H ALIBUT HERALD

March 5, 2009

Bits and Bites

Still Blue

Off the shores of Costa Rica, scientists study a stronghold of whales that once hovered near extinction.
If anyone missed Andrew Trites’ story-telling session on Tuesday, be sure to check out the rest of the photos from this
National Geographic album to learn a little bit more about these beautiful beasts.
READ ON: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/03/blue-whales/brower-text
MORE PICS: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/03/blue-whales/nicklin-photography

And because we can’t all be beautiful, I present to you….

10 Most Diabolical Fish On Earth
On the one hand, fish are inoffensive creatures, the majority not much to worry about... Yet there are a few species
that are more loathsome to our tastes. These are creatures straight out of nightmares – some more fangs than fish;
others that look like they’ve barely swum out of the primeval sludge. But though we’d like to think we’re no relation to
these demons of the deep, in the evolutionary scheme of things all us land vertebrates are derived from our fishy
cousins.

Top to bottom, left to right: Piranha of the Amazon; deep sea (3000 to 6000 ft) Anglerfish; Tiny deep-sea Anglerfish;
Moray Eel; Green Moray Eel; Tigerfish (x2); Snakehead fish found in SE Asia, Africa, India; Fangtooth Fish; Gulper
Eel.

Pink dolphin appears in US lake

The world's only pink Bottlenose dolphin
which was discovered in an inland lake in
Louisiana, USA, has become such an
attraction that conservationists have warned
tourists to leave it alone.

READ ON:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newst
opics/howaboutthat/4927224/Pink-
dolphin-appears-in-US-lake.html

SEE MORE PICS:

http://calcasieucharters.com/index.cfm?
act=imagegallery.cfm&name=Rare+Pink
+Dolphin+Photo+Gallery
Uh, We Almost Got Asteroided (the day before, the day before) Yesterday
A 30-50 meter-wide asteroid just passed seven
times closer to us than the moon, glowing so
bright you could see it through a cloud. If it had
hit the ocean, it would have tsunamied.

The Sydney Morning Herald says that if it had

been headed toward a populated part of the
world, we would have had 24 hours to act and
evacuate. Sky and Telescope says that it was
about twice the altitude of our communications
satellites.
READ ON:
http://i.gizmodo.com/5163926/uh-we-
almost-got-asteroided-yesterday

Just so darn cute!

Meerkat warms up
under a heat lamp at
Battersea Park
Children's Zoo

Good Resource for Canadians

The Public Registry is your source for news, information, and documents related to species at risk in Canada. This
web site has been designed to help you better understand Canada's approach to protecting and recovering species at
risk, learn about species at risk and what's being done to help them, and get involved in decision making and recovery
activities.
READ ON: http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/default_e.cfm
Plastic Soup
(I know this sad truth has been featured before, but every time I read something new about it, I cannot help but remind
everyone of it’s importance…BTW: It is estimated to have grown to twice the size of Texas now!)

“Because plastic does not biodegrade but rather photodegrades

into smaller and smaller particles, it gets integrated into the
ecosystem. Marine life mistake the indigestible pieces of plastic
for food, which then either accumulate in their stomachs or
create obstructions that cause choking or starvation.
Interestingly, it’s the smallest plastic particles—polymers—that
are the most dangerous. Magnets for oily toxins like DDT and
PCBs, the polymers absorb and concentrate these chemicals
up to levels a million times higher than they would be in the
ocean alone. And, tiny as they are, polymers are eaten by
creatures at the bottom of the food chain; the toxic chemicals
work their way up and end up right on your dinner plate.”

So what can be
done?

According to scientists who have studied ocean pollution and the patch,
trawling the ocean for all its garbage is not only impractical but would
harm plankton and other marine life. Though large fragments can be
collected, the polymers cannot, and the best solution now is prevention
and a drastic change in the way we live.
“Plastic is the lubricant of globalization,” says Moore. “We package and
over-package nearly everything in plastic to ship it around the world—and
there’s no way of getting rid of it. It lasts forever.”

