June 8, 2010

Sail around Americas gauges ocean health

A Rockefeller, a Cousteau and ship’s captain reflect on BP

msnbc.com

updated 4:53 p.m. ET, Mon., June 7, 2010

What a difference a year makes — that’s how long it has taken a crew of scientists and conservationists to sail and motor the 25,000 miles around both North and South America.

The biggest change since they left: the BP oil spill.

Now making their way up the West Coast, the Ocean Watch crew have been observing ocean health — or lack thereof — since setting off from Seattle, Washington, on May 31, 2009.

The Around the Americas expedition isn’t your Greenpeace-style exploit, either. No activists unfurling banners, just real scientists collecting jellyfish, taking water temperatures and testing pH levels of the seas — the latter a key concern as increasing carbon dioxide emissions make for more acidic oceans.

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Follow a Journey Around the Americas – With Free Materials for Educators

Monday June 7, 2010

Around the Americas, a 28,000 mile sailing circumnavigation of the American continents launched by Sailors for the Sea, has started a campaign to “inspire, educate and engage citizens of the Americas to protect our fragile oceans.”

As part of the campaign, educators can download free educational curriculum about ocean issues, or become an Ocean Watcher and take a pledge to do things in your normal life that will help the oceans.

The campaign is ambitious, with a goal of getting the information out to 28,000 students by the start of the fall 2010 school year.

Teachers – if you download the materials, let me know what you think!

Learn More:

Around the Americas Expedition