Hydrophilic Soul
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Join the Plastic Pollution Coalition
Plastic Pollution Coalition is a global alliance of individuals, organizations and businesses working together to stop plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on humans, animals and the environment. With its work, Plastic Pollution seeks to put plastic pollution at the forefront of global social, environmental and political discourse.
Listen to Stones Throw artist Koushik!
"Koushik specializes in making that hazy, hip-hop-based downbeat sh*t that you could easily compare to contemporaries such as Four Tet (who released Koushik's first single on his Text label), RJD2, and DJ Shadow. What sets Koushik apart from the others is a beautiful '60s psych-pop element that tends to pervade throughout. It shows itself in the spacious panned strings, acoustic guitars, and harpsichords that fall in and out of each other; and the beats have a harder regimented classic true school hip-hop sound, that Fourtet and Prefuse tend to stray away from. But what I truly love about this record is Koushik's voice. His singing is soft and mixed way down in the center of the track, sounding like the voice choirs you'd hear on one of those old Percy Faith or 101 Guitars from the late-'60s. If you're a fan of any of the aforementioned artists, you need this record." – OTHER MUSIC, NYC
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Can you fathom it?
3 Fathoms, a 501c3 non-profit organization, has recognized this dearth and seeks to pursue the research necessary to fill in the gaps.
Mission:
To promote and conduct innovative research of sharks and their habitats in order to provide relevant and comprehensive data toward sustainable management plans
Vision:
To create a reproducible model of least-invasive methodology that sets a new standard of ethics and resource use in shark research and that further adds to the limited knowledge of shark life histories and their value inspiring sustainable and meaningful conservation action.
DONATE
Friday, November 25, 2011
A bizarre underwater "icicle of death" filmed by a BBC crew.
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| Hugh had little room to position himself and the cameras under the ice |
Link to "Brinicle" article on BBC
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Shark Attack Experiment Live
Are sharks out to get you? That’s the driving question behind this high-adrenaline, two-hour live event on Nat Geo WILD. Shark Attack Experiment: LIVE will beam from some of the world’s most shark-infested waters off the coast of South Africa. Here, a team of free-divers and conservationists put their safety on the line to separate shark attack myths from realities. Also, on location will be shark attack victims to tell their stories and enter the water for the first time since their traumatic encounters. This is no stunt; the goal is to dispel negative myths about sharks and raise public awareness that some shark species are being driven to extinction by overfishing. Shark Attack Experiment: LIVE caps Nat Geo WILD’s “Sharkathon”—nine hours of blue chip shark programs shot in locations around the world. Airs 11/25/11 on Nat Geo WILD at 9pm EST.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Save The Wacissa!
Nestle Leaves Wacissa!
On July 27th, 2011 Nestle Waters announced that they will not pursue commercial water extraction from the Wacissa River springs group. Friends of the Wacissa, a grassroots regional coalition, worked for the past 13 months mounting a public awareness campaign to bring attention to the corporate practices of Nestle Waters along with the long term impact of commercial water bottling. Residents of Wacissa strongly opposed a satellite spring pumping facility in their small rural community. No new jobs were anticipated with the bulk transfer station.
According to Jeff Granger, Wacissa resident, “the community really came together to protect our river.” Granger and coalition members organized community meetings, social networking sites, and letter writing campaigns as part of the broad scale awareness campaign.
Additionally, Friends of the Wacissa worked with national organizations Corporate Accountability International and Food and Water Watch to bring greater awareness to commercial water bottling practices. Georgia Ackerman summarized, “The more we learned about the negative impact of bottled water and the challenges to the health of Florida’s springs, the stronger our conviction to protect Wacissa springs grew.” Friends of the Wacissa will continue advocating for the protection of Florida’s springs and aquifer.GET INVOLVED!
Support the Friends of the Wacissa
Tell everyone, get involved and stop buying bottled water!
*Checks can be mailed to Friends of the Wacissa Inc,
at P.O. Box 12832, Tallahassee, Fl 32317.
at P.O. Box 12832, Tallahassee, Fl 32317.
Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute
The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute was founded one year ago to augment the efforts of the Florida Springs Initiative. With the demise of the state’s springs program, the Florida Springs Institute is now more important than ever. The Florida Springs Institute is the only organization focused on springs monitoring, research, education, restoration, and protection in Florida. The Springs Institute is reaching out to environmental organizations, universities, local governments, and the water management districts to collaborate on springs restoration and protection. The Florida Springs Institute provides a rallying point for citizens who want to halt the continuing worsening condition of our springs and to restore the best of those springs to some semblance of their historic glory.
The Florida Springs Institute is a non-profit organization that is funded solely by grants and donations. If you wish to make a difference for springs, you may want to make a charitable contribution or educate your neighbors about the importance of and need to protect our springs and our groundwater.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Listen to Garage A Trois!
“Garage A Trois skew grittier and more psychedelic with the current lineup, combining heavy-riff distortion with a rough-and-tumble funk delirium.”
– The New York Times
"A transformative, punkalectic, pornographic seizure of sight and sound."
– John Margaretten (photographer)
– The New York Times
"A transformative, punkalectic, pornographic seizure of sight and sound."
– John Margaretten (photographer)
featuring Stanton Moore, Mike Dillon, Marco Benevento, Skerik
Purchase the Album on CD or 12" vinyl
Remaining Tour Dates for 2011
December 1 | UCSD The Loft | San Diego, CA (Advance Tickets)
December 2 | The Mint | Los Angeles, CA (Advance Tickets)
December 3 | Party at The Compound | Oakland, CA
December 4 | The Independent | San Francisco, CA (Advance Tickets)
December 7 | HumBrews | Arcata, CA (Advance Tickets)
December 8 | Sam Bonds | Eugene, OR
December 9 | Doug Fir Lounge | Portland, OR (Advance Tickets)
December 10 | Nectar Lounge | Seattle, WA (Advance Tickets)
December 2 | The Mint | Los Angeles, CA (Advance Tickets)
December 3 | Party at The Compound | Oakland, CA
December 4 | The Independent | San Francisco, CA (Advance Tickets)
December 7 | HumBrews | Arcata, CA (Advance Tickets)
December 8 | Sam Bonds | Eugene, OR
December 9 | Doug Fir Lounge | Portland, OR (Advance Tickets)
December 10 | Nectar Lounge | Seattle, WA (Advance Tickets)
Monday, November 21, 2011
Join the Visual Petition Today!
The Visual Petition is a powerful statement to the world declaring that surfers, as a global culture, will no longer stand by and let our ocean kin be murdered. Whales and Dolphins are revered by surfers and ocean lovers all over the world, though a minority of humans are intent on wiping out these masters of the ocean. Up to 26,000 Dolphins are killed every year in Japan, along with thousands of Whales killed by Norway, Japan and Iceland despite an international ban on commercial whaling.
No matter who you are, we have a unique affinity with the ocean and it's inhabitants. As the Earth is 70% water, so are we as human beings. We are the stewards of our coastlines and the protectors of the lifeblood of the world. This petition simply illustrates our collective power to act on those feelings of conservation, ensuring the next generation experiences the joy of Dolphins and Whales.
Join Dave Rastovich, Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Paul Watson, Ash Grunwald, Mick Fanning, Hayden Panettiere, Taj Burrows, Joel Parkinson, Ric OBarry, Xavier Rudd, Wolfmother, Missy Higgens and many more by signing up with them on the Visual Petition website today!
Join Dave Rastovich, Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Paul Watson, Ash Grunwald, Mick Fanning, Hayden Panettiere, Taj Burrows, Joel Parkinson, Ric OBarry, Xavier Rudd, Wolfmother, Missy Higgens and many more by signing up with them on the Visual Petition website today!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Wake Up Florida! What will we do when the springs run dry?
Florida’s leaders spent up to $24 million to keep the Florida Springs Initiative running throughout its ten-year existence. Comparatively, Florida has at least 900 artesian springs, known for their clarity and vibrant color, which contribute more than $300 million to the state economy each year through recreation and eco-tourism.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Oceans Soul: Photographs by Brian Skerry
Brian Skerry is a photojournalist who captures images that not only celebrate the mystery and beauty of the sea but also bring attention to the pressing issues which endanger our oceans. His project Ocean's Soul is currently featured in Washington DC, which is based on the book under the same title.
