January 2019 Seawords

Seaw rds The Marine Option Program Newsletter

January 2019

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“During the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, Americans produce 25% more trash than any other time of the year.”

MOP VISITS DOLPHIN QUEST WAX REVEALS WHALE’S PAST INVASIVE SPECIES HITCHING RIDES ACROSS THE PACIFIC

January 2019

Volume XXXIII, Number 1

Articles Page 3: Letter from the Editor Page 4: MOP Visits Dolphin Quest Page 6: Marine Technology Page 7: Critter of the Month Page 8: Marine Mammal of the Month Page 10: Shipwreck of the Month Page 12: Wax Reveals Whale’s Past Page 13: Invasive Species Hitching Rides Across the Pacific Page 14: Generation Blue Page 16: Ocean Art Page 17: Flashback: 2007 Page 18: MOP Calendar of Events: January

About the Photography -Cover: Taylor Shedd -Table of Contents: Floyd Manzano, Flickr -January Calendar of Events: Daniel Jennings -Back cover: Rebecca Ziegler -MOP Visits Dolphin Quest: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator -Invasive Species Hitching Rides Across the Pacific: Petty Officer 3rd Class Alexander Tidd, Flickr -Generation Blue: David Burdick, Flickr -All uncredited photos by: MOP -Disclaimer: any photo taken from flickr.com is used under the Creative Commons License and is credited appropriately with links to the user’s flickr account.

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Letter from the Editor

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loha,

Welcome to the January issue of Seawords! Can you believe we are entering a new semester and new year?

Congrats to all UH Mānoa graduates, MOP graduates and students who successfully made it through finals week! Now it’s time to kick your slippahs off, turn on that holiday music, get cozy and dive into this issue of Seawords! Christmas is just around the corner and that means lots of gift wrapping and Christmas cards.

Paula Alcoseba, UH Maui MOP student, gives tips and tricks for reducing our wastefulness around the holidays. If you want to be on Santa’s nice list, make sure you follow these tips on page 14! Want to travel back in time? Rayna McClintock, UHM MOP student, explains how hormones stored in whale earwax reveals a whale’s stressful past.

Find the full article on page 14! Missed the MOP field trip to Dolphin Quest? Learn all about Dolphin Quest and their conservation efforts on page 4. Don’t forget to flip through UHH MOP student, Madison Thiele’s captivating article about the false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens). You can find false killer whales in the waters off of O‘ahu and on page 8!

What would you like to see more of in Seawords? Send us your thoughts!

Mahalo for reading,

Jenny Johnson, Seawords Editor Seawords

Volume XXXIII, Number 1, January 2019 Editor: Jenny Johnson Dr. Cynthia Hunter (éminence grise) Jeffrey Kuwabara (éminence grise) Seawords- Marine Option Program University of Hawai‘i, College of Natural Sciences 2450 Campus Road, Dean Hall 105A Honolulu, HI 96822-2219 Telephone: (808) 956-8433 Email: <seawords@hawaii.edu> Website: <http://www.hawaii.edu/mop> Seawords is the monthly newsletter of the Marine Option Program at the University of Hawai‘i. Opinions expressed herein are not necessariliy those of the Marine Option Program or of the University of Hawai‘i.

Suggestions and submissions are welcome. Submissions may include articles, photography, art work, or anything that may be of interest to the marine community in Hawai‘i and around the world.

All photos are taken by MOP unless otherwise credited.

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MO Visits D Que

By: Jenny Joh

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n Saturday, November 3rd, MOP students went on a field trip to Dolphin Quest. It has become an annual event now, not just because of how much fun the students have, but also how much they learn and how awesome the staff is at Dolphin Quest. This year we had over 20 students on the field trip! Dolphin Quest is located at the Kahala Resort and was founded by veterinarians, Dr. Rae Stone and Dr. Jay Sweeney, both specializing in marine mammal medicine. Dolphin Quest provides an environment where people can learn about dolphins while interacting with them, making the learning experience that much greater and providing funds for conservation efforts for dolphins in the wild.

MOPers having fun with the dolphins at Dolphin Quest! Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.

