea Auto Show. The number of sunken vehicles is astounding. Some are more preserved than others, but they all open a historical portal to transportation in Hawaii during this era. “Every artifact has its own history,” said Price. Põkai Bay Tractors and Pyramid Rock Beach Amphibious Vehicle, by Blade Sheberd-Jones covered four World War II tanks in Pōkai Bay, Wai‘ianae and a LVTP-5 facing away from the beach on at Pyramid Rock Beach on Marine Corp Base Hawai‘i. “This area would be a great location for a proper survey,” said Shepherd-Jones of the Pōkai Bay area. The reason for the craft being underwater at Pyramid Rock beach is still a mystery. Taylor G. Shedd, a student at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa presented, A Plantation Landscape: Wreck of the SS Kaua‘i at Mahukona Harbor. Shedd covered the August of 2012 University of Hawaii Marine Option Program ten-day survey of
Photos: Mael Flament/ UHM MOP
the old Inter Island Navigation Company vessel, the SS Kaua‘i at Mahukona. The ship went onto the reef due to a storm in December of 1913 and was declared a total loss. Matt Ross spoke about, Two Recently Discovered WWII Airplane Wrecks on O‘ahu. Ross discussed two previously unknown WWII airplane wrecks: a P-40 Warhawk and a TBF Avenger. Both of the planes were discovered during 2012. The presentation titled: Corsair Lost, Found and Profound, was presented by Don Froning in place of Suzanne S. Finney, an archeologist from the Palau Historic Preservation Office. Froning discussed from Finney’s presentation, the March of 2012 discovery in the Republic of Palau of a plane in about 40 feet of water by a group of fisherman. The
BentProp Project was able to identify the plane and, find out what happened to the pilot, who survived the crash. Chris Woolaway, spoke on: Reaching Back to Move Forward: Update From the Grand Old Lady of Honolulu Harbor, Falls of Clyde. The Falls of Clyde celebrated her 134th birthday this year and will be celebrating 50 years in Hawaii. She currently is a museum ship, but is under threat of being lost forever. Kevin P. McDonald, an Assistant Professor of History at Loyola Marymount University presented, Pappo and the Breadfruit: Trans-Oceanic Exchanges in the Atlantic and Pacific Worlds, CA. 1789. McDonald covered the native Tahitian, Pappo on his journey to the Caribbean and the introduction of
the breadfruit to the region. The last presenter of the day and of the symposium was Douglas Inglis, from the Anthropology Department at Texas A&M University. Inglis discussed Indonesian ship iconography found on the 9th century Borobudur monument in central Java. The Borobudur Vessels in Context, was the title of his presentation. “Because of their detail and unique status, the reliefs play an important role in debates over trade and expansion in Indonesia, India and Southeast Asia. However, they have not received the rigorous examination they deserve, and are most often discussed without regard for their narrative context,” said Inglis.
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P
lanes cyaneus found himself amidst a strange tidepool that was unfamiliar to him. He couldn’t help but get pushed by the waves and, against his will, he washed up on this unfamiliar tidepool. With no sense of where he was or what to do, he quickly tried to reorient himself with his new surroundings. He was
greeted by a friendly group of critters. He was surprised by how friendly they were. He’d never met such friendly critters. They introduced themselves, a sea cucumber named Loli, two knobby sea stars, Mr. and Mrs. Pe`ape`a, three butterfly fish Lauhau, Lauwiliwili and Kīkākapu, and a crescent octopus named He`e. There were also quite a lot of bivalves who had been there for as long as anyone could remember and had never spoken a word. They were probably mute. Planes cyaneus introduced himself to this new group of critters, he spoke of how he didn’t know where he was and that he was afraid of what lay ahead. He explained to the critters that he’d been travelling on the back of his oldest friend, Chelonioidea, a sea turtle that spent his days roaming the warm waters in the Hawaiian Islands. It wasn’t until Homo sapiens began dumping waste into the Pacific Ocean, especially near the Hawaiian Island chain that they began having problems getting to and from each island. Planes cyaneus spoke of the drastic change to their wellbeing that was a direct result of this waste. He spoke of waste that inevitably took the life of his best friend Chelonioidea. It was after his death that he found himself being whisked around the seas uncontrollably. “That’s how I washed up ashore here,” Planes cyaneus told the critters. “It’s because of the waste and pollution that these Homo sapiens are doing. They are destroying the biosphere and we have to do something about it!” The critters reacted to hearing this stern statement from their new friend in shock. “We need to do something about these Homo sapiens and their selfish polluting,” they exclaimed in unison. “What should we do?” said Loli, the leader of the tidepool critters. It was clear to the group that it wasn’t going to be an easy task. The Homo sapiens had always acted superior to them with their massive size and
The Lit cyaneus Th
By James Ston
This month’s Ocean Art i ten by the two newest Se of a Letter from the Edit
technology. The bivalves quickly snuck away to their underground bivalve hiding cave and came out with 548 water guns and passed them out to the other critters. They were taking action. Creating a critter army capable of defeating the Homo sapiens in their pollution conquests that were slowly destroying their environment. Within hours, the critters had gathered nearly 400 strong and left their tidepool to fight the Homo sapiens, some of them carrying two water guns
The battle was evenly matched on either side as the massive Homo sapiens could squish the critters with just one step. There were many casualties, but soon the tide pool critters won after a sea-saw battle defeating the mighty Homo sapiens.
each. The critters bravely forged on, despite the fact that many of them could not breathe on land.
Epilogue: Mr. and Mrs. Pe`ape`a survived the battle with only the loss of a few limbs that were quickly regenerated in no time. They continued on to have many little Pe`ape`a babies and lived to see their children have children and their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children have children. They lead a long, happy life full of love and laughter and died peacefully in their sleep without ever having to experience the loss of a loved one.
ttle Planes That Could
ne and Kathryn Lam
is a short satirical story writeawords staff members in place tor.
