February Science Café: Dispelling the Myth of the Big, Bad Wolf

Announcing our February Science Café Topic: Wolves!

Date: Thursday, February 9th

Time: 4:30-6:00PM
Place: Environmental Interpretive Center, Room 119 (Map)

Cost: Free

Have you ever wondered about wolves? Do we have wolves in Michigan? Are they harmful or helpful? What is wolf conservation like in our state? Join the Student Environmental Association as we explore questions like these and more at our upcoming Science Café. We hope to discuss the importance of wolves to our ecosystems and dispel the myths associated with these important carnivores.

Guest speakers will include: Dorothy McLeer, Program Coordinator and Interpretive Naturalist for the EIC, and University of Michigan-Dearborn student, Jerry Heath.


Science Cafés are friendly forums where members of the public can engage scientists and experts with questions and become a part of a grand conversation. You don't need a background in science to attend a Science Café -- Science Cafés welcome everybody, especially those who want to learn more! Coffee and light snacks are usually served.


This event is free and open to the public. All ages (including K-12 students) are welcome to attend! We promise it will be a howling good time!

Visit the Facebook Event Page for more info!
P.S. You can read about one of our previous Science Cafés here!

Public meeting on Detroit area transit

Drat--just missed this announcement for a public meeting that took place today!

http://www.semcog.org/uploadedFiles/Notices/SEMCOG2012PublicMeetingNotice.pdf

Detroiters, take note!
Public comment about proposed highways and other transit revolving around Detroit (details to be posted when available). Written comments will be accepted until February 17, 2012. If you were not able to attend the meeting (like me), please address your comments to one of the following:

Andy Pickard
Federal Highway Administration, Michigan Division
315 West Allegan Street, Room 201
Lansing, MI 48933
E-mail: Andy.Pickard@dot.gov

Stewart McKenzie
Federal Transit Administration
200 West Adams Street, Suite 320
Chicago, IL 60606
E-mail: Stewart.Mckenzie@dot.gov

Arctic Cycle Turning Wheels Close to Home: A Blizzard of Snowy Owls Lands in Great Lakes Region

Snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) from the Quebec Government website

While most of us in Southeast Michigan are still awaiting the arrival winter snow, another kind of "snow" has arrived in the meantime to hold us over -- snowy owls. This bird, which hails from the northernmost reaches of Canada, has been spotted all over the state, including at locations within an hour of Detroit. There is even one unconfirmed report of a sighting downtown.

This event is more than just the arrival of an interesting and beautiful bird of prey -- it is a great chance to understand the workings of nature and how cycles happening far away can affect us close to home.

The appearance of so many snowy owls usually indicates a severe food shortage in the regions of Canada where they are typically found. These daytime hunters, which are impressively sized birds with a wingspan of about five feet, rely on lemmings, voles, and other small mammals to survive in the Arctic. When competition for their food increases (either due to a lack of prey or an overabundance of fellow predators), the snowy owls are forced to go south to find food -- as far down as the Great Lakes and beyond. Here they will hunt for voles, mice, and other small mammals, competing with local birds of prey to survive.

"We haven't had a good Snowy Owl Winter in years," recalls Rick Simek, naturalist at the Environmental Interpretive Center. "I remember a winter a long time ago when I worked at the [Metro Beach] metropark; I think I remember Snowy Owls picking off and eating injured ducks."

(There are no reports yet of snowy owls picking off housepets.)

Scientists usually refer to these dramatic mass migrations as "irruptions". They will stay in the region hunting and resting until March, when they return to the Arctic to breed.

Although this season's blizzard of snowies has been bliss for birders, the long trip south takes a toll on the owls, who must spend an enormous amount of energy to get here. It is usually the youngest and most inexperienced birds that are driven south, and many do not survive. If you go looking for one, try not to disturb it -- every movement it makes wastes calories, and the owl needs every bit of energy it can get. Be respectful and observe them from a distance, or from a blind where they can't see you (like behind some bushes, or inside your car).

If you are interested in knowing where snowy owls have been spotted, or submitting a sighting of your own, check out the Snowy Owl Maps on eBird. While you're there, check out their article, too -- lots of great information about this season's irruption, as well as some commentary on the importance of citizen science.

Let's keep our your eyes to the skies this year! Cheers to 2012!

P.S. A special treat, courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

Public comments for public access to taxpayer research & watching for SOPA

U.S. friends, some of your tax dollars go towards congressional research.  Public access to that research--especially in the sciences (like health)--is important.  The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is taking insight and recommendations for open access to research. Please participate in making the groundwork for a better informed democracy before January 2nd!

http://www.taxpayeraccess.org/action/action_access/11-1117.shtml

Also, the internet may be viewed as a commons--it's worthwhile to note that the currently proposed Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) will have several ramifications for how we may be able to use the internet, and influence the pacing of innovation worldwide.  I'm still trying to grasp the legislation, but the below video and overviews from CNET and International Business Times seem fairly useful and even in addressing the intentions behind the bill.  The video clearly persuades toward anti-SOPA advocacy:

(found: http://tech.pnosker.com/2011/12/26/sopa-pip-explained-godaddy-loses-21000-domains-and-stops-supporting-sopa/ which links to http://fightforthefuture.org/ where people can reach their representatives and make their statements).


http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/272580/20111225/sopa-bill-2012-things-know-controversial-legislation.htm

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-57329001-281/how-sopa-would-affect-you-faq/

Update: SOPA to be voted on January 24th  (http://americancensorship.org/)

This week in the civil realm...public meetings in Southfield and Dearborn

SEA members are watching (and representing) at a few public meetings this week!

