H ALIBUT HERALD

May 28, 2009

Nature-Inspired Innovation: 9 Examples of Biomimicry in Action

Above are a few examples of science imitating nature in order to find the best solution to everyday design problems.
The idea is not just to mimic the aesthetic in nature, but to understand the science of how nature works and applying
this science to everyday objects. Biomimicry, according to the Biomimicry Institute, “is the science and art of
emulating Nature's best biological ideas to solve human problems.” To learn more about what each of the above
images means, please follow the link: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/nature-inspired-innovations-nine-
examples-of-biomiicry-at-work.php

Color-Shifting "Master of Velcro: The Most Famous

Disguise" Cuttlefish Inspires Example of Biomimicry
Hyper-Energy Efficient TV http://brainz.org/15-coolest-cases-
biomimicry/
http://www.biomimicry.net/

Treehugger is All Over it: Lessons in Biomimicry

Do a search for ‘biomimicry’ on their site and find at least 20 articles including
these:

Part 1 – Natural Forms

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/biomimicry-design-part-one.php
READ ON: Part 2 – Natural Systems
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/cuttlef http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/biomimicry-design-systems.php
ish-color-changing-camouflage-tv-screen- Part 3 – Natural Processes
television-electronic-ink- http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/biomimcry-design-processes.php
videos.php?daylife=1&dcitc=daylife-article
In California, If you Bike to Work, New York's High Line Sky Park to Open in June
Pocket 20 Bucks a Month Gallery
Sounds like something to consider in Canada, hmm???

The Bicycle Commuter Act

The unnoticed tax credit was called the Bicycle Commuter
Act. It was penned by Oregonian Congressman Earl
Blumenauer. The aim of the bill was to give bicycle
commuters a tax break similar to the ones that other
commuters are eligible for.
READ ON:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/bicycle-
commuter-credits.php

The Grid, Our Cars and the Net:

One Idea to Link Them All

Robin Chase (founder of ZipCar) considers the

New York City will soon be receiving a brand new stretch of green space
future of electricity, the future of cars and the
as the once-abandoned High Line railway is renovated to become a lush
internet three terms in a single equation, even if
public park. Designed to capture the majesty of both nature and NYC’s
most of us don’t yet realize they’re on the same
industrial ruins, the first section of the elevated garden promenade is set
chalkboard. Solve the equation correctly, she says,
open this June.
and we create a greener future where innovation
READ ON, SEE MORE PICS & VIDS!:
thrives. Get it wrong, and our grandchildren will
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/25/the-high-line-the-park-in-the-
curse our names.
sky-due-to-open-in-june/
READ ON:
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/05/the-grid-
our-cars-and-the-internet-one-idea-to-link-them- Astronauts Drink Recycled Urine
all/

Scientists Discover How to Grow Plastic on Trees

Yesterday astronauts aboard the space station put the

system to use for the first time, and with a toast and a
smile they downed their first glasses of recycled urine
Recently scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have produced by the system.
announced a groundbreaking development that provides a simple solution READ ON:
to the problem, transforming plant cellulose into plastic in one single step. http://greenupgrader.com/7850/astronauts-drink-
READ ON: http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/27/scientists-discover- recycled-urine/
how-to-grow-plastic-on-trees/
Fight for Our Fish! Now is the critical time to
rise to the defence of salmon habitat.

The Halibut Herald is the perfect medium for sharing positive

news about the world and our created environments, however,
this story cannot go unknown, especially to a group of people like
us here at the Aquarium!

To sum it up, “Chief Robert Joseph, hereditary chief of the

Kwicksutaineuk Ah-kwa-mish First Nation said recently: 

"The
demise of wild salmon is tantamount to genocide because it
reflects the demise of our culture, way of life and spirituality.
Since the advent of salmon farming in our territories we have
seen an apocalyptic decline in the state of our wild salmon stocks
in the Broughton Archipelago. And because Norway is the world
leader in salmon farming and the Norwegian Government is the
leading shareholder in Cermaq we are asking for their moral
leadership to bring about best practices and to mitigate
environmental degradation."
 In short, there is scarcely unanimity
within the First Nations concerning "run-of-river" power generation
projects or fish farming.”
READ ON: LEARN MORE: http://www.adopt-a-fry.org/
http://thetyee.ca/Views/2009/05/25/FightForOurFish/?utm_so
urce=mondayheadlines&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign Message from Alexandra Morton in Norway:
=250509 http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dcx4zzdp_13d463
76dc&hl=en
Twitter for Trees! Enviro Comic Relief, Guaranteed Giggles
YET Another reason to sign up for an account Somewhere between 1991-93, Jim Carrey starred as Environmental Guy on one of
“The United Nations Environment Programme the funniest variety shows, In Living Color, and even touches upon a few subjects
will be planting 100,000 trees for 100,000 that are still in great debate today!
Twitter followers in honor of World
Environment Day, June 5th 2009.”