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When MOPers arrived at Dolphin Ques of jumps and spins that made all of us s was a great way to get excited for the re more of the dolphins, we took a quick fish lagoon first where they train fish. introduced us to Rico, a yellowfin surge showed off for us by first swimming th spitting behavior. After each swim thro treat, and sometimes a sand bath. Train a few different reasons including: conse fish, and medical reasons. Dolphin Ques guests how intelligent fish are, they may ing habits. For example, if someone sees be inclined to pass rather than eat a Ri make more sustainable decisions with th tion from training benefits in situations for fish, like getting the fish into transpo swim into the transport vessels, rather th training is a way to find out if a fish is he through tunnels or do anything else he indicator that he is not well, and medica I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speak for everyone, but I believe ligent the fish were!

After discovering the cleverness of fish time to learn about and interact with t catus). A few staff members greeted us where we sat close to the lagoon near th with - Lono, Liho and Hua. Each group l and scientific research that happens at or

OP Dolphin est!

hnson, Editor

st, the dolphins said hello with a couple say “oh my gosh!!!” and point in awe. It est of the field trip. Before we could see tour of the facility. We were shown the Michelle, the Dolphin Quest Aquarist, eonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus). Rico hrough a tunnel and then performing a ough or spit, Rico was rewarded with a ners at Dolphin Quest train the fish for ervation awareness, stress reduction for st trainers believe that if they show their y be more conscious of their seafood eats a fish like Rico at a restaurant, they may ico fish. This could then lead people to heir seafood consumption. Stress reducs that would normally be very stressful ort vessels. The fish are trained to readily han having to be chased around. Finally, ealthy or not. If Rico is not willing to go has been trained to do, this could be an al attention needs to be provided. Now, e most of us were amazed by how intel-

trainers at Dolphin Quest have a degree in psychology, internship experience through Dolphin Quest, and a deep love for animals. Training is thought of more as a teacher/student relationship at Dolphin Quest, where the relationship can go both ways. Dolphin Quest trainers teach dolphins like Lono, Liho and Hua to pick out certain shapes, perform aerial activities, swim fast and slow, roll onto their backs, open their mouths and “sneeze” through their blowholes on command. Having the dolphins roll onto their backs and open their mouths is training for medical examinations, allowing veterinarians to ensure the health of each dolphin. Training the dolphins to roll onto their backs or open their mouths reduces the stress of the situation and allows the dolphin to know that they have a reward waiting for them after the examination. Finally, sneezing on command and swimming fast is useful for scientific research because the staff is able to test the effectiveness and durability of trackers and other scientific apparatuses on the dolphins. Researchers can use this information to predict the usefulness of the instrument in the wild, before actually putting it on a wild dolphin. We witnessed a new GPS tracker that uses suction cup technology to stay on the dolphin while not being an annoyance. Before this GPS tracker, they tested one that they found to be irritating to the dolphins, therefore finding out that this would not be a good tracker in the wild. The dolphins enjoy this kind of testing because they are always rewarded after and it brings no harm or discomfort to them.

While we learned about everything that Dolphin Quest does for the good of dolphins in the wild, we also got to interact with the dolphins. The trainers aland walking through the facility, it was lowed us to touch and feed the dolphins, explaining that both actions are posithe bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops trun- tive reinforcements and are enjoyed by the dolphins. Dolphin Quest ensures s and quickly split us into three groups that tour groups are small to not disturb the dolphins with too much touching. he three dolphins that we would interact In the end, I believe every MOPer walked away from that special day feeling learned about training, medical research closer to these extraordinary creatures. We thank Dolphin Quest and the dolr because of Dolphin Quest. Most of the phins for contributing so greatly to the conservation of dolphins in the wild.n JANUARY 2019 |5

Marine Technology By: Madison Thiele, UHH MOP Student

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his past June, the YM Efficiency, which is operated by Taiwan shipping company Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation, lost dozens of shipping containers into the ocean.

It has been noted by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) that the impacts of these lost shipping containers are “extremely concerning.” Little was done to help locate and retrieve these containers until two weeks ago, when AMSA finally signed a contract to send ROVs (remotely operated underwater vehicles) to collect imagery of the containers and any associated debris. This will hopefully help salvage experts determine whether the items can be recovered safely and how they can impact the environment as little as possible while trying to recover these containers.

Back in July 2018, a survey was done to identify how many containers went overboard. There were 37 containers located, but experts believe that this number is a poor representation since the survey was limited from weather and sea conditions.

