The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) is going mainstream, with a prominent mention in a mainstream television program (sort of), not to mention new entries in Wikipedia and How Stuff Works. A recent episode of a new program called Life After People on the History Channel featured the GPGP. The premise of the program is speculation about what would happen to all of our man-made constructs if people were to suddenly disappear from the face of the earth one day. Last night's episode (The Capital Threat) focused on Washington DC and Los Angeles. The Los Angeles segments followed the GPGP and noted that the patch would continue to grow for many years after people because of all of the plastic currently floating in the ocean that has not yet reached the GPGP.

The show ends with the sobering note that our plastic garbage will likely be our longest lasting legacy, outlasting our steel megastructures and monuments of solid stone. After 600 hundred years the plastic trash will have photo-degraded into smaller and more toxic elements and continue to impact wildlife long after we are gone (they even have a video vignette of a hawksbill sea turtle).

While our sudden disappearance from the Earth is unlikely, the take home message is that even if we were to completely stop using plastics today they will continue to accumulate in the environment for many years. Some significant steps are needed to gain control of plastic and mitigate the long-term price we are going to pay for our current irresponsible practices.

Photo gallery from the episode

This episode of Life After People will be airing again (all times are US eastern)...
Tonight (11 May) at 11pm
Tomorrow (12 May) at 3am
17 May at 5pm

Posted by Michael Coyne at 08:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The kids have been bugging us for a couple of weeks to let them watch Monster Quest (on the History Channel). So we finally gave in and watched an episode this morning called "Jaws in Illinois". Basically about how sharks have been reported upstream in fresh water rivers and lakes. Not that big a deal, as bull sharks are known to be able to move from salt to fresh water. In the end it was about 15 minutes of material (repeated over and over again) expanded in to an hour long show.

But the worst part was the extreme hyperbole playing upon the completely bogus reputation of sharks as cold-blooded killers. Indicative of the overblown drama was the line "they are invading our rivers". Never mind that the rivers don't belong to us and that sharks and many other organisms have been using them long before humans even evolved. They repeatedly suggest that humans are in mortal danger because the sharks are moving in to fresh water. Complete bunk!

Left unmentioned was that IF the sharks are increasingly moving in to fresh water it is because we have wiped out their food resources in the ocean and they are looking farther afield for food. Or perhaps they have just always been there and we didn't notice it. The truth is that shark species around the world are in trouble because we have wiped out their food sources, fisheries that target shark fins and waste the rest of the shark, and a shoot first ask questions later mentality when it comes to sharks fueled by shows like this that continue to demonize these magnificent marine creatures.

One cool tidbit of info was that scientists believe that greenland sharks live up to 200 years, the longest lived vertebrate on the planet. But in general, this show represents the worst kind of human arrogance. Hopefully the first and last episode of this show we will watch.

Posted by Michael Coyne at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Google has added a new high-resolution bathymetry layer to Google Earth and Google Maps. In Google Maps you have to switch to satellite mode to see it. The new layer appears to be based on the NOAA NDGC ETOPO1 or Gebco global bathymetry products.

These are the same bathymetry data used in SEATURTLE.ORG's STAT and Maptool resources.

This is a very exciting development, particularly if it means we are getting closer to the release of the long rumored Google Ocean product.

Posted by Michael Coyne at 05:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am a bit of a numbers junkie. I was just looking at the web logs for seaturtle.org and came across some interesting numbers. Seaturtle.org continues to receive more than 2 million hits per month, but perhaps more impressive are the 50,000-70,000+ unique visitors each month. That's a lot of turtle enthusiasts!

Of these visitors about 60% are coming directly to seaturtle.org (ie they are not coming through a search engine or referred from another site). About 25% are referred by search engines (mostly google) and 15% are referred from other web sites. Want to know where your site stands?

Here are the Top 10 Sites referring visitors to seaturtle.org.

10. Marine Conservation Society UK

9. FalconTrak

8. Free Ecology Journals

7. 29th Sea Turtle Symposium

6. Bald Head Island Conservancy

5. Georgia Sea Turtle Center

4. Gumbo Limbo Nature Center

3. SCDNR Marine Turtle Conservation Program

2. Ocean Conservancy

and the NUMBER ONE referring site to seaturtle.org is....

Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center

Posted by Michael Coyne at 01:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UPDATE2: I have it on good authority that the sign up form is now allowing non-Australian participation. So get in there and show your support!