WATCH VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8tfuBIutLI

READ ON: http://earthfirst.com/twitter-for-

trees-unep-to-plant-100000-trees-for-
100000-followers/

And check out this article about

Social Media while you are at it:
The Power of Twitter (And
Facebook and Unconferences,
too. Social media's amazing
tools for positive action.)
READ ON:
http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2009/05/21/Po
werOfTwitter/?utm_source=mondayheadlin
es&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=25
0509

The Natural Way To Clean

EVERYTHING In Your House
Excellent link for all your
cleaning needs ☺
READ ON:
http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/11/
05/the-natural-way-to-clean-everything-
in-your-house/ SIGN UP IS EASY!
https://logging.teletrips.com/public/register_challenge_user.php?register=7ee
0278e25ade7c653264124b7b3b816
White paint: a surprising cure for global Geoengineering, adaptation and
warming The technical term for painting your roof white is known mitigation, Part 2: White roofs are the
as "negative radiative forcing." The light reflective surface bounces trillion-dollar solution
10-20 percent of the summer heat back into the sky, reducing urban
heat island effect and significantly reducing summer cooling costs.
Thus it's most commonly referred to as a "cool roof."

READ ON: http://www.mnn.com/technology/research-

innovations/blogs/white-paint-a-surprising-cure-for-global-
warming
A global “cool roofs” strategy can achieve far bigger benefits
— the equivalent of several trillion dollars worth of CO2
The Most Powerful Wall of Water On Earth reductions — since it can increase the albedo (reflectivity) of
the planet, thereby directly reducing the absorption of
incoming solar radiation and hence planetary warming. The
strategy proposed below “is equivalent to taking the
world’s approximately 600 million cars off the road for
18 years.”
: http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/06/geo-engineering-
adaptation-mitigation-green-stimulus-white-roofs-
albedo/

Spindle Ermine Moth Larvae Silk Web

Blanket

READ ON:
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/teahupoos-wall-
of-water/10823

Tap Water vs. Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles

These voracious moths-to-be spin a silk web over their

feeding areas to protect themselves from ants and wasps.
Normally, a silk blanket like this would be on a tree or
other plant-life where the caterpillars are feeding before
READ ON: they pupate, but this unlucky motorist from Rotterdam
http://www.metrovancouver.org/region/tapwater/Pages/TapWaterPl (UK) has learned the hard way that they don't just stick to
edge.aspx trees, and will protect themselves no matter where they
end up in the search for more food
READ ON:
http://observationsofanerd.blogspot.com/2009/05/ok-
this-is-pretty-gross.html
Five-million-year old Sloth Fossil 18,516 New Species $1,000 Eco-friendly
Found in Peru (Including a Fascinating Top Dog Toilet?
“The sloth was found beneath the cement floor of a Ten) Identified in 2007 - But A dog toilet sounds rather
house in the Andean region of Espinar in southern ridiculous, but Green Dog is at
Peru when workers were installing a water system.” What Is Their Significance? least highlighting an important
“"This skeleton of the sloth is especially important as READ ON: concern—improper disposal of
it is the first complete skeleton of its kind that is 5 http://ecoworldly.com/2009/05/25/18516- pet waste
million years old in the Americas,"” new-species-including-a-fascinating-
READ ON: top-ten-identified-in-2007-but-what-is-
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/20 their-significance/
09/05/26/five_million_year_old_sloth_fossil_foun
d_in_peru/

READ ON:
Warning! High Lead Content in Urban Soil http://magblog.audubon.org/
What you should know before planting a garden in your backyard! node/418
“Uncontaminated soil levels of lead are typically around 10 ppm. My sister and brother-in-law's
lead count for top soil was 454 ppm (parts per million) and for 2" deep soil was 1003 ppm.”
READ ON: http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/personal-health/warning-high-lead-content-in-
urban-soil-what-you-should-know-before-planting-a-garden-in-your-backyard-085614 Roz Savage Update!
She started her second of three
solo trips across the Pacific Ocean
How to Create
Massive Change
When It Comes to
Climate Change
http://planetgreen.discover
y.com/feature/earth-
day/bill-mckibben-earth-
day.html
READ ON:
INSPIRE CHANGE: http://magblog.audubon.org/nod
http://www.youtube.com/w e/417
atch?v=s5kg1oOq9tY

LEARN MORE HERE: Naturally Unclog A Drain

http://www.350.org/
With Vinegar, Baking
Beautiful Lightdrop Soda And Water.
US Bike Sales Higher than Car
Sales in 2009 Step Put the DRY baking soda down
According to the Huffington Post, the drain. I use about 3/4 of a cup.
during the first quarter of 2009, more
bicycles were sold in the US than cars Step 2 Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar down
and trucks. the drain after the baking soda. Be
sure to cover the drain immediately
afterwards with a rag or plug, filling
the hole completely so nothing can
escape. This is because the
interaction of the two will cause a
“mini volcano” that will want to come
up and out of the drain..you want to
keep it down there.

