If you are interested in sound and noise underwater, this site produced by the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography is an incredible resource. It offers a wealth of information about science, technology, and how animals and people use sound in the ocean. Particularly fun is the audio gallery of marine animal and man-made sounds.
Listed in alphabetical order
Artist: Mike Lathrop. My best friend, Heather, introduced me to Mike’s work, calling it her “new obsession”. I had to agree.
Want to log the litter you pick up in a global database? There is an app for that. By using the Litterati app you can geo-tag photos of the litter you collect and share them with a global community of people and organizations that care about cleaning up our mess. That data can then be used for research in support of policy changes that address our pollution issues.
Marine Naturalist Training Program
The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA offers this 6 day training program designed to inspire stewardship for the Salish Sea. The course covers the history, geology, animals, research, programs and culture of the Salish Sea with particular focus on the San Juan Islands. I always wanted to understand the state of Southern Resident Killer Whales and their habitat. This course provided a great platform on which I can keep learning.
Do you know on whose ancestral lands you live? The Coast Salish Peoples have lived along the shores of our inland sea for many thousands of years – long before people of European descent arrived. The Native Map is a fascinating set of tools for discovering Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages around the Salish Sea and the world.
Oceanography of the Pacific Northwest (Ocean 101)
I took this online, self-paced class from the University of Washington last fall. It was hard work, but so much fun! If you want to learn about the ocean in general and the Salish Sea in particular, I highly recommend this course as a great place to start.
Seattle Public Utilities and King County have produced this helpful guide to installing Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI). Seattle residents are eligible to receive a Rainwise program rebate for installing rain gardens and cisterns, but even if you don’t live within city limits, the design and installation instructions appear to be thorough and helpful.
What fish should you avoid buying? Get the app! Or get the wallet-sized, printed consumer guide to seafood items that are “Best Choices” or “Good Alternatives,” and which ones you should “Avoid.” Very handy so you can know before you buy or order.
These guys focus on teaching our kids about the wonders of the ocean and inspiring them to grow up to protect it. The best part is that their content is so good that we adults can learn from it too.
This story map articulates how the Snohomish River estuary provides an important habitat for salmon making their way from the freshwater of the rivers to the saltwater of Puget Sound. Due to decreasing salmon populations, scientists have been collecting data to determine why populations have been dropping as well as ways to increase salmon survival rates.
Do you know if the water is clean enough to swim in? Get the app! With help from 100 affiliates, Swim Guide delivers free up-to-date water quality information for beaches, lakes, and rivers throughout the Salish Sea watershed and across Canada and the U.S.
If you like maps, chances are you will appreciate these 3D wood nautical charts of the Salish Sea, San Juan Islands, Puget Sound other bodies of water from around the world.