AMSA’s analysis indicated that there are as many as 42 shipping containers still yet to be discovered.

You may be wondering what is inside of these containers and how it may be affecting the e nv i ron m e nt .

Well, the materials that were inside of these lost containers

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were massive amounts of plastics. This is an important issue for the health of the ocean because sooner or later those plastics will break down into microplastics, making collecting and cleaning up the plastics more difficult. Once microplastics are put into the ocean, it becomes extremely hard to get them out. Many marine animals have been known to accumulate microplastics while they swim and eat. This makes the animals sick and then sickens whatever eats them. In fact, many fish that we eat contain bits of microplastic as well. We may think we are immune to this issue, but we really aren’t.

ROVs are capable of highly advanced robotics and are fitted with complex instruments, allowing them to collect data on a wide spectrum. Without ROVs, scientists would be limited in being able to conduct surveys along deep and long stretches of water. n

ROV being deployed. Photo by: NOAA, Flickr.

critter of the Month By: Kayla White, UHM MOP Student

Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas)

Distribution: Southern & Western Pacific and Indian Oceans Size: Up to 3 feet (0.9 m) and up to 600 pounds (270 kg) Diet: Plankton and nutrients produced by symbiotic algae Coloration: Varies in coloration, no two clams have the same coloration Habitat: Lives in flat coral sand or broken coral IUCN Red List Status: VU - Vulnerable

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iant clams (Tridacna gigas) are massive, bottom-dwelling creatures and unlike most animals, they only get one shot to find the perfect home. After fastening themselves to a spot on the reef, they sit there for the rest of their life.

Giant clams have a symbiotic relationship with Symbiodinium (zooxanthellae), a single celled alga, that lives in their mantle tissue. While the algae photosynthesize and get protection, the clam gets unlimited nutrients and the ability to grow with no restrictions.

There are seven species of giant clam found in the tropical waters of the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, varying in size, color and weight. The largest specimen recorded was found in 1817 on the coast of Sumatra at a whopping four feet six inches (137 centimeters), weighing roughly 550 pounds. The smaller species only grow up to six inches (15 centimeters).

Despite their wild reputation as “killer clams”, these mollusks do not eat fish or people. They aren’t even able to completely shut their shell due to the fleshy mantle tissue that fills the space between the shells. Versions of the U.S Navy Diving Manual give detailed instructions on how to escape from a giant clam’s grasp by severing the abductor muscles used to shut the clam, but we now know the giant clam is not usually aggressive or dangerous to humans, even though there have been cases of giant clams clamping down on human extremities.

The abductor muscles and mantle tissue are a highly prized delicacy throughout the Pacific and Asia, Giant clam (Tridacna sp.) in American Sāmoa. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP which has contributed to Coordinator. their rank of “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List. Giant clams grow very quickly and don’t require supplemental feeding which makes them ideal for commercial farming. This could help save them because hatcheries can produce enough giant clams to be placed safely back into natural reefs. n JANUARY 2019 |7

By: Madison Thiele, UHH MOP Student

False Killer Whale Marine Mammal of the Month:

False Killer Whale

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Species: Delphinidae Scientific Name: Pseudorca crassidens Range: Alaska, Pacific Islands, Southeast, West Coast Diet: Primarily fish and squid Size: Up to 16 ft. (females); Up to 20 ft. (males)

he false killer whale, or the Pseudorca, is one beautiful creature. These cetaceans are black to gray in color, have a slender body that can grow to about 16 feet long, and have 44 cone shaped teeth. Like other toothed whales, the false killer whales use their melon organ located in their forehead to create sound, or echolocation. Echolocation is an im-

portant tool that is used to navigate and find prey.

False killer whales were actually given this name because of the shape of their skull, which resembles that of a killer whale and although their name might suggest that they are aggressive creatures, they have been documented as quite docile and have been seen interacting with other types of dolphin species. False killer whales

False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) pod off Kaâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;anapali, Maui. Photo by: Alan Moore, Flickr.

