The morning began with a quick dash for coffee at the local Starbucks. After some light conversation about our personal teaching positions we headed out at approximately 8:30 am. We met with Kaitlyn and Chris from the SCA at the National Park, for the second day, to continue our monitoring of the pristine streams found in Prince William County.
(Or, “another day, another macroinvertebrate”)
We loaded up and headed off deep into the wilds of… Alexandria.
Traffic wasn’t too bad! We made decent time getting to the Cameron Run, a 4th order stream in an industrial area with a LOT of human impacts. Think runoff and flooding, channelization, sewage and pollutants (ick.) But many of our fishies and bugs are resilient: even in these rather cruddy conditions, some organisms thrive.
Welllll.... mostly business.
This Earth Day, I could pass along “green” tips on how to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint, but I will save that for another time. Instead, let me make a suggestion: go OUTSIDE this weekend! Take your dog for a walk, plant a vegetable garden, play outdoor games with your children, visit a local park, take a hike and look for wildlife, or just sit in the sun and appreciate its warmth (with appropriate sunscreen, of course).
Gas prices are on the rise again... The world's supply of fossil fuel is limited and will eventually be exhausted. Production is becoming more difficult and more expensive. Many Americans are turning to renewable energy. What exactly is renewable energy? Can you name 5 renewable energy sources?
The word "nerd" is a fairly recent addition to the English language and is now quite common in everyday speech.
When and where was the first recorded usage of the word?
(Hint: Today is Dr. Seuss's birthday...)
Answer: Dr. Seuss holds the honor of first printed usage of the word "nerd." It appeared in the book If I Ran the Zoo, written in 1950.
What is it? The Great Backyard Bird Count engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds over a 4-day period. This annual bird population survey creates a real-time snapshot of bird populations throughout the US and Canada and helps researchers better understand birds and their behavior.
Who can do it? You can! Anyone may participate. You may count birds for as little as 15 minutes or for as long as you like each day of the event.
As gas approaches $4 per gallon, we are all looking for ways to save. Lots of advice is circulating around, but which tips will actually save fuel? Let’s separate fact from fiction:
Fact: Slow down.
