AquaCamp - Animal Valentines

Ever wonder how animals pair off in the ocean? Come to this camp and discover all the amazing adaptations animals have for finding mates and keeping dates. Games and activities demonstrate just how hard it is to survive, even with plenty of fish in the sea. Children are invited to participate in a special day at the aquarium. Live animal presentations and more are all part of this exciting program. Come and join the fun! Snacks are provided. Kids will need to bring a bag lunch. Pre-registration required.

Date: Saturday, February 13

Time: 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Ages: 7-10

Fee: $40.00 per participant

For more information contact the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher at 910-458-8257 or visit our website at www.ncaquariums.com/fortfisher

Thats A Moray!

Celebrate each other this Valentine’s Day at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. “That’s A Moray!” is an exclusive evening for just 26 couples, featuring a four-course dinner, a souvenir photo and dancing while surrounded by the magic of the ocean. Private tables for two will be placed in front of captivating exhibits such as Cape Fear Shoals, Sharktooth Ledge, Hawaiian Fishes, and Moon Jellies.

Couples may reserve the table/exhibit of their choice on a first-come, first-serve basis. For the private or engagement minded couple, one exclusive table boasts its own dining room and personal view of the Cape Fear Shoals Exhibit in the “A Moray” Eel Cave with elegant décor.

“That’s A Moray” is Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. The all-inclusive price is $200-$300 per couple, dependent on table location or $500 for the “A Moray” private dining room. For reservations, call (910) 458-8257, ext: 218 or 202 or email terry.bryant@ncaquariums.com or emily.bullock@ncaquariums.com.

For more information, visit http://www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher/rent-the-aquarium/thats-a-moray

Electronic Recycling 101

E-Waste is one of the fastest growing types of wastes in the world. E-waste is electronic products, such as computers, radios, cell phones, and televisions that have not been properly discarded causing health and pollution problems from the serious containments, such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, and brominated flame retardants. Most consumers don’t know how and where to appropriately recycle these types of items.

One effective way to dispose of electronic items is during periodic disposal dates that counties set throughout the year at various locations. Bring your used electronic items to a disposal site and allow them to recycle them for you. This is a simple option to help reduce the environmental problems that are caused by the incorrect disposal of electronic items. To learn more about when and where these events will occur visit your county’s website.

Most people think of Best Buy as a mega electronic store, but Best Buy created Greener Together™, a program to assist people in safely disposing of their old electronics. They have coined the term “e-incarnated” which they use to describe how they accept old electronic products in an effort to turn them into new and better products in the future. People can bring in up to two items a day, per household. A few items come with a $10 charge, yet Best Buy will reimburse you with a $10 gift card. There are only a few items that Best Buy does not accept in the program which include, internal and external computer hard drives, electronics containing Freon, appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers.

If you are having trouble locating a periodic disposal site or don’t have a Best Buy in the neighborhood, landfills will often accept electronic products to be recycled free of charge. All of these options are an effort to help reduce the environmental impacts that e-waste causes the planet.

Aquarium Collects Old Fishing Equipment

That old rod and reel in your attic or garage may be worth more than you think. It could put a big smile on a needy youngster’s face. Rick Wilkinson, a surf-fishing instructor at the aquarium, spends his spare time rebuilding donated fishing gear as a volunteer. He then hands over the good-as-new rigs to area youth and adult groups.

The refurbished equipment goes to groups like Big Buddy, Community Boys and Girls Club, the Brigade Boys and Girls Club, and St. Mary’s Social Ministry. “I really like bringing old fishing gear back to life,” Rick says. “And if a fishing rod I reworked can make someone’s life a little happier, then that’s just great.”

How to Donate

Anyone wanting to donate a used rod and reel can drop the gear off at the Aquarium Visitors Service Desk between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. any day. Even an old tackle box is welcome, especially if it has some lures and tackle inside. Please ensure that the rod and reel is in somewhat workable order and has no missing parts.

The Green Way to Give Gifts

Choosing the perfect gift during the holidays can prove to be difficult. After debating about the best gift, you may be wondering how environmentally friendly is this present? There are several ways to ensure that your gift is not only putting a smile on someone’s face, but it’s also making the environment happy.

Purchasing gifts locally is an excellent way to reduce your holiday footprint. Buying items from local artisans can help save on shipping and carbon emissions, as well as keep money in the community. Local artwork, jewelry, food products, and other crafts make for unique gifts that are sure to be a big hit!

Making your own gifts is not only a special way to give to your family and friends during the holidays, it’s also rewarding to the environment because it uses less shipping and packaging. The time and effort you put into creating personalized gifts will put smiles on their faces and warmth in their hearts.

Give a gift of experience and adventure! Instead of buying your brother a baseball bat or your friend a candle holder, try a more daring route and purchase them a gift that keeps on giving. Try buying a year-long pass to a National Forest, Aquarium, Zoo, or Kayaking company. These gifts will allow people to connect with nature all year-long!

All of these gift ideas can help secure your name on the “nice list” this year with not only Santa, but Mother Nature as well!

Aquarium Honors Employees

The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher honored its employees this month by awarding its annual Sea Star and FISH Philosophy™ awards. These awards honor a permanent, temporary or seasonal state or society employee that has gone above and beyond their usual job responsibilities to make the Aquarium a better place to work and visit.

Julie Johnson, an Aquarist Technician in the Husbandry department won the Sea Star award and Special Activities Coordinator Renee Weeks was awarded the FISH Philosophy™ award. Employees are nominated by their peers and are awarded $250 from the N.C. Aquarium Society, a recognition plaque, dinner for two at Sticky Fingers, and recognition in Aquarium News magazine.

FISH Philosophy™ award nominees included: Matt Babineau, Martha Latta, Ginger Black, Tom Coit, Chad Goodson, Bob Griffin, and Doug Noonan. Sea Star award nominees included: Matt Babineau, Terry Bryant, Dennis Doremus, Hap Fatzinger, Doug Noonan, Nancy Peterson, and Tiffany Walker.

The recipient of the Sea Star award is given to an Aquarium employee for outstanding job performance at the Aquarium and service to the community. The recipient of the FISH Philosophy™ award is given to an Aquarium employee who has gone above and beyond to make the Aquarium a better place to work and visit by choosing a positive attitude, making co-workers’ and visitors’ days, playing, and being physically and mentally at work.

How to Wrap your Holiday up the Sustainable Way

The holidays are filled with all things wrapped; presents, food, cards, or the Hot Wheels™ box that fit your child’s brand new Jeep™ inside…all things that at the end of the day can be recycled. In order to make this holiday season a more sustainable one, here are a few tips:

- Use recycled paper, leftover pieces of fabric or wallpaper, or pictures from a children’s coloring book as gift wrap
- Use old newspapers as a delightful holiday wrapping paper
- Create a gift from a gift; place your holiday present in a tin or nice box that can be used forever
- Save gift wrap, gift bags, and bows each year and reuse them the following year
- When writing tags for presents try using old greeting cards or scrap paper instead of buying new ones each year
- Put leftovers in reusable containers instead of covering all of them with pounds of aluminum foil or plastic wrap
- Make sure to recycle all the cardboard boxes
- Finally….after the living room is filled with wrapping paper mountains make sure to recycle or reuse them instead of throwing them away

Keep these easy tips in mind and make this holiday special for you and the environment.