READ ON: http://www.granvilleonline.ca/gr/features/2009/03/02/plastic-soup

12 PART VIDEO SERIES ON ‘GARBAGE ISLAND’ (NOTE: Host has a potty-mouth):
http://www.vbs.tv/shows.php?show=1154

Tips on Consulting for the Marine Sciences

“The advantages to consulting are flexibility, diversity, and broad familiarity with people across the spectrum of the
marine sciences.” READ ON: http://deepseanews.com/2009/03/tips-on-consulting-marine-science/

California aquarium blames flooding on curious octopus READ ON:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090227/ap_on_fe_st/odd_octopus_flood;_ylt=AtnXexOmS4y9DC21i32dxyMDW7oF

New Generation of Solar Cells Inspired by Plants

“We looked at the ways that energy is funnelled in nature and through reverse engineering, using multiple nanoscale
components, we designed and fabricated a hybrid photovoltaic device that can absorb light and efficiently convert it to
electric current. These are early days but the possibilities for the application of this technology for environmentally-
friendly energy production are very exciting.”
READ ON: http://earthfirst.com/new-generation-of-solar-cells-inspired-by-plants/

Killer whales in B.C. get protection

READ ON: http://workcabin.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=879&Itemid=117

A Little Bird told me today is…

International Women’s Day!
http://www.internationalwomensday.com/
Archival Photo

Students from NWT in the Graham Amazon Gallery. Finn Larsen, 1980.

Green News

Looking for sustainable tissue paper

options? Look no further!
Review these handy guides the next time you need to
make your big home tissue paper purchases, and be
sure to purchase sustainable options! Just like our copy
paper in the photo copy room, post consumer content,
unbleached and recycled paper is the best for your
home too! As a reminder, it is always best to choose a
reusable product (e.g., cloth napkins instead of paper
towel), however, these guides will help you choose the
best paper products available.

Greenpeace Tissue Paper Wallet Card:

Soft Toilet Roll Worse than Hummers and
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/campaigns/
McMansions?
forests/tissueguide
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/03/soft-toilet-roll-
environment.php
The NRDC guide to Tissue Paper:
http://www.nrdc.org/land/forests/tissueguide/ratings.aspx
Sustainable Shopping Guides
If you are looking for easy one-stop views of sustainable products and options, look no further:

Better World Shopper Guide (comprehensive ranking of 1000s of products):

http://www.betterworldshopper.com/

Ocean Wise – find a restaurant, enjoy sustainable seafood!

www.oceanwisecanada.org

Seafood Watch – sustainable seafood wallet cards

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

Obama Reverses Bush-Era

Endangered Species Rule
President Obama has shelved a Bush-era rule that
weakens protection of endangered species, he
announced on Tuesday. The regulations allow
agencies to decide for themselves whether projects
like highways, dams and mines could harm animals
and plants listed under the Endangered Species Act.
The rule reduces the mandatory independent reviews
that government scientists have been performing for
35 years, and prevents federal agencies from
assessing whether the construction project
contributes to global warming.

READ ON: http://earthfirst.com/obama-reverses-bush-era-endangered-species-rule/

Thinking about Home Renovations? Check this out to save energy and
money…
Missed the LiveSmart BC Lunch-n-Learn held today in the Theatre? Still looking for tips and
information? Come by Heather’s desk to pick up pamphlets on the LiveSmart BC Home
Improvement Incentive Guide to find out how to save energy and make money on your home
renos!
Or, check out these websites:
www.livesmartbc.ca
www.Vancouver.ca/greenhomes
www.onedayvancouver.ca

MAD Architects’ City of the Future

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.
com/featured/mad-architects-city-
future/8039
Events
Design the Next Vancouver
'FormShift Vancouver' contest invites new ideas for a vibrant, greener,
denser city.
A new competition invites the world to help Vancouver imagine itself as not
only a denser city, but one more green, livable and exciting to the eye.

And though the contest welcomes entries from the best architects in B.C. and
beyond, you don't have to be in the business of designing buildings or
neighbourhoods to enter and win.
READ ON: http://thetyee.ca/News/2009/02/23/FormShift/?utm_source=mo
ndayheadlines&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=230209

CONTEST DETAILS: http://formshiftvancouver.com/

More exciting
events here:
http://www.vanev
o.ca/events01.ht
ml

Check out
videos of past
lectures here:
http://www.sfu.c
a/cstudies/scien
ce/darwin.htm
 Mt. Seymour Guys Night Out - Girls Ride FREE*

http://www.mountseymour.com/events
Try out this great new game
now available in the Gift Shop.
This innovative game
encourages young and old to
learn more about their impact on
the environment.

Regular Price: $29.99

Staff Price: $21.00
Classified