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False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) swims near snorkeling tour boat in Ka‘anapali, Maui. Photo by: Alan Moore, Flickr. have also been known to respond to distress calls in or- men are required to use weak circle hooks’ and ‘strong der to protect other species from predators and also aid branch lines, as well as certain handling techniques when in childbirth! a false killer whale is hooked. These rules are designed to enable targeted tuna and swordfish to be caught, but alThe false killer whale travels in pods that generally conlow the heavier, stronger false killer whales to straighten tain 10 to 20 members, which is unfortunately known the hooks and escape. Unfortunately, this gear change because of records from mass strandings. The family has had mixed success. A few hooked whales have esstructure is of particular interest to me, since it is that of caped, but in several cases branch lines broke or were a matrifocal family structure, meaning that the mother cut. In those particular cases, hooks were likely to have of the pods takes the lead instead of the father. This type been left embedded in the whales’ mouths or throats, of structure can also be seen with killer whales and pilot most likely with yards of fishing line attached, which whales. leaves the problem of the whales’ entanglement or the There are three populations of false killer whales in entanglement of organisms that get caught in this line.

Hawai‘i: the pelagic population, the Northwestern Ha- Research indicates that whales released with embedded waiian Islands population, and a very small nearshore hooks and trailing line are likely to suffer serious injupopulation associated with the main Hawaiian Islands. ries that can be fatal.

Unfortunately, these populations have drastically deIf you don’t want to see these whales go extinct, you can clined in the past 20 years, and they were listed as enhelp out. Limiting or eliminating your use of single-use dangered by NOAA in November of 2012. It isn’t enplastics is an easy step in the right direction. If you entirely known why their populations are declining, but joy fishing, don’t leave your excess or broken lines anysome potential threats to these beautiful creatures are: where. Find a designated place to dispose of your rubinteractions with fisheries, marine debris entanglement bish. If we don’t change our destructive ways soon, we or ingestion, anthropogenic (man-made) noise and will lose this precious whale. Change your ways today to other marine pollutants. It is believed that there are only make a better tomorrow! n around 150 to 200 Hawaiian false killer whales left.

To reduce bycatch in false killer whales, longline fisherJANUARY 2019 |9

Shipwreck of the Month: USNS GEN. Hoyt S. Vandenberg By: Nick Yoshioka, UHM MOP Student

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s the human population continues to grow, more coral reef ecosystems are facing population declines due to human activity. Beaches are huge tourist attractions to vacationers, and to business owners they are a source of income.

However, despite the amazing perks that come with staying in a hotel right across from Waikīkī, tourism brings many reef threatening disturbances. Human waste is carelessly dumped into the ocean, plastic bags find their way into the ocean, big fish are taken from the ocean and reckless divers damage the ocean. So what can we do to mitigate the influence we have on the ocean? Arti-

ficial reefs are marine environments made to help coral reef ecosystems by taking anthropogenic pressures off natural growing corals. They provide alternative areas for divers to explore and new habitats for aquatic life. As a result, we have seen increasing amounts of marine life, boosts in the local economy and even new sources for education/research. On May 27, 2009, after a decade of planning and $8.6 million worth of funding, the USNS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg joined the series of purposely sunken military vessels to become an artificial reef off the Florida Keys, thus becoming the 2nd largest artificial reef in the world. The USNS Gen. Hoyt S. Vanden-

Vandenberg Dive site. Photo by: Keith Mille/FWC, Flickr.

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Sinking of the USNS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Photo by: Tim Donovan/ FWC, Flickr. berg was once a military missile-tracking ship, used to track any space launches and monitor Soviet missile launches during the Cold War. It measured a whopping 522 ft 10 inches in length and weighed 17,250 tons when fully equipped. The ship could hold up to 3,224 troops and used a single-crew steam turbine to travel a maximum of 17 knots (31 km/h). To compensate for its slow speed, the USNS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg would normally be accompanied by several other faster ships to protect it, however, it rarely needed protection given its only duty was to stay far from the battle and protect the skies. The ship was even used in the sci-fi/horror film Virus in place of a fictional Russian vessel, the Akademik Vladislav Volkov.

Now, the sunken ship serves as a popular dive site and houses a huge diversity of marine animals. Many divers have spotted sharks and sometimes even deep water (abyssal) octopuses. The most unique part of the ship is the two ginormous satellite dishes that sit on top of the ship. The dishes were used as an extremely accurate radar to help pinpoint far-off missiles or enemy vessels.

They could also be used to communicate with distant ally ships in order to warn them of incoming threats.

