We appreciated the participation and attendance of our ocean acidification education and action event series last week.
Thanks to all who attended and thanks to our keynote speaker Dr. Jeremy Mathis, Assistant Professor and Chemical Oceanographer from University of Alaska Fairbanks (www.sfos.uaf.edu/oa/).
Dr. Mathis did an amazing job of turning complex science into something we could all understand. His work with school kids in Sitka will be shared with local parents and the far-reaching communities of Mt Edgecumbe students.
Thanks also to our local action item speakers. Kerry Maclane spoke about growing our own vegetables and other food in Sitka (www.sitkalocalfoodsnetwork.org). Andy Eggan from the City Electric Department reminded everyone to pay attention to the city’s Red-Yellow-Green Energy Alert Light to help reduce diesel burning (www.cityofsitka.com/government/departments/electric/index.html). Chris Duguay of One Island Energy explained how to get up to $10,000 of “free money” from the state for home energy efficiency upgrades (www.ahfc.state.ak.us/energy/weatherization_rebates.cfm). And Doug Osborne asked us all to turn off our cars and be idle-free to protect kids’ health and the environment (more information at http://www.idlefreevt.org).
But this can’t be the end of Sitka’s role in learning about and taking action on ocean acidification through reducing carbon dioxide emissions. As Dr. Mathis said, “The worst thing that can happen is inaction.”
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Capital City Weekly, 3 March 2010. Full article.