"For decades I have tried to peel back the layers of mystery surrounding many marine creatures, though most have held tightly to their secrets. One animal that keeps me pondering is the shark. Spellbound by these enigmatic animals since I first encountered them in New England, I never tire of watching their special blend of power and grace. Despite much observation, we know so little about their lives. I have photographed sharks in waters around the globe, and I always want more and yearn to peer deeper into their world. To feed my passion and to raise awareness, I developed a story about sharks for National Geographic magazine. Although there are great places in the world to see specific species, the Bahamas was a place where I could photograph many species in a variety of habitats that would provide a broader view of these animals. The Bahamas has mangrove nurseries, coral reefs, shallow sea grass beds, and deep oceanic trenches—all perfect ecosystems for sharks. Photographing multiple shark species in exquisite water was the assignment I had dreamed about from the start."
"My goal was to make intimate pictures of sharks, but I didn’t want to perpetuate the myth of sharks as monsters. Rather, I wanted to portray them as an elegant and important part of each ecosystem in which they lived. The pictures needed to be respectful, so that old beliefs would fade and a new view might take hold. Early in this project I made a photograph that helped set the tone. Kneeling on the sea bottom in a place known as Tiger Beach, I watched a 12-foot- long female tiger shark cruise over the turtle grass with three silver bar jacks swimming in front of her nose. The shark ascended toward the surface, so I did the same, hoping to fill the frame with this regal animal but unsure of what might actually happen. As I drew near, I released the shutter just as the tiger shark turned. The result was an image that offers a gentle view of this apex predator, one in which shadows of tiny fish are painted on her face and her appearance is anything but threatening."
-Excerpt from Brian Skerry's Ocean's Soul
"For decades I have tried to peel back the layers of mystery surrounding many marine creatures, though most have held tightly to their secrets. One animal that keeps me pondering is the shark. Spellbound by these enigmatic animals since I first encountered them in New England, I never tire of watching their special blend of power and grace. Despite much observation, we know so little about their lives. I have photographed sharks in waters around the globe, and I always want more and yearn to peer deeper into their world. To feed my passion and to raise awareness, I developed a story about sharks for National Geographic magazine. Although there are great places in the world to see specific species, the Bahamas was a place where I could photograph many species in a variety of habitats that would provide a broader view of these animals. The Bahamas has mangrove nurseries, coral reefs, shallow sea grass beds, and deep oceanic trenches—all perfect ecosystems for sharks. Photographing multiple shark species in exquisite water was the assignment I had dreamed about from the start."
"My goal was to make intimate pictures of sharks, but I didn’t want to perpetuate the myth of sharks as monsters. Rather, I wanted to portray them as an elegant and important part of each ecosystem in which they lived. The pictures needed to be respectful, so that old beliefs would fade and a new view might take hold. Early in this project I made a photograph that helped set the tone. Kneeling on the sea bottom in a place known as Tiger Beach, I watched a 12-foot- long female tiger shark cruise over the turtle grass with three silver bar jacks swimming in front of her nose. The shark ascended toward the surface, so I did the same, hoping to fill the frame with this regal animal but unsure of what might actually happen. As I drew near, I released the shutter just as the tiger shark turned. The result was an image that offers a gentle view of this apex predator, one in which shadows of tiny fish are painted on her face and her appearance is anything but threatening."
-Excerpt from Brian Skerry's Ocean's Soul
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Using Sustainable Water to Plan for the Next Billion
Water: It's everywhere...or is it? From the clothes we wear, to the energy we use, to the goods and services we consume daily, water is the hidden resource we constantly depend on to maintain and enhance our lives. We are currently consuming too much water, too quickly for this natural resource to continue to adequately supply our needs. Americans use more than 400 billion gallons of water in a single day, that's more than our total oil consumption in a year. We need to introduce new ideas and technological innovations to teach the next generation how to curb and better manage our water consumption. We need to move beyond conserving and start reusing our water. Think about it, "Is the storm water, rainwater and sanitary water that leaves our homes, office buildings or campuses a waste or an untapped resource?"
