In Chicago, a former food factory is being converted into the city’s first vertical farm, and a sustainable, zero-energy one at that. 

 

From Bridgette Meinhold, writing for Inhabitat.com: 

Aquaponics are a large part of the plan as well, offering a cyclical and sustainable way to raise fish and plants for food year-round. 

 

Read the complete article and see photos of the building and operations currently in progress at the link above, and additional details about the plans for the business here.

 

Bill Hanshumaker of the Hatfield Marine Science Center and Oregon Sea Grant explains aquaculture research being conducted at the facility.

Each year, natural resource students from Purdue University, North Carolina State University, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences come together to learn about sustainable use of natural resources in some part of the world. In July 2012, the course took place in the Pacific Northwest. Students visited old-growth forests, wildlife refuges, urban areas and more, learning about the political, social and economic concerns that factor into decision-making and development in the region. 

 

Because of the partnership between Purdue University’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, students were able to connect with extension specialists from Oregon Sea Grant to learn about coastal issues. 

 

Oregon Sea Grant agent Jeff Feldner discusses commercial fishing during a “dock walk.”

IISG’s Carolyn Foley shares more about the course: “Amidst glorious sunshine, students learned about the strong fishing trade in Newport, OR, including oyster farming. They asked questions about how these trades are regulated in the Pacific Northwest, and what impacts their activities have on the surrounding community and natural resource use. They were also able to visit the Hatfield Marine Science Center and gain a healthy overview of the major issues affecting coastal resources in Oregon and surrounding states, including the development of technology to harness wave energy, impacts of naturally-occurring low-oxygen conditions, and effects of development on local wildlife populations. Some students even visited a large dock (~66’ x 19’ x 7’) that was ripped from its pilings in Misawa, Japan during the 2011 tsunami which crossed more than 11,000 km of Pacific Ocean and landed near Newport in early June, bringing with it more than 80 non-native, potentially invasive species of algae, snails, clams, and other life forms.”

Students from the course gather in front of the tsunami-generated floating dock that washed ashore in early June 2012. Researchers have identified 92+ species that survived the trans-Pacific voyage.

 

For more about some of IISG’s education initiatives, visit our education website. College and graduate students are also encouraged to contact their departments for information on similar courses and opportunities.

*Photos courtesy of George Hess with North Carolina State University

 

Fourteen teachers from throughout the Great Lakes basin embarked on the learning opportunity of a lifetime this month, taking part in a week-long workshop aboard the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s research vessel Lake Guardian. They explored first-hand Lake Huron’s geology, limnology (freshwater science), and ecology, with a special focus on the food web as it relates to Huron’s fisheries. 

 

The teachers worked side-by-side with scientists learning a great deal about what comprises research on the Great Lakes. They assisted with the collection of planktonic and benthic organisms, as well as gathering water quality data. They also explored Great Lakes curriculum and discussed how to integrate this information in their classrooms. You can see visit their blog and learn more at cossegreatlakes.net. This program is offered annually by EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office and the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network. If you are an educator, consider applying next year for the cruise on Lake Ontario!

 

According to some of the latest research, a population of Asian carp as small as 20 in number could be enough to establish a damaging population of the invasive species in the Great Lakes. 

 

From The Atlantic Cities: 

Read more, including links to the full report and additional information, at the link above.

A data collection project is currently underway that would help communities prepare for and prevent flooding in the Great Lakes basin. There are also six technical workshops for coastal management and associated professionals to be held next month at several locations around the Great Lakes. 

 

From the Great Lakes Echo: 

Visit the link above for the full article including a link to the full workshop schedule.

Grand Valley State University successfully deployed their wind research buoy in the middle of Lake Michigan last week, 37 miles off shore. The buoy, a joint project between Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University, and the University of Michigan, is one of only two in existence, and the only one operating in the Great Lakes. 

 

Researchers are looking forward to data on a variety of factors related to possible wind energy generation in the Great Lakes. In addition to studying wind velocity and related factors, the research takes into account water temperatures, wave activity, and animal life in order to provide the most complete picture for potential wind farm development offshore.