I had the amazing opportunity to meet Dave Wilson, a frequent diver on the island of O‘ahu and a volunteer for Dive O‘ahu, and he told me all about his experience diving at the Vandenberg shipwreck site. He described the descent as both calming and mysterious: “You could look in all directions and all you will see is the deep blue water. And the next thing you know, you start to develop a cold sweat with the common thought of something coming and pulling you under. It makes you feel vulnerable and small. You then spot dark shadows. These shadows grow larger and larger and you begin praying for your life. The color sets in and all your worries are suddenly replaced with awe. Once my dive buddy and I got to the wreck it felt as if I was in an underwater museum. There were large groups of fish scattering about and huge colonies of coral that I thought of as part of the ship. At one point, a huge shadow cast over me and in the next second, it was gone. I looked around for a moment and all of the sudden I was face-to-face with an adult blacktip reef shark. It was the most amazing dive of my life.” If you ever get a chance to visit the Florida Keys, go dive the USNS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg and change your diving experience forever. n

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Wax Reveals Whale’s Past By: Rayna McClintock, UHM MOP Student

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hales have long entranced the human species, moving their giant bodies so gracefully through the water, but humans are having an extremely negative impact on their stress levels. A recent article by National Geographic revealed a new discovery showing how earwax can help us study the stressors of whales and give us a glimpse of the past. It may seem strange, but earwax actually holds unique information as it contains the animal’s hormones. It is extremely challenging to conduct a longitudinal study of whales since it is nearly impossible to sample an animal over its entire lifetime.

It turns out that samples of whale earwax from the past have been stored in museums giving a large enough sample size to create a record of hormone levels throughout the centuries. Scientists can now observe the differences in hormone levels over the extent of a whale’s life and relate them to world events occurring at that time.

Cortisol is one of the hormones the study focused on as it is released from the brain as an indication of stress.

Scientists discovered a stark difference in cortisol levels before and after legislation was created limiting whaling in the 19th century and showing the influence that humans have had on these marine creatures. It is not only the direct hunting of whales that has had an impact on

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their stress levels, but also the indirect effect that humans have on these animals. From 1939 to 1945 there was an increase in cortisol levels, indicating high stress levels, the timeline matching up perfectly to World War II. Stephen Trumble, a comparative physiologist at Baylor University who published his work in Nature Communications, states, “We suspect this increase in cortisol during World War II is probably a result of noise from planes, bombs, ships, et cetera.”

The final trend these scientists uncovered was a connection between whale stress levels and climate change.

There was a large spike of cortisol levels starting after 1970 and levels continued to rise alongside water temperatures and the reason behind this is still unknown.

As humans, we must understand the impacts we have on the world around us. We are sharing this planet with so many other species and our actions have severe consequences. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), “whales are vital to the health of the marine environment but 7 out of the 13 great whale species are endangered or vulnerable.” Continuing studies on whales’ stress levels will lead to a better understanding of how humans have impacted these creatures and may facilitate the implementation of actions to resolve these issues. n Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calf breach. Photo by: Leslie, Flickr.

Invasive Species Hitching Rides across the Pacific By: Kelsey Loenhorst, UHM MOP Student

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e are all aware of the alarming amounts of plastic accumulating in our world’s oceans on a daily basis. Because of this fact, many researchers and conservationists have dedicated their time to reversing this issue and finding an alternative to plastic. While this alone is a great challenge, another new challenge has presented itself in recent years. Researchers have now found that species have been hitching rides on plastic floating throughout the ocean, thus introducing invasive species to new areas.

native species because you never know how the native species will react. A Japanese algae species, for example, that had already spread to San Francisco and San Diego landed with the debris in Oregon. And a Japanese shore crab, native to several parts of Asia, also rode the tsunami of trash to the West Coast.

“Until then, we didn’t really think these coastal organisms could survive at sea long enough to make the transit,” says Greg Ruiz, senior scientist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center’s marine invasions lab (SERC). “This showed us that they can and do—and that we should expect to see this more often as the amount of debris in the ocean continues to increase” (Pipkin, 2018). One study published by Science magazine, documented all the creatures that hitched a ride on the Japan tsunami debris and found 289 Japanese species survived.

