ALIBUT HERALD

H July 30, 2009

Amazing Waterfalls from Around the World

Clockwise from top left: Angel Falls, Venezuela As the world’s tallest waterfall Angel Falls is located in
Canaima National Park in Venezuela. It has a 2,648 foot plunge and a total height of 3,212 feet; Iguaçu Falls,
Argentina/Brazil While the majority of Iguacu Falls is on the Argentina side, this waterfall borders Brazil as well. A
portion of this enormous waterfall is a single plunge that flows deep into a gorge known as the “Devil's Throat.”;
Victoria Falls, Africa The Victoria Falls, located in Victoria National Park in Africa, are some of the most well-known
in the world. Although they are only 350 feet high, they are a whopping 5,700 feet wide and have been described as a
“falling sheet of water.”; Yosemite Falls, United States Located in Yosemite National Park in California, the
Yosemite Falls reach a height of 2,425 feet. It has three separate drops, which contains three different types of
waterfalls: a horsetail, a plunge, and a cascade. Tugela Falls, South Africa Located in South Africa, Tugela Falls is
the second tallest waterfall in the world with a total height of 3,110 feet. It drops in five different tiers, making it a
spectacular view.
READ ON & MORE PICS: http://www.treehugger.com/galleries/2009/06/amazing-waterfalls-around-the-
world.php?page=1
Catholics, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs Rally to Fight Global Warming
Make a natural,
non-DEET Bug
Repellent

World religious leaders have come to the realization that God is Green. This month, Muslim, Catholic,
Hindu and Sikh leaders all pledged to build climate change plans for their adherents. LEARN HOW:
What differentiates each religion’s take on the environment? In truth, not much. They base their actions http://www.granvilleonline.c
on words of wisdom from their prophets or leaders of old, and plan to focus on education, and to take a/deet-free
action to become examples to the wider world of their followers.
READ ON: http://www.twilightearth.com/environment-archive-2/catholics-muslims-hindus-and-
sikhs-rally-to-fight-global-warming/
New Coral Reefs Discovered in Iceland
Okinawa´s Aquarium

The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium located in Okinawa, Japan,

is the world’s second largest aquarium behind the Georgia
Aquarium in Atlanta.
The main tank called the ‘Kuroshio Sea’ holds 7,500-cubic
meters of water and features the world’s second largest acrylic
glass panel, measuring 8.2 meters by 22.5 meters with a
thickness of 60 centimeters.
READ ON: http://momento24.com/en/2009/07/21/the-
okinawa-aquarium/
KUROSHIO SEA ON YOUTUBE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcD485hjoWg
Arctic Seabed Mapping Renewed
New coral reefs and hills were discovered in Lónsdjúp, off
Iceland’s eastern coast, during a submarine research expedition
undertaken by the Icelandic Marine Research Institute at the end
of last month.
According to Steinunn Hilma Ólafsdóttir, an expert in demersal
organisms, these are cold water corals in two different colors,
found within a 40-square-kilometer area at a depth of 200 to 500
meters. No sunlight reaches the corals so they filter their nutrition
from ocean currents, Morgunbladid reports.
READ ON:
http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/?cat
_id=16567&ew_0_a_id=336591
"We have better maps of the moon than we do of our own ocean
floor," Capt. Steve Barnum of the U.S. National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration told CBC News.

