NY Sea Grant Posts ‘Info Bursts’ on Great Lakes Issues

ITHACA, NY – New York Sea Grant has posted 20 radio-friendly ‘information bursts’ on New York State Great Lakes topics.

Topics for the 60-second CurrentCast segments, developed in partnership with the nonprofit Center for Transformative Action at Cornell University, include protecting pets from algal bloom, Great Lakes rip currents, lakefront landscaping, the Erie Canal, invasive species, microbeads, and coastal education.

The series is posted at www.nyseagrant.org/currentcast.

Available to radio stations at no cost, the segments have been distributed via terrestrial AM and FM radio, satellite, internet radio, download, and on CD.

The CurrentCast syndicate includes more than 50 radio stations throughout the Great Lakes region.

‘The CurrentCast segments and podcasts translate scientific data into easily-understood messages and highlight ways diverse stakeholders can enhance the local environmental quality that drives New York’s coastal economies,’ said New York Sea Grant Associate Director Katherine Bunting-Howarth, assistant director of Cornell University Cooperative Extension, Ithaca.

CurrentCast Project Managers Bridget Ennis and Erika Street Hopman developed the segments by interviewing experts in the Great Lakes region. Ennis notes, ‘CurrentCast wishes to energize stakeholders from sportsmen and recreational water users to environmentalists in an effort to educate the public about water issues, promote an appreciation for the aquatic environment, and encourage an educated discussion about this critical resource.”

Funding to develop this NY Great Lakes information series was provided through the NY Great Lakes Basin Small Grants program in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future at Cornell University also partnered on the project.

New York Sea Grant is a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York, and one of 33 university-based programs under the National Sea Grant College Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

For updates on New York Sea Grant Great Lakes and marine district activities, www.nyseagrant.org has RSS, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube links.

A SAMPLING of NY SEA GRANT CurrentCast SEGMENTS:
. For Pet’s Sake: Avoid the Algae: Not all algae is harmful, but there’s no way to know which is which.

. Great Lakes Water on the Move: When a massive swell of water moves from one end of a lake to another, it’s called a seiche.

. The Ins and Outs of a Septic System: Proper care and maintenance is key for maintaining private septic systems.

. Invasive Species in Lake Ontario: Many of the most abundant species in Lake Ontario are non-native.

. Lake Ontario’s Best-Kept Secret – Sand Dunes: Eastern Lake Ontario has some of the most majestic dunes in the Northeast.

. Less Lawn, More Native Landscaping: Lake-front landscaping is key to water quality.

. Too Much and Not Enough Water: Climate change is expected to deal multiple blows to water resources in New York.

. Wetlands, Extreme Rain, and Climate Change: Wetlands slow and absorb water, making them critical for flood control as extreme weather becomes more common.

. When Sharing is Not Caring: The governors of the Great Lakes states limit the amount of water that can be removed from the Great Lakes Basin.

. When Teachers Get Hooked on Science: One 7th-grade science teacher is telling his students about the exhilarating week he spent on a research vessel.

All 20 segments are posted at www.nyseagrant.org/currentcast.

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