Student/UHM MOP
Critter of the Month Seawords features marine critters seen and photographed by MOP students. Send your critters to seawords@hawaii. edu to be featured and be sent an issue of Seawords in color and a MOP sticker. (Come in after we contact you to claim your prizes). This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critter photo is by UHM MOP student Jennifer Robbins.
Cushion Star Scientific name: Oreaster reticulates The Cushion Star has many common names including Bahama Starfish, West Indian Seastar, and Red Cushion Seastar Ranges from South Carolina to the Caribbean Islands, where it is most common. It has also been introduced to the Cape Verde Islands in Western Africa. Usually found in shallow, subtropical and tropical water. Varies in color from brown to red, orange, or yellow. Juviniles are green in order to camouflague and better avoid predators. The only recorded predator is the triton Charonia variegata, a gastropod. Food availability determines the lifespan and size of the cushion seastar. If there is not much food available then the chusion seastar re-absorbs its own tissue and reduces in size. Overharvested for souvenirs or aquariums, the Cushion Star is no longer common in areas of high human population.
To submit photography, send an email with photographs attached to seawords@hawaii.edu
MAY 2013 PHOTO ISSUE Send your photography to seawords@hawaii.edu by April 15th for your chance to be included
Calendar of Events at UH Sea Grant’s Hanauma Bay Education Program Marine Science in East O`ahu ***Presentations take place in the theater of the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, beginning at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday evening***
April Events APRIL 4, 2013 Water for Life: Ka Wai OlaBarry Usagawa, Water Resources Principal Executive, Board of Water Supply, City and County of Honolulu APRIL 11, 2013 Meeting the Energy Needs of Hawai`i Residents by Peter Rosegg, Corporate Communications, Hawai`i Electric Company APRIL 18, 2013 TBA APRIL 25, 2013 Tour de Trash by Eileen Helmstetter & Irobela Wreagh, Recycling Specialists, City and County of Honolulu
For more information or questions please contact: Hanauma Bay Education Program 100 Hanauma Bay Rd. Honolulu, HI 96825 Phone: (808) 397-5840 Email: hanauma@hawaii.edu http://hbep.seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/
FLASHBACK: 1987 This cartoon was contributed to the February 1987 issue of Seawords as part of an article about a 42,000 gallon oil spill on the beaches of O‘ahu’s Windward side.
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Sperm Whale Death Linked to Plastic Bags AFP/Getty
James Stone, Associate Editor
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dead sperm whale washed up on the south coast of Spain after it had swallowed 17kg of plastic waste that was dumped into the sea by farmers who produce tomatoes and other vegetables for supermarkets in the UK. The whale had swallowed 59 different pieces of plastic, most of which were thick sheeting that is used to build greenhouses. Among these pieces of plastic, scientists also found a clothes hanger, an ice-cream tub and pieces of mattress. The plastic that the whale consumed was a direct cause for its death. The plastic blocked the animal’s stomach and in turn, killed it, says researchers from the Doñana National Park research center in Andalusia. There are roughly 1,000 sperm whales thought to live in the Mediterranean. They typically live up to 60 years and some are killed when they get caught in fishing nets or are hit by ships.
by the greenhouse industry, making them vulnerable to its waste products if adequate treatments of this industry’s debris is not in place,” said Renaud de Stephanis, lead researcher at Doñana. The issue of plastics being dumped into the world’s oceans is by no means a new thing. In many cities around the world, there are steps being taken in the right direction to reduce the use of plastic bags. A Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance was taken into effect in Hawai’i County as of January 17, 2013. The ordinance’s goal is to reduce the usage of single-use bags, typically found at supermarkets by prohibiting their distribution and at the same time encouraging reusable bags. Other cities that have passed similar ordinances include: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland and parts of Mexico, Germany, China and Italy.
“These animals feed in waters near an area completely flooded
PETA Commercial Featuring Joaquin Phoenix Creates Buzz Huller/PETA
James Stone, Associate Editor
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ou might recognize actor Joaquin Phoenix from his major motion picture roles in films such as, Gladiator and The Master, or you might know him from his much talked about appearance on Letterman, but now you’ll see him as the face of the new People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) commercial that’s caused quite a buzz.
Y
place. Try to relate. Go vegan.”
In the commercial, Phoenix is shown underwater; he’s drowning, and all in an effort to promote veganism. “In water, humans drown just as fish suffocate on land,” says Phoenix as the narrator. “It’s slow and painful and frightening… Put yourself in their
Phoenix describes his motivation to participate in the campaign from an early childhood memory of his. “I was 3 years old. To this day it is a vivid memory,” said Phoenix. “My family and I were on a boat catching fish... The animal went from a living, vi-
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The commercial was shot by Hollywood photographer Michael Muller. PETA wanted to air the ad during this year’s Academy Awards in an effort to have it coincide with Phoenix’s nomination for his role in “The Master,” but ABC rejected the ad calling it, “too political and controversial.”
brant creature fighting for life to a violent death. I recognized it, as did my brothers and sisters. As the saying goes, “There’s just no room for truth in advertising…” And that is one way to look at the latest commercial from PETA. ABC was completely within their rights to reject the commercial, but what is to be said about other controversial commercials in the future? PETA will always have their supporters, and as of now Joaquin Phoenix is an avid vegan and PETA supporter. He’ll drown for them and ABC won’t let it air.
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University of Hawai`i at Mﾄ］oa Seawords, Marine Option Program College of Natural Sciences 2450 Campus Road, Dean Hall 105A Honolulu, HI 96822-2219 Address Service Requested
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