Lecture Series Looks at Toxins in Our Water

April 16 kicks off Friends of the San Juans’ free lecture series, Toxins in Our Water: Problems and Solutions. Presenters will discuss topics such as how storm water is carrying toxic levels of detergent into our marine waters; how products we think are benign, from shampoo to weed-and-feed, are not as simple as we think; and how hormones and other chemicals that can shift our metabolism are getting through our water treatment plants. Presenters will also offer proactive solutions that can help us clean up this toxic mess through pollution control techniques, lifestyle choices and ‘whole system’ engineering ideas.

April 11, 2009 12:52 am

April 16 kicks off Friends of the San Juans’ free lecture series, Toxins in Our Water: Problems and Solutions. Presenters will discuss topics such as how storm water is carrying toxic levels of detergent into our marine waters; how products we think are benign, from shampoo to weed-and-feed, are not as simple as we think; and how hormones and other chemicals that can shift our metabolism are getting through our water treatment plants. Presenters will also offer proactive solutions that can help us clean up this toxic mess through pollution control techniques, lifestyle choices and ‘whole system’ engineering ideas.

Come and learn what we do to our water on purpose, through neglect, and as an unexpected consequence of our everyday actions. Come and learn what we can do to protect our health and the health of our freshwater and marine resources.

All lectures are free, open to the public and will be held at the UW Friday Harbor Labs Commons. Friends of the San Juans uses science, education and advocacy to preserve the land, water, sea and livability of the San Juan Islands. For more information, call 378-2319 or visit www.sanjuans.org.

Lecture Series Schedule at-A Glance: Canary in the Aquarium: How Detergents in storm water harm/kill marine animals in Friday Harbor. Mike Kaill, Biologist and Front Street Aquarium Keeper. Thurs. April 16, 7:00 p.m.

The Shampoo Menace – Managing Everyday Toxic Products. Russel Barsh. Founder, Kwiaht Weds. April 22, 6:30 p.m.

Toxics and Endocrine Disrupters. Randy Shuman Ph.D. King Co. Parks Water Resource Specialist Thurs. April 30, 7:00 p.m.

Successes and Challenges in Pollution Control. Brian Rader, SJC Pollution Control Specialist. Thurs. May 7, 7:00 p.m.

Your Choices and Lifestyle: How they can make a difference. Sam Buck, Concerned Citizen. Thurs. May 21, 7:00 p.m.

Low Impact Development (LID): Sustainable Building Design Standards (LEED) and the Living Building Challenge. Mark Bueher, 2020 Engineering Thurs. May 28, 7:00 p.m.

Fireproof Killer Whales: What does the future hold for Orcas in the transboundary waters of BC and Washington? Dr. Peter Ross, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fri. June 12, 7:00 p.m.