Earth 8 Sponsors:
A Project of CBS 8 and Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
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Welcome to EARTH 8 |
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Earth 8 is a partnership of CBS 8, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD. Our mission is to promote a healthy, sustainable Earth through education and action, and to inspire the next generation of San Diegans to continue to preserve our planet. |
Meet the Microclimate Team:
Dr. Nigella Hillgarth:
 Dr. Nigella Hillgarth is Executive Director of Birch Aquarium at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She is a distinguished zoologist who came to the institution in 2002 from her position as executive director of Tracy Aviary, the nation’s largest bird park, in Salt Lake City, Utah. During her career, she's conducted research in Britain, India, Thailand and the Arctic. Read more about Dr. Hillgarth > |
| Don't miss Nigella's Cove - an Earth 8 monthly column written by Dr. Nigella Hillgarth:
Read Nigella's Cove - Beach Etiquette >
Read Nigella's Cove - Whale Watching >
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
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Saturday October 4, 2008
at 8am - 12noon
Otay Park, Chula Vista
Mark your calendars for this year's Beautify Chula Vista Day and join NEWS 8’s Carlo Cecchetto and hundreds of Chula Vista residents helping to keep their city clean! The event will take place on Saturday, October 4th from 8am to 12noon at Otay Park.
The City of Chula Vista and I Love A Clean San Diego will again join forces to bring you Beautify Chula Vista Day. Last year, over 800 enthusiastic volunteers joined in the fun and canvasses many residential and commercial streets picking up debris, painting out graffiti, stenciling storm drains, and planting trees! All these great activities are again planned for this year, but volunteers will shift their focus to the areas surrounding Otay Park in the southern portion of Chula Vista.
Beautify Chula Vista is unique because it combines many different activities meant to improve the community. This multi-faceted cleanup is enjoyable because you get to do different activities, plus meet like-minded citizens in the community.
Make the commitment to improve the quality of your community and register to volunteer for Beautify Chula Vista Day!
Earth 8…One Planet a World of Solutions
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WORLD OCEAN DAY:
Let’s celebrate World Ocean Day all year round
by taking time to do something good for our ocean.
To learn more please visit www.theoceanproject.org/wod
THANK YOU SAN DIEGO!:
Thousands of Volunteers Collected Tons of Trash!
Thank You San Diego for joining Earth 8 and I Love a Clean San Diego for the 6th Annual Creek to Bay Clean Up. Through your efforts, 160,000 pounds of debris from 130 miles of coastline and open space were collected. Thank you for your incredible commitment and dedication to
help preserve our planet.
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VIDEO: Thousands Take Part In
Creek To Bay Clean Up |
| Watch Video> |
Earth 8
One Planet…a World of Solutions. |
MORE EVENTS:
Sea Wees – Age 2
March 10-14; April 14-18; May 19-23
9:30AM – 10:30AM
One-hour weekday class introduces 2-year olds to the ocean world through stories, songs and live animal encounters.
Schoolers – Ages: 3 to 4
March 8, 16, 19; April 5, 13, 23; May 3, 11, 24
9:30AM – 11AM
This program engages "sea" schoolers between the ages of 3 and 4 in hands-on activities that include aquarium scavenger hunts, live animal encounters, stories and special crafts.
Family Days @ Birch Aquarium at Scripps
April 19, May 17th
Family Days is a monthly program at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, which embraces family learning and togetherness by blending arts and crafts, science, special tours and one-of-a-kind activities for all ages. Programs are included with aquarium admission and take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join us for these dynamic opportunities to explore the ocean world!
La Jolla Above and Below
April 19th
Learn about La Jolla’s natural wonders on land and in the ocean. Meet with Scripps researchers who study marine reserves, including the 533-acre reserve off the coast of La Jolla. Guests from the La Jolla Shores Map project also will attend. The giant map planned for Kellogg Park will highlight local marine life as well as natural and historic landmarks. Groundbreaking is planned for this spring.
Breathing in a Changing Climate
Saturday, May 17
Uncover the link between air pollution, climate change and our amazing lungs as Scripps researchers bring real-time experiments to this climate themed Family Day. See how much air our lungs can hold and test the quality of air we breathe through a special filter. From lungs to gills, you’ll also see how fishes can breathe in a watery world.
All programs listed above are conducted at Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Pre-registration is required: please call 858-534-7336. For more information on all the events listed above, please click here.
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8 WAYS YOU CAN IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when faced with news about the planet’s declining health. But there are many small steps things each of us can take to help. If each person follows one of these eight suggestions, imagine what an impact we’ll have as a community!
1. Go on a CO2 diet: Simple everyday actions can have a big impact on the amount of carbon dioxide we send into the atmosphere. Replace incandescent light bulbs in your house and office with compact florescent models. Shut off the lights when you leave a room. Unplug appliances, cell phone chargers, and lamps when they are not in use. Turn off the computer; even the “standby mode” uses energy.
2. Buy Smart: Make a difference one shopping trip at a time! When buying new appliances such as dishwashers and refrigerators, look for energy-efficient models with the ENERGY STAR label. Also, consider buying energy-efficient showerheads that keep pressure firm, but reduce your hot water bill.
3. Stop Junk Mail: The energy used to create and deliver junk mail produces more greenhouse gas emissions than two million cars. Stop your junk mail by signing up online with companies like http://www.41pounds.org, which contacts direct mail companies to take you off their lists.
4. Drive Smart: Did you know you could improve on your miles per gallon by up to 30 percent? Just improve your driving habits! Studies show drivers can reduce CO2 by accelerating slowly and smoothly, driving the speed limit, and maintaining a steady speed. If you are stopping for more than 30 seconds, turn off your car.
5. Get a Car Wash: When you wash your car in the driveway, dirt, suds, and waste flow straight to the storm water drains and into our oceans. Take your vehicle to a commercial car wash that collects and treats the car wash water.
6. Plant Local: Planting drought-resistant native California species in your gardens will help save water and prevent non-native species from taking over. They also require less maintenance and have their own defenses against pests and diseases. For a database of native species, visit the California Native Plant Society at http://www.cnps.org.
7. Be Water Conscious: On average, each of us use 150 gallons of water a day. We need to cut down to ensure we have water for the future. Limit your showers to five minutes or less. Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth. Wash only full loads of laundry. Water your yard only before 8 a.m. to reduce evaporation.
8. Register to Vote: As a voter, you have a say in which candidates get to pass laws and regulations. By choosing candidates that share your viewpoints on the environment, you can help shape public policy.
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