Researchers for Canada and the United States are working

together again this summer to map more of the Arctic seabed,
gathering scientific data toward bolstering their own sovereignty
claims. The two countries are preparing for their second joint
mapping expedition to map largely unknown parts of the Canada
Basin, north of the Beaufort Sea.
READ ON:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/07/29/cda-us-
arctic-mapping.html
Canada Line: City Centre Station
It now looks like the Canada Line will start running about mid-
August, close to the time that Granville Mall should be
completed. On Saturday, the Canada Line gave a sneak
preview of what will be one of their busiest stations: City
Centre.
READ ON & MORE PICS:
http://pricetags.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/canada-line-
city-centre-station/
First Nation Takes Lead on Solar Power
T'Sou-ke project models energy autonomy for other BC
Aboriginal communities.
READ ON:
http://thetyee.ca/News/2009/07/24/FirstNationSolarPower/
Shrinking Jug Keeps Milk Fresh an Extra Week
The refillable jug sits on the table while the user presses down on the
top. With each press, the air void in the container is eliminated, keeping
the milk fresher longer; up to a week longer, according to its inventor.
READ ON: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/shrinking-jug-
keeps-milk-fresh-an-extra-week.php
A Few Unfortunate Truths About Neoprene
It's amazing that something so toxic could be used to make such a
variety of items that comes in super close contact with our skin.
Wetsuits, knee (and other joint) braces, life jackets, and laptop
sleeves are just a few examples...
And what's with that neoprene smell? Well it's actually an off gassing
of harmful VOC's, in most cases including formaldehyde, lead,
toluene, chlorine and some toxins that can wreak havoc on your
reproductive system.
Introducing… Neogreene: No toxic solvents. Water based, in fact.
No VOCs. (that Neoprene smell, oh I'll miss it!) 25% less energy to
make their products. 25% less petroleum, too. I know, petroleum is
still in there, and they intend to reduce/eliminate that as well, but it's
going to take thorough thinking, finding a replacement that doesn't
likewise deplete resources.
LEARN MORE:
http://www.greensmithconsulting.com/greensmith_consulting_
hel/2009/07/i-hate-to-break-it-to-you-about-neoprene-but.html
GREENSMART: http://greensmart.biz/neogreene.html
Hemp Vs. Cotton
While both fabrics clearly have advantages, cotton gets
docked for its less sustainable chemical- and water-
intensive production requirements. Easy to produce
organically and effective in fighting climate change,
Hemp wins it!
Find out why! READ MORE:
http://www.granvilleonline.ca/gr/living/2009/04/21/hemp-
versus-cotton#comment-37815#ixzz0MgfIhRUP
Volunteer Photography Spotlight: Mom & Calf about Organic Versus Conventional
2 weeks ago; Photos by Walter Coates (Beluga Observer) Food: UK Report Flawed

A report issued yesterday by Dr. Alan Dangour of

the London School of Hygiene and Tropical
Medicine, commissioned by the Food Standards
Agency (FSA) in the UK, claims that there is no
substantial difference in nutritional content
between organic and conventional food. The
report was based on the review of fifty years
worth of research papers on the subject. But
reading it makes one wonder if influence caused
a misreading of the findings, and in addition, if the
agency has addressed the wrong questions
entirely.
READ ON:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paula-
crossfield/organic-versus-
convention_b_247801.html

Jellies Are the Dark Energy of

the Oceans

The fluid dynamics of swimming jellyfish have

provided a plausible mechanism for a once-wild
notion: that marine animals, hidden from sight and
ignored by geophysicists, may stir Earth’s oceans
with as much force as its wind and tides.

Called induced fluid drift, it involves the tendency

of liquid to “stick” to a body as it moves through
water — and a little bit of drift could add up
quickly on a global scale.

Using fluorescent dyes and underwater video

cameras, bioengineers have made visible the
invisible, producing videos of swimming jellyfish
trailed by the water they came from.
READ ON & VIDEO:
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/jel
lyfish/
Hawaiian Plant, Thought To Be Newcomer, Can Roads and Rain Forests Co-
Actually Shaped Ecology Of The Islands From Exist?
The Beginning

What’s the best route to balancing economic

Scientists at the Smithsonian Institution have discovered data that
suggests one of Hawaii's most dominant plants, Metrosideros, has been a
resident of the islands far longer than previously believed.
If so, these plants would have played an important role in shaping the
ecology of the islands from the beginning.
READ ON:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080415210623.htm
What is the Gulf of Mexico dead zone?
development and biological conservation in a place
valued both as a local resource and global asset?
READ ON:
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/27/roads-to-
ruin/
London's New Airport All at Sea
A report due later this week will make a strong case for a
new London airport to be built on man-made islands in the
estuary of the River Thames.
The Mayor who is for the new airport will also have to fight
the environmental lobby, which is alarmed at the impact an
airport would have on the 200,000 migrating birds that make
the estuary their home in winter. Hydrology experts are
concerned that an island airport could impede the river’s
flow, while air traffic experts are worried about how to fit in all
the planes.
READ ON:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_
sectors/transport/article6689543.ece
OR:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2009/07/londo
ns_new_airport_all_at_sea.cfm?Fsrc=glvrnwl

The gulf dead zone is the largest in the United States and second-
largest of more than 400 worldwide, a total that has grown
exponentially since the 1960s, according to a 2008 study. Smaller
dead zones have appeared in other American waterways. Some
are natural in origin, but many of the most visible and destructive
ones are the results of human activity. And the lifeless expanses
south of the Mississippi Delta have become their poster child.
READ ON: http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/translating-
uncle-sam/stories/what-is-the-gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone

New Hope for Fisheries: Scientists Document

Prospects for Recovery
Scientists have joined forces in a groundbreaking assessment on the
status of marine fisheries and ecosystems. The two-year study shows
that steps taken to curb overfishing are beginning to succeed in five of
the ten large marine ecosystems that they examined. The paper, which
appears in the July 31 issue of the journal Science, provides new hope
for rebuilding troubled fisheries.
READ ON: http://www.physorg.com/news168183004.html
 Archival Photo

Bob Cant with Flap Necked Chameleon, 1977.