Today Sara Cole, a UM-Dearborn Environmental Interpretive Center employee, is attending the Southfield City Council meeting to testify about the community and educational impact of Environmental Interpretive Centers.

Meanwhile, a handful of SEA members have their eyes and ears open for tomorrow's public meeting on Dearborn's proposed Greenway expansion grant:

Tuesday Dec. 13th at 7:00 pm in Club Room 1 of the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, open to the public!

The city's applying for an MDOT grant to extend part of its Greenway (which runs from Andiamo through UM-Dearborn and HFCC and beyond). This is a good time to follow up on remarks made at last year's recreation master plan meeting. There are many interesting comments emerging from people reading the article too... perhaps we'll see you there?

Read more about it via Dearborn Patch:
http://dearborn.patch.com/articles/city-to-hold-public-meeting-on-greenway-trail-extension-effort

And the Dearborn Press and Guide:  http://bit.ly/PrssNGdDbrnGrnwyXpnd

Residents are especially encouraged to submit comments. If you can't attend, remember that you can submit your comments in writing (it's possibly even more effective if you can do both).

Good Food and Mercury

Remember the hair tests for mercury from last year?  Even if not, the Sierra Club's following up their mercury work with a food drive to highlight the connection between mercury pollution in coal power plant emissions and our health.

Mercury emissions from coal power plants are a major reason for why we're advised not to eat certain fish caught in the Great Lakes region (mercury fish advisory in Michigan: http://1.usa.gov/uprvhR, the U.S. http://1.usa.gov/t2XC1Z, giant document on sources for mercury exposure http://1.usa.gov/rRYX8D), and viable cost competitive renewable alternatives to coal exist (http://bit.ly/w5bzoA, also one of our fellow students who since graduated gave a very thorough capstone project presentation on wind energy concluding the same last year).

The food drive is also timely--the early/mid months of December aren't always covered by charities as thoroughly as the end-of-month holiday season is.  Food goes to Cabrini Clinic of Holy Trinity, a free health clinic, which helps subsidize families in need--many of whom are homeless.

Cheers to giving, thanks!

#+#+#

Sierra Club presents

Good Food Food Drive for 

St. Frances Cabrini Clinic of the Most Holy Trinity Church

December 05-09, 2011

Drop off non-perishable goods: dry grains, cereals, canned goods

 Right now, President Obama is considering safeguards for mercury from coal-fired power plants.  Mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin that causes developmental disorders, and learning disabilities. With 100% of Michigan lakes and rivers under mercury advisory– we’re saying enough is enough.

We’d like to show our support for strong mercury standards, healthy kids, our Great Lakes, and Michigan fisheries with the

Good Food Food Drive.

DONATE NOW!

Drop off locations and times:

Cabrini Clinic, 1234 Porter, Detroit

Monday and Friday, 11-4pm

or

Wayne State University, Student Center Building, Prayer Room

Monday through Thursday, 9am-9pm

Look for the Good Food Food Box

or

Bring canned goods to Detroit Sierra Club’s

Season’s Greetings Open House

Thursday, December 8, 5-8pm

2727 2nd Ave, Suite 320 Detroit MI

November Events with the Dearborn Sustainability Coalition

On behalf of the Dearborn Sustainability Coalition and Student Environmental Association (SEA) at UM-Dearborn, thank you to all who presented or participated in the round table on earth, ethics, and religion!

Ian Tran and Sarai Richter greeting attendees of the Earth Ethics and Religion round table for sustainability.  Photo credit to Michelle Martinez.

Your attendance, insight, and the formative consensus that emerges from these events is an affirmation of our ability to make a difference in the world as engaged citizens.  The diversity of your perspectives and insight adds to the resilience of the greater Southeast Michigan community, and makes it a better place for all.  Approximately 40 people attended this round table, and we look forward to seeing all of you again.

Upcoming November events:

Nov. 15th,  4-5:30pm - Protecting our Health, Protecting the Clean Air Act at UM-Dearborn EIC

Nov 17th,  3:30-5pm -  Beans or Bypass Surgery?  A scientific discussion about food and well-being at HFCC
Nov. 17th,  7-9pm - Privatization of Public Services Roundtable - LWVDDH, Christ Episcopal Church

Nov. 22nd, 4:30-5:45 - Alberta Tar Sands and Keystone Pipeline Overview and Actions - UM-Dearborn

Below you'll find a brief recap of our October "Earth, Ethics, and Religion" round table, and more details of upcoming November events.