Celebrate World Oceans Day with your family
Thursday, May 23, 2013
RYE — On Saturday, June 8, from 9:30 a.m. to noon., the Seacoast Science Center (SSC) and the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS) will host a family-friendly World Oceans Day celebration.
The event will kick off with a short film on ocean acidification featuring third generation ocean explorer Fabien Cousteau. Following the film, adults will join national and regional experts for a series of short presentations about ocean acidification.
Fun, hands-on activities that teach about the importance of a healthy ocean are planned for children (ages 5 and up) while their parents are viewing the film and engaged in the presentations.
Dr. Dwight Gledhill from NOAA’s ocean acidification program, Dr. Joe Salisbury from UNH, and Ben Cowie-Haskell from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary are among the experts who will talk about ocean acidification, its impact on the oceans and what we can do to help decrease this problem.
Ocean acidification is the process of the lowering of pH of the ocean, making it more acidic. The burning of fossil fuels has caused an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the earth’s atmosphere and approximately a quarter of the excess CO2 is absorbed by the ocean. Over the last decade, scientists have discovered that the excess CO2 is changing the chemistry of the ocean and proving harmful for many forms of marine life.
World Oceans Day gives people across the globe the opportunity to pause and reflect on the critical role the ocean has in sustaining our planet. This event will help the entire family better understand that the things people do every day have an impact on the health of the ocean and that the health of the ocean has an impact on their daily lives.
Participants are welcome to bring a picnic and enjoy lunch by the seaside after the event.
There is no cost to attend the event, but registration is required. To sign up, please call SSC Education Director Perrin Chick at 603-436-8043, ext. 17 or visit www.neracoos.org/WOD2013 to register and for directions.