This discovery was made by the investigation of debris left from a tsunami in Japan. In 2011, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake hit 231 miles northeast of Tokyo which created 30-foot waves, resulting in the largest tsunami to hit Japan ever. The Japanese government estimated that the tsunami swept about five million tons of debris offshore! A reported 70% sank, but still left a remaining 1.5 While it is impressive that species can survive this jourmillion tons floating in the Pacific Ocean. ney, there are still many unanswered questions. Just how This influx of trash in the Pacific included shellfish dangerous are the invasive species being introduced? cages, portions of piers and entire fishing vessels. Re- How are the creatures surviving this journey, what are searchers kept an eye on this massive amount of trash they eating? And has this ride sharing technique been and predicted it would land along the West Coast of present with previous tsunamis/natural disasters? This North America and Hawai‘i due to pace and direction discovery has opened an entirely new window of study of currents; but to their surprise, Japanese mussels, bar- for researchers who study invasive species. Especially nacles and sea squirts survived this journey of six long considering creatures use to prefer to travel on driftyears at sea. wood, which decomposes quickly. Given the extremely long life of plastic, who knows how long creatures can This is of alarm to researchers because it is dangerous travel across our oceans. n for an environment to be introduced to a new, nonJANUARY 2019 |13

Actions for the Ocean

GENERATION

BLUE By: Paula Alcoseba, UH Maui MOP Student

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uring the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, Americans produce 25% more trash than any other time of the year. This extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage. While the winter holiday season brings good cheer for many people, it also brings potential harm to the environment and solid waste to the landfill. Here are a few tips for a more environmentally-friendly holiday this year! n

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Choose a gift that carries an environmental statement: a nature book, bamboo toothbrushes, a refillable thermos or reusable bag, a cute reusable utensil set, the list goes on! You could even get creative and make something at home – candles, cookies, jams, soaps, bread, or a plant arrangement.

Whatever your skill level may be, a homemade gift is a nice personal touch that will be appreciated by whoever receives it. Not only that, but these items are consumable and will not contribute to our growing waste problem. You might not even have to get them anything at all – you can give an experience they will remember like an invitation to go hiking or to the beach, concert or movie tickets, dinner at their favorite restaurant or an IOU. It’s your chance to pick a unique and special gift that will have a positive impact for you, your loved ones and the world.

Whatever gift you decide to choose, there are many ways to wrap it so that there will be no unnecessary waste produced. In 2010, Americans spent $9.36 billion on gift wrap and related accessories alone. While it’s great that we can buy more gifts for others, it is not good that we are producing 4 million pounds of waste doing it. Traditional wrapping paper is difficult to recycle due to its dyes and lamination, so a simple switch to newspapers, old magazines, paper bags or cloth will help tremendously. You can avoid using wrapping entirely by using reusable decorative tins, baskets or boxes. If you are gifting a piece of clothing, you can even use that as a wrapper!

THE OCEAN SPANS OVER 70 PERCENT OF OUR WORLD. It is responsible for regulating temperature, food production, sustaining numerous species, and is a source for inspiration for many people.The ocean gives us so much and it is time for us to return the favor and take actions to make the ocean ecosystem healthy again.

Almost every action that we take affects the ocean in some way. Our everyday choices can be tailored to support a healthy ocean. Here are some examples of green acts that will keep the ocean blue.

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It is important to skip the plastic tape when wrapping your gift. Using a string or paper tape are good alternatives. Another unnecessary purchase are ribbons – did you know that 38,000 miles of ribbon are thrown away each year? This is enough ribbon to tie a bow around the whole planet. You can make your own gift decorations using newspapers, magazines and old t-shirts. There are plenty of online guides that can show you how to make beautiful designs using recycled materials. You can even add on some leaves, flowers or other foraged greenery – these look great on gifts and can be returned to the Earth when the unwrapping is over.

Another aspect of the holidays that contribute to waste are Christmas cards. Every year we purchase enough Christmas cards to fill a football field 10 stories high; this amounts to 2.65 billion cards! If everyone sent one less card, we could save 50,000 cubic yards of paper. Better yet, opt for an electronic option instead or perhaps use recycled materials.

The holidays wouldn’t be complete without a Christmas tree, but did you know that out of the 50 million trees sold every year, about 30 million end up in the landfill? How wonderful would it be if even a fraction of these trees were replanted? If you don’t have the yard space, there might be a Christmas tree recycling program in your local community. Also, you can chop it up and use it as compost for your yard/garden.