UPDATE: It seems that the sign up form restricts participation to Australian postal codes for the time being. Will post another update if they change their policy.

Helping out a friend running a great project! Please support their cause with a vote. See details copied from message from Rod Kennett below:

Dear Colleagues

Vote for the NAILSMA Dugong and Marine Turtle Project at http://www.landcareheroes.com/meet-our-finalists/life-on-the-edge-coastcare

The Australian Indigenous delegates who participated in the Native Oceans presentation at the 2008 International Sea Turtle Symposium have been nominated for a major Australian environmental award.

The North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance’s (NAILSMA) Dugong and Marine Turtle Project (DMTP) has been nominated in the Australian National Landcare Awards for the "Life-on-the-edge-Coastcare Award" and a "People's Choice Award". The NAILSMA DMTP is the only Indigenous-run project in the Coastcare Award category.

The NAILSMA project brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people living along Australia’s vast northern coastline with researchers, government and non-government agencies and industry for better management of Australia's globally significant populations of marine turtle and dugong. The nomination reflects the high quality of work of Indigenous communities engaged in the NAILSMA project in developing community based initiatives for dugong and marine turtle management.

Earlier this year we won a prestigious Environmental Excellence Award from the Australian Banksia Environmental Foundation, but just missed out (to an eco-friendly shopping centre) on a Banksia People's Choice Award. The National Landcare People’s Choice Awards are open to votes from people around the world so we invite our Australian and overseas colleagues on the cturtle list to add their vote and show their support.

So if you have a few moments spare, please add your vote for the NAILSMA Dugong and Marine Turtle Project at

http://www.landcareheroes.com/meet-our-finalists/life-on-the-edge-coastcare

When you place your vote, you can also leave a message of support to the Indigenous Rangers and communities involved in the project. We will be sure to pass your comments onto them at our Project Summit taking place at One Arm Point (Kimberley, Western Australia) in a weeks time.

If you would like more information about our project or NAILSMA please visit www.nailsma.org.au

On behalf of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues from across north Australia thank you for your time.

Cheers

Rod Kennett

P.S. Keep up-to-date with the latest news from NAILSMA. Visit our subscribe page and select from a range of printed publications, electronic newsletters (including our Dugong and Marine Turtle Project 'talking' e-news) and email alerts you can subscribe to. Keep up-to-date with the latest news from NAILSMA. Visit our subscriptions page and select from a range of printed publications, electronic newsletters and email alerts you can subscribe to. Visit http://www.nailsma.org.au/publications/nailsma/subscribe.html.

Posted by Michael Coyne at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Find healthy products for yourself, your family and the environment.

http://www.goodguide.com/

Posted by Michael Coyne at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I doubt there is anything illegal about posting sea turtle recipes on the internet. But in seems in poor taste to post recipes that include an endangered species.

Does anyone know the rules on this?

I presume the recipes would work just as well with a substitute meat, but they do specifically mention green turtles.

http://recipes.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Green_Sea_Turtle_In_Chafing-dish_Recipe

http://recipes.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Green_Turtle_Soup_Recipe

Found the following in the websites Terms of Service. Could they be considered to be inciting illegal action by posting the recipes?

2. Illegal of other Harmful Use or Access. Contents may not be used for any illegal purpose. You may not access our networks, computers, or Contents in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair them, or interfere with any other Person’s use and enjoyment. You may not attempt to gain unauthorized access to any Contents, other accounts, computer systems, or networks connected with our sites or Contents. YOU MAY NOT ADD LINKS THAT ARE IRRELEVANT TO THE PURPOSE OF THE SITE AND ITS CONTENT. Any links added to the site automatically carry the "no follow" tag, so that they do not pass page rank, or anything else useful for spammers.

Posted by Michael Coyne at 06:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Posted by Michael Coyne at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A really great little post on the importance of making data freely available (or at least with as few restrictions as possible). And the dangers inherent in treating data as intellectual property.

In particular this bit, quoted from a policy paper prepared by Athena Global:

• A direct association exists between pricing and its effects on public access and commercialisation of government agency information. Current pricing problems are having a deleterious effect on the affordability of spatial data in Canada, France, and the United Kingdom;
  
• A direct association exists between the application of intellectual property rights and the degree of public access and commercialisation of government agency information. The greater the restrictions on access, the less successful dissemination programs will be;
  
• Reducing prices and relaxing intellectual property restrictions on government datasets are significant factors improving opportunities for access and commercialization for stakeholders in the geographic information community.