The BlueHouse offers an innovative solution to reduce our water demand. The BlueHouse can intercept what is today considered a waste and use what tomorrow will be considered a valuable resource. The BlueHouse treats water through a natural process for onsite reuse in boilers and cooling towers, machining and industrial processes, irrigation and even toilet flushing. Treating and reusing water with a system that is co-located on-site, significantly reduces the amount of time and cost compared to adding massive infrastructure to existing municipal systems to complete the same function. The BlueHouse's innovative design features an odorless, lush, greenhouse that uses the world's first systematic application of reactor-based, complex adaptive ecosystems. This breakthrough technology has enabled Sustainable Water to change the look and feel of water treatment and reuse altogether. Our patented design allows for turn-key installations in less than 4 months, allowing for the rapid realization of the benefits of reclamation and reuse. As an aesthetically-pleasing greenhouse the BlueHouse can be sited in nearly any environment: urban or rural without adding any modification to the current plumbing and storm water infrastructure.
While, the BlueHouse was initially designed for municipal and industrial applications, our modular design can also be universally applied at nearly any college or university, airport, resort, military base or any place where large volumes of water can be safely and reliably reclaimed and reused. The applicability options of our facility are virtually endless, allowing for you to continue living your life the way you have been, while reducing your water footprint. By reusing water, you will lower your water intake and output, reduce your overall water costs, lower the stress on our current water infrastructure and minimize the amount of harmful discharge the may be re-entering our environment.
Population growth and climate change are altering the planet at a faster rate than expected. Water is the most important substance for life, so it is imperative that we begin taking action. The BlueHouse is not a lifestyle change, but it is a change in how we use water. By taking the demand off of potable water supplies, we can create a reliable resource; minimize our stress on the natural environment and lower costs at the same time.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Free entry to Florida State Parks 11/11/11
Friday, November 11, in honor of Veterans Day
Entry to many of Florida's State Parks will be free, excludes only the Skyway Fishing Pier State Park. Check out to the FL State Parks Map to find just the right place to spend the holiday
Tubers on the Itchetuckenee
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Association Internationale pour le Développement de l'Apnée (AIDA)
The International Association for Development of Apnea
AIDA
is the Worldwide Federation for breath-hold diving. An assembly for freedivers; competiton, education, and community.The AIDA non profit organization has defined several disciplines in freediving over the years. Founded in 1992 they authenticate world records achieved in competitive events such as NLT (No Limit Apnea), and CWT (Constant Weight Apnea). AIDA aims to set standards for safety, comparability of Official World Record attempts, and freedive education.
Learn more about free-diving and the AIDA organization at:
http://www.aidainternational.org/freediving
http://www.aidainternational.org/freediving
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Listen to Toubab Krewe
Asheville, NC based band Toubab Krewe harmoniously fuses Mali music with American music styles. They do so by playing some unique instruments such as the kora a 21-string harp-lute, the kamelengoni 12-string harp-lute, and the soku Malian horsehair fiddle.
One of my favorites from TK
Gotta love that bluesy sound from the cigar-box guitar
*Track 5 they blend in a tribute to Micheal Jackson's "bille jean" with "Hang Tan" from their self-titled album
New Album Tk2 out now!
Support the Artists
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Aquatic Preserve Act
Aquatic preserves protect the living waters of Florida to ensure that they will always be home for bird rookeries and fish nurseries ... freshwater springs and salt marshes ... seagrass meadows and mangrove forests. In 1975, with growing appreciation for their environmental diversity and alluring beauty, Florida enacted the Aquatic Preserve Act. This ensured that aquatic preserves' natural condition ... "their aesthetic, biological, and scientific values may endure for the enjoyment of future generations." Encompassing almost two million acres all but four of these "submerged lands of exceptional beauty" are located along Florida's 8,400 miles of coastline in the shallow waters of marshes and estuaries. These waters are ours to enjoy and ours to protect."
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| Oklawaha Aquatic Preserve |
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