More often than not, the items listed above end up in a landfill. These produce harmful gases like methane and carbon dioxide which accelerate climate change. By being conscious of our holiday purchases, we can become a positive influence in our community while caring for the environment at the same time. This is one of the greatest gifts one can give to others this holiday season.

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ocean art

If in Doubt, Don’t Go out By: Marissa Tajas, HCC Student

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y best friend and I decided to visit Waimea Beach on a cold, windy December morning. While walking, I noticed how cool the damp sand felt beneath my bare feet as I inched closer to the blue water. A sign was posted along the shore: “Strong currents. If in doubt, don’t go out.” The winds were strong, and the tides were high. I walked to where the ocean kissed the sand. Unsure of whether to get in, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. As I inhaled, I could smell the salt in the ocean; the the smell was so strog I began to taste the salt in the air.

I peeled my eyes back open and saw that my best friend had already jumped in the water. “Get in,

the water’s not that bad!” I slowly walked into the ocean screamed when I felt how cold the water was. Wanting to get out, I turned around. As soon as I took a step towards the sand, I was swept back in by a wave along the shoreline. I was continually pulled in and swallowed by the ocean. I gasped for air any chance that I got. I was being bullied by the violent water for ten minutes before the ocean finally decided to spit me out. I crawled along the sand until the water couldno longer reach me. Defeated, I yelled to my best friend, “I’m over it!”

I looked back at the sign that warned me and shrugged. “You win this round, Waimea,” I said to myself.

Kaupo Peninsula on Maui. Photo by: Warren Antiola, Flickr.

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FLASHBACK: 2007 By: Jenny Johnson, Editor

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his month, we flash back to the January 2007 issue of Seawords, where Emma Anders writes about the Fall MOP graduation. UHM MOP had three graduates, while UH Hilo awarded MOP certificates to four students. Current UHM MOP Coordinator, Jeff Kuwabara and previous MOP Director, Sherwood Maynard were at the UH Mānoa campus to celebrate potluck style and award the three UHM MOP graduates. Hilo graduates celebrated their certificates on the Four Winds cruise on the Big Island. Willow Hetrick, Breena Martin and Hilary Ellis were the proud recipients of UHM MOP certificates for which they had put many hours of hard work. Both Hetrick and Martin completed their MOP projects through the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS) while Ellis completed her project on sail racing.

Cynthia Vanderlip, MOP alumna and Senior Biological Technician with the US Division of Forestry and Wildlife, was the guest speaker at the UHM MOP graduation ceremony. As a MOP alumna from Windward Community College and UH Mānoa, Vanderlip showed students how to make the most of their degree and certificate. At the time, Vanderlip had committed over 15 years to participating in and directing research on Kure Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Today, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are still popular among students looking for internship or volunteer experience conducting field research. n

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January Photo Credit: Daniel Jennings.

Sun.

Next month: February

Mon.

February 2: Hike to Makapu‘u Tidepools February 4 & 6: QUEST LImu ID Classes February 11: QUEST ID Exam February 16 & 17: Maritime Archaeology Symposium February 18: President’s Day (no school) February 20: QUEST Applications Due February 23: Humpback Whale Count

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First Day of Instruction

New Student O Camera Care W Dean Hall 104 5:00 p.m. - 6:00

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day No School QUEST Fish ID Class Dean Hall 104 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

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MOP Back to School BBQ Bellows Beach 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

QUEST Invert ID Classes Dean Hall 104 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

18| Seawords

QUEST Fish ID Dean Hall 104 6:00 p.m. - 9:00

29

30

QUEST In Dean Hal 6:00 p.m.

Orientation & Workshop

0 p.m.

D Class

0 p.m.

nvert ID Classes ll 104 - 9:00 p.m.

MOP & Community Events

Thurs.

Fri.

3

4

5

10

11

12

17

18

19

24

25

26

Theater Thursday: Hanauma Bay 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Sat.

QUEST & MAST Information Meeting Dean Hall 104 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Theater Thursday: Hanauma Bay 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Theater Thursday: Hanauma Bay 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

31 Theater Thursday: Hanauma Bay 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

JANUARY 2019â&#x20AC;&#x192;|19

University of Hawai`i at MÄ noa Seawords, Marine Option Program College of Natural Sciences 2450 Campus Road, Dean Hall 105A Honolulu, HI 96822-2219 Address Service Requested

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