Library News
Get your up-to-the minutes news via RSS feed from the library’s What’s new pages. Currently, there are two What’s new pages
running a variety of interesting news feeds

What’s New – Animals and Nature – for news about birds, reptiles, marine mammals, and places such as the Arctic
http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/WhatsNewAnimalsandNature.aspx

What’s New – Business and General – for news about business, finance, tourism, visitor experience and marketing
http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/What%27sNewBGN.aspx

News on Environmental conservation and education will soon be available via the Conservation Current
http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/ConservationCurrent/Pages/Default.aspx

Did you know that the Library has access to over 100 journals and magazines??
At least 80 of these are available full text online.
For a complete hyperlinked list, visit the library journals page on Aquanet:
http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/Journals.aspx

As well, you can find new books and movies listed on this page of Aquanet:
http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/LibraryCatalogue.aspx
Born Yesterday! (Or a few weeks ago)

Hello all, Ethan Marcus Griffin came into our crazy world at 5:03pm on July 12/09. He weighs 8lbs
9ozs. Mom and baby are doing great..

Talk to everyone later.

Carey Griffin

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR WHALE

RESEARCH

I’m a Masters student and Straitwatch volunteer looking for help with land-based whale/boat traffic
observations in the Johnstone Strait area. Tasks include helping to collect and record data on whale
activities and vessel traffic from a cliff-top observation point. While out there we will be camping at
Kaikash for 3 to 4 days at a time. I’m looking for someone who enjoys spending time outdoors, has
camping experience and is interested in learning more about whales.

This is a great opportunity to gain field experience. This position is based out of Alert Bay so you will
need to arrive the day prior to the volunteer dates listed below. From Alert Bay a small boat will take
us to Kaikash where we will camp and the boat will pick us up on the last day. There is minimal cost
involved with this opportunity as you only need to be a member of Cetus Research & Conservation
Society ($20 membership fee) to participate. However, you will need to provide your own camping
gear and food while we are out there.

Volunteers are needed for the following dates:

July 21-23
July 27-29
July 31- August 3
August 5-8

If interested in any or all of these dates, please contact Robyn Walker at robynpwalker@yahoo.ca, or
Straitwatch at 250-974-7056
Classified
 NEXT BOOT CAMP SESSION STARTS JULY 21 2009
Are you looking to challenge yourself physically? Increase your
strength and endurance? Tone up for summer? If so….join us for
boot camp!

Program Description :
This boot camp is a fun, functional, innovative and interactive workout session. The
exercises will challenge one’s strength and endurance, improves general well-being while burning lots of calories.
The workout moves quickly going from one exercise to the next with little or no rest. Open to anyone who is
interested in achieving their desired health and fitness level. Participants will be taught on how to progress the
exercises to meet their fitness level.

Program Details :
Fee : $40 per month
Number of sessions : 8 sessions for 4 weeks ( 2 sessions per week)
Time : 4.30 – 5.30 pm or 5.30 – 6.30 pm (choose one)
Day : Tuesday & Thursday
Venue : Stanley Park

If you would like to join, contact Sabrina.Pinkerton@vanaqua.org, ext. 3558 or pekhar.tan@vanaqua.org, ext.
3587.

Equipment Required : Bring your own mat, dumb bells and resistance tube.

http://www.cov
erealty.ca/listin
g_detail-
2995255.html
Events
http://www.naturechallenge.org/dmg09/

http://fishopolis.com
http://eatsnaprepeat.ca/2009/05/31/chinatown-market/
More exciting events here:
http://www.vanevo.ca/event
s01.html
Check out videos of past
lectures here:
http://www.sfu.ca/cstudies/
science/darwin.htm
 ENTER CONTEST
HERE:
http://www.marineph
otobank.com/resour
ces/OceaninFocusP
hotoContestHome20
09.php

http://www.thebigwi
ld.org/summer-
friends-contest