It's impossible to put a value on all the earth observation data that the US government makes freely available. It is one of the undeniably good things they do and it's a shame that other countries do not do the same. Access to European remote sensing data, in particular, is a shambles (CNES Aviso data the notable exception).

Posted by Michael Coyne at 10:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

During our recent research expedition to Gabon I decided to name one of the leatherback turtles that we satellite tagged in honor of Buzz Out Loud. Buzz Out Loud is one of a handful of technology podcosts that I listen to on a regular basis (hey, I'm not just a "turtle" geek). I let the hosts of the show, Jason, Molly and Tom, pick the name and JaMoTo was born!

Jason, Molly and Tom were kind enough to adopt JaMoTo, and when they received their adoption packet they wore the hats I included in the packet during the show. As seen in the recorded video streams below. Watch to the end and you will get to see them try on the silly hat.

Click play on each of the streams to watch them in sync, but turn the volume down on all but one (otherwise you will get a wicked echo). Thanks to the folks at watchBOL for posting these online.

JaMoTo has been mentioned in a number of BOL episodes and even has her own Twitter feed.

Continue reading "Buzz Out Loud" »

Posted by Michael Coyne at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

An animated series geared toward pre-schoolers, starring Linny (guinea pig), Ming-Ming (duckling) and Tuck (turtle). The Wonder Pets travel to Japan to save a newly hatched Baby Sea Turtle who can't find her way to the ocean.

On Nick Jr today.

Posted by Michael Coyne at 03:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Great video of several rival males trying to dislodge a mating male. From David Attenborough's Life in Cold Blood series.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/lifeincoldblood/video.shtml

Posted by Michael Coyne at 03:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Michael Coyne at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Public Service Announcement

Posted by Michael Coyne at 09:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

REDUCE - REUSE - RECYCLE

From:
http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=738309b53c7c5ae0

• Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That’s 1 million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year.

• According to the industry publication Modern Plastics, Taiwan consumes 20 billion bags a year — 900 per person.

• According to Australia’s Department of Environment, Australians consume 6.9 billion plastic bags each year — 326 a person. An estimated, 7 percent or 50 million end up as litter each year.

• Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine mammals die every year from eating discarded plastic bags mistaken for food.

• As part of Clean Up Australia Day, in one day nearly 500,000 plastic bags were collected.

• Windblown plastic bags are so prevalent in Africa that a cottage industry has sprung up harvesting bags and using them to weave hats and even bags. According to the British Broadcasting Corp., one group harvests 30,000 a month.

In 2001, Ireland consumed 1.2 billion plastic bags, or 316 per person. An extremely successful plastic bag consumption tax, or PlasTax, introduced in 2002 reduced consumption by 90 percent. About 18 million liters of oil was saved because of the reduced production. Governments around the world are considering implementing similar measures.

Posted by Michael Coyne at 07:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check the list and place your vote:

http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/hero_of_the_year/poll/poll.html

Posted by Michael Coyne at 03:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A nice interactive site for kids. Check it out...

keepoceansclean.org

Posted by Michael Coyne at 08:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Michael Coyne at 04:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What a fantastic way to get students engaged in science.

Charity's Science podcast

Found here.

Posted by Michael Coyne at 04:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

An excellent editorial that everyone should read

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Editorials/opnOPN56122306.htm

Posted by Michael Coyne at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Don't know how many turtlers have discovered YouTube, but recently discovered a sea turtle related video there. After a quick search and browse I discovered several others. Have a look. Some interesting stuff there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfVvptXaZpc&mode=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhv16dyUW4U&eurl=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC-sQ_S2udA&mode=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PImUjMSlBV4&mode=relate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfdLoY74JMs&mode=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVN1qR1JEGM&mode=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTeww1E_Btg&mode=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvsYKSuDkf0&mode=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv2_9pZ1TRA&mode=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GovpWcCS3o&mode=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU5QplRPVhQ&mode=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLrQbKINSpQ&eurl=

Posted by Michael Coyne at 02:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I thought I'd share one of my favorite global data resources.

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~ben/gmt.html

Sorry, a lot of the data (not all) are only useful if you are a GMT enthusiast.

Posted by Michael Coyne at 03:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just a note to self about an interesting site:

http://geosql.blogspot.com/

The latest article notes an upcoming article about looking at sea surface temperature through time that I don't want to miss...

Posted by Michael Coyne at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)