The David Suzuki Foundation is looking for volunteers to help with monitoring the radioactivity in the water on our BC coastline. We aren’t hearing about this potential in the news too much, but it is still a grave concern. Details below. Photo: Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre.
Become a citizen scientist and test the (Fukushima) waters in your community
Concerned about the health of our oceans? Why not become a citizen scientist in a project to monitor low-level radioactivity arriving on Canada’s West Coast from Japan’s 2011 tsunami and Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear disaster?
Volunteers are being recruited now to collect monthly seawater samples from 14 locations between Victoria and Haida Gwaii. The David Suzuki Foundation is helping the InFORM network find volunteers for the three-year commitment in Port Renfrew, Bamfield, Tofino/Ucluelet, Nootka Island/Tahsis, Winter Harbour, Port Hardy, Bella Bella, Hartley Bay, Prince Rupert, Haida Gwaii, Salt Spring Island, Powell River/Sunshine Coast, Vancouver and Victoria.
You’ll be helping fill an information and monitoring gap that’s left many people concerned. Local groups of citizen scientists will be trained to collect 24-litre seawater samples for radioisotope analysis and recording of properties like seawater temperature and salinity. Results will be communicated as widely as possible. The project is built on the OurRadiactiveOcean.org model. While radioactivity levels measured have been low, it’s important to monitor seawater because radioactive isotopes continue to be released from Fukushima.
Learn more and apply before September 30, 2014.