NEWS & EVENTS - Spring 2008

The Puget Sound Chapter of the American Cetacean Society's Speaker Series, a free fun educational activity, occurs once a month. Join us on May 21st, for CSI: Cetacean Stranding Investigation with Jessie Huggins of Cascadia Research. On June 18th, Lynne Barre of NOAA Fisheries, will talk about implementation of the Orca Recovery Plan. See our Speaker Series informational page for more information. We look forward to seeing you!

If you'd like to see what you've missed, see the 2006-2007 Speaker Series, 2005-2006 Speaker Series or the 2004-2005 Speaker Series. The ACS/PS Speaker Series programs are all completely free to the public (although donations to help pay for the venue are always appreciated).

We hope to see you - (3rd Wednesday of the month at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, Room 6, 6532 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, just north of the Woodland Park Zoo). Directions to meeting

We now have a storefront on Zazzle, with custom postage stamps, mugs, mousepads, t-shirts, and tote bags which feature artwork from Bonnie Gretz and Uko Gorter. View our merchandise page or go straight to our storefront: www.zazzle.com/acspugetsound.

The City Cantabile Choir, directed by Fred West, and accompanied by Odin Lonning and Ann Stateler, performed their beloved Orca Sing on the Saturday closest to the summer solstice at Lime Kiln State Park on San Juan Island. Join ACS/PS to receive access to the August 2007 Whulj to see photos. A retrospective and photos of the 2006 Orca Sing are publicly available online.

ACS/PS was very well represented at the Springer Reunion this summer. Can you believe it has been five years since she was reunited with her family! Join ACS/PS to receive access to the August 2007 Whulj to read about it and see photos

Listen to K Pod recordings from the VHP

What makes ACS/PS unique? and Why Help?

The Puget Sound Chapter of the American Cetacean Society (ACS/PS) is centered in Seattle, Washington, where members from all parts of the Northwest join together to work to protect whales, dolphins, porpoises, and their habitats through research, education, and conservation. [more About ACS/PS]

Whale Friendly Lawns: Campaign for Clean Waters

note: the Whale Friendly lawn signs are temporarily out of stock

Every time it rains, chemicals wash off our lawns and driveways, into the stormwater drains and into local rivers and streams.

Chemicals can harm birds and fish, and fertilizers promote the growth of algae that choke streams and rob fish of valuable oxygen.

This growth restricts the abilities of salmon and other prey fish to reproduce, and ultimately the whales that live in this area will not have the food sources available to keep them alive and thriving.

You can make a difference! As an environmentally-friendly home owner, you can help by pledging to limit the use of toxic chemicals and dangerous herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers, in your lawn and garden.

Join the Whale Friendly Lawns campaign and receive great tips on environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional chemicals and fertilizers. You can share this information with your friends and neighbors and educate them about the vibrant connection between lawns, the surrounding rivers and streams, and the wonderful whales, salmon and other marine wildlife species inhabiting Earth's waters.

Read the 2006 Puget Sound Georgia Basin Ecosystem Indicators Report, created via a partnership between the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Canadian Government. This report is composed of nine environmental indicators specific to this ecosystem:

• Population Health,
• Urbanization and Forest Change,
• Solid Waste and Recycling,
• River, Stream and Lake Quality,
• Shellfish,
• Air Quality,
• Marine Species at Risk,
• Toxics in Harbor Seals, and
• Marine Water Quality.

The EPA's online report also contains many links and references that help navigate priority work on both sides of the border. Each indicator is structured around essential questions like

• "What is Happening?"
• "How Does This Affect Me?" and
• "What Can I Do?"
 

For more information about the Puget Sound Chapter of the American Cetacean Society, contact us at .