Last month, representatives from eight Sea Grant programs attended a two-day workshop in Jacksonville, FL hosted by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. Designed as an opportunity for specialists, educators, and communicators to build a national partnership on reducing pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the nation’s waterways, the event was a first step in working towards coordinating these efforts.
 
Funded by the NOAA National Sea Grant Office, the workshop brought together a wide range of input from people who have extensive experience working on the issue of PPCPs in waterways, allowing for a tremendous collaboration.
 
Out of the two-day workshop came a unified message: The ways people choose to use and dispose of PPCPs impacts water quality everywhere.
 
In months to come, workshop participants will continue to work together to develop programs that carry that message to local communities.
 
“This is a national problem that requires local action. Sea Grant’s new working group is well-suited to tackle this issue because each program is trusted in their communities,” said Laura Kammin, IISG pollution prevention program specialist. “We are sharing our resources to create a strong and effective national partnership.”
 
The meeting also provided an opportunity for representatives from New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant programs to mentor others by sharing their award-winning work on reducing PPCPs in the Great Lakes basin. These and other discussions opened the door for collaboration with the North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Oregon, and Southern California Sea Grant programs.
 
IISG has been providing communities with information about how to start safe, legal medicine collection programs since 2006. So far, IISG has helped 63 communities in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan with single-day or permanent collection programs, ensuring the proper disposal of 9.65 million pills (81,813 pounds of unused medication).
 
For more information on IISG’s efforts to spread the word about proper use and disposal of PPCPs visit www.unwantedmeds.org.

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Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your teaching skills and connect with fellow educators! Join us for a two-day, water-themed workshop on August 8-9, 2025, at the Dunes Learning Center located in Indiana Dunes National Park. Open to all 5-12th grade formal and non-formal educators, this event offers a chance to explore the natural world, network, and receive exclusive access to the newest Project WET Educator’s Guidebook: Water in Earth Systems.The registration deadline is July 18th.Learn more at the link in bio.
📣 Aquaculture Teacher Workshop – June 2025🗓️ June 26–27, 2025📍 Purdue University – John S. Wright Forestry Center🕐 Starts June 26 at 1 PM | Ends June 27 at 4:30 PM🌿 Optional Pre-Tour: June 26, 10:30–11:30 AMExplore Aquaculture & Aquaponics in Action!Perfect for science teachers looking to bring hands-on, real-world STEM into the classroom.What’s Included:✔️ Facility tours at Purdue & nearby✔️ Build-your-own aquaponics system (FREE to take home!)✔️ Hands-on labs & classroom integration ideas✔️ $250 stipend for travel or classroom supplies✔️ Open to formal and non-formal educatorsLearn how aquaculture is a powerful tool for engaging students in science, sustainability, and food systems!Spots are limited – register early!Learn more at the link in bio.
IISG is hiring a part-time pollution prevention outreach assistant. IISG’s pollution prevention team addresses water quality issues affecting the Great Lakes coasts and the inland waters of Illinois and Indiana, specifically focusing on contaminants of emerging concern like pharmaceuticals, microplastics and marine debris, and PFAS. This outreach assistant will support the pollution prevention team by developing outreach activities and engaging with communities to share that knowledge.Learn more and apply at the link in bio.
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