AMRF Celebrates Earth Day 2003
Saturday, April 26, was a big day for AMRF. Board Members and
volunteers staffed 4 different local events. This is the first
time that
we have been able to participate in so many events on the same
day. Thanks to all the volunteers and participants for their
efforts and stamina.
Event Locations (click
on a location to read about the day's events)
Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, San Pedro
Kaleidoscope 2003 at California
State University of Long Beach
S.E.A. Lab – Redondo Beach
Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach
The day started at 8:00 a.m. as the booth and table were set up with the display of plastic debris and ocean trash. Capt. Moore was on the agenda for a presentation in the Aquarium’s Honda Theatre. The other participant was Terry Price, a professor at Cerritos City College. Capt. Moore’s presentation focused on the negative effects of plastic on the environment, most of which relate to “plastics out of place”. Mr. Price’s presentation focused on what plastics are, how they are made now and will/could be in the future. A short discussion followed. Though the attendance was light at the presentation, the information was well received.
Attendance at the Aquarium of the Pacific on that Saturday was 7,200, which was 1,000 more than expected by AOP staff. Our table was located inside the Main Hall near the front entrance so the traffic was heavy all day. Among the exhibit display was the stomach contents of a 4 month old Laysan Albatross chick that was found during the 2002 Pacific Gyre voyage. Most were dismayed at the amount of plastic bottle caps found in the chick’s stomach. The effect of plastics on marine life is still one of the unknown marine environment disasters.
AMRF’s participation in Earth Day at the Aquarium is the latest of several events between AOP and AMRF so far this year.
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, San Pedro
We had a very busy day at Cabrillo with
just a few quiet spots, so overall it was good. The construction
currently underway could
have reduced the crowds. The Aquarium is undergoing a $10 million
expansion project. Slated for a public opening in fall 2004, the
expansion will nearly double the size of the Aquarium and provide
new public education opportunities in the new Aquatic Nursery,
Exploration Center and the Virginia Reid Moore Library. Virginia
Reid Moore was the mother of AMRF Founder, Charles Moore. Booths
were set up outside. The AMRF video, “Our Synthetic
Sea” was screened in the auditorium, but late in the day.
We did get some very strong interest from that.
Next year the event will have the bonus of completed construction and expanded facilities.
The book, ”Green Plastics” included as part of the exhibit, gave people hope, after we gave them the serious plastic message. We were able to give a complete presentation: the negative assessment and potential solutions.
Kaleidoscope 2003 at California State University of Long Beach
For the 2nd year in a row, AMRF participated
in the CSULB Kaleidoscope event with great success. This festival
began in 1985 to celebrate
the accomplishments of Cal State Long Beach and its campus community.
In 2002 more than 250 campus clubs, departments, organizations
and vendors participated in the festival.
AMRF Board Members, Bill Grafton and Gordon Lehman deemed it a resounding success. We may have had as many as 1,000 visitors to the kelp kart and about 250 visiting the plastics presentation within the booth. The kelp kart is a mobile eco-Kart developed by Coastal Marine Technology. It is a self-contained, portable kart with refrigeration unit, auto-temperature control that can be used for growing kelp Sporophytes, tide poll marine life or as a touch tank. Ir really kept the audience riveted and exhilarated. Gordon even managed to arrange for one of his kelp critters to squirt on unsuspecting visitors who seemed to love the surprise...perhaps it was the chance encounter with nature in our urban world that kept all smiling even as got drenched with salt water....
Special thanks to Tyler and Cliff Noland for their help!
S.E.A. Lab – Redondo Beach
Our Earth Day booth was a hit at the GREAT
event organized by SEA Lab. We were located next to the Fish & Game
booth, down from the Regional Water Quality Board etc and we got
a lot of interested
people asking questions. We signed up some really interested volunteers.
Our theme was “Turtles against Nurdles”, which introduced the problem of plastic bag pollution and the devastating effects on sea turtles. Attendees were told about the large amount of plastic pellet debris found on our local beaches. AMRF Researchers Ann Zellers and Gwen Lattin explained the manufacturing process of plastics and displayed the difference between a pre-production plastic particle (looks like a miniature cylinder) and a “nurdle” found on our local beaches (ppp particle with the edges rounded etc.). Many recognized the “nurdles” from visits to the beach, but didn’t realize their origin and potential danger to humans and the marine environment.
Posted: 5/28/03