Step 3 Leave this concoction in the

drain for about 30 minutes. While you
are waiting, boil a tea kettle full of
READ ON: http://www.re-nest.com/re-
water.
nest/travel/news-us-bike-sales-higher-
than-car-sales-in-2009-085744
Step 4 After 30 minutes, remove the
plug and slowly pour
the HOT water down the drain.
READ ON: http://www.re-nest.com/re- SOURCE:
nest/lighting/lightdrop-from-studio-mango- http://www.thegoodhuman.com/200
finally-suitable-for-use-in-the-bathroom- 7/03/21/naturally-unclog-drain-with-
085675 vinegar/
Black Jaguar Baby/ New Desktop Photo?
A newborn black jaguar cub, born on April 14, is the fourth born in captivity at the Park of the
Legends zoo in Lima, in Peru and still hasn't got a name. MORE PICS:
http://www.zooborns.com/
zooborns/2009/05/black-
jaguar-baby.html

MORE PICS & GOOD READ:

http://observationsofanerd.b
logspot.com/
2009/05/weekly-dose-of-
cute_18.html

A Bite-Sized Croc Glowing Monkeys Make More Glowing Monkeys the

Old-Fashioned Way

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park has

over twenty species of crocodilians. These baby
dwarf crocodiles are among the smallest, reaching
just under five feet when fully grown.
READ ON:
http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2009/05/st-
augustine-alligator-farm-zoological-park.html

READ ON: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/05/glowing-

monkeys-make-more-glowing-monkeys-the-old-fashioned-way/

10 Strange Species Discovered Last Year

From Satomi’s Pygmy Seahorse to a ‘decaf’ coffee plant, the article and
photos are enough reason to click the link.
READ ON: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/05/strangespecies/
Archival Photo

Baby Tuaq (first Beluga born in captivity) with mum, Kavna. Photographer
unknown, 1977.

Library News
Get your up-to-the minutes news via RSS feed from the library’s What’s new pages. Currently, there are two
What’s new pages running a variety of interesting news feeds

What’s New – Animals and Nature – for news about birds, reptiles, marine mammals, and places such as the
Arctic http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/WhatsNewAnimalsandNature.aspx

What’s New – Business and General – for news about business, finance, tourism, visitor experience and
marketing http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/What%27sNewBGN.aspx

News on Environmental conservation and education will soon be available via the Conservation Current
http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/ConservationCurrent/Pages/Default.aspx

Did you know that the Library has access to over 100 journals and magazines??
At least 80 of these are available full text online.
For a complete hyperlinked list, visit the library journals page on Aquanet:
http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/Journals.aspx

As well, you can find new books and movies listed on this page of Aquanet:
http://aquanet.vanaqua.org/IS/CRS/Lib/Pages/LibraryCatalogue.aspx
Sperm Whale Stealing Cod

Scientists believe that comparing the size of the

whales to the sounds of foraging will allow them to
know the size of a whale just by its call.

WATCH VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTjGp7FKGgI

Classified
Events

http://www.canadahelps.org/GivingPages/GivingPage.aspx?gpID=431
1
http://www.focuschallenge.org/focus.html

2009 Audubon Magazine Photography

Awards:
Birds in Focus, created to celebrate the beauty and
diversity of birdlife through the art of photography, and to
honor the exceptional work of talented professional,
amateur and youth photographers from all over the U.S.

Audubon will be accepting submissions online between May

15-July 15 in three categories: Professional, Amateur, and
Youth. Photographers are encouraged to reveal a new
angle or perspective in their work. “Think creatively,”
advises Audubon’s design director Kevin Fisher, one of the
judges. “Originality and drama rank high at Audubon.
Include tight shots, such as close-ups of eyes, feathers. We
welcome uncommon perspectives.”
LEARN MORE:
www.AudubonMagazinePhotoAwards.com
WORKING LINK
FOR JEAN FONG’S
DONATION PAGE:
http://www.canadahelps.org/Charit
yProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=s338
25
 ARE YOU UP FOR BOOTCAMP?

Are you looking to challenge yourself physically? Increase your strength

and endurance? Tone up for summer? If so….join us for bootcamp!

Program Description :
This boot camp is a fun, functional, innovative and interactive workout session. The exercises
will challenge one’s strength and endurance, improves general well-being while burning lots of
calories. The workout moves quickly going from one exercise to the next with little or no
rest. Open to anyone who is interested in achieving their desired health and fitness level.
Participants will be taught on how to progress the exercises to meet their fitness level.

Program Details :
Fee : $40 per month (for group size 6 - 9);
$36 per month (for group size 10 - 12)

Number of sessions : 8 sessions for 4 weeks ( 2 sessions per week) starting June 2nd.
Fitness evaluation booked prior to start.

Time : 5.00 – 6.00 pm

Day : Tuesday & Thursday
Venue : Stanley Park

If you would like to join, contact [email protected], ext. 3558 or

[email protected], ext. 3587.

Equipment Required : Bring your own mat, dumb bells and resistance tube.
More exciting events
here:
http://www.vanevo.ca
/events01.html
Check out videos of
past lectures here:
http://www.sfu.ca/cst
udies/science/darwin.
htm