This morning I was able to call in to my AP Environmental Science class.  They were given a tour of the black soldier fly house, and the green house where the aquaponics and hydroponics tanks are!

Today when we left the dock to go kayaking I was not expecting to encounter sea lions just feet from me.  
We paddled along a cliff's edge towards an island where a few sea lions were sunbathing.  

The videos I recorded from the kayak!
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One of the highlights of the day- watching the lobsters from the experimental tanks duke it out for a bivalve!  

This Earthwatch expedition has been insanely inspiring.  Snorkeling with Hall of Famer Lorreine has been a highlight in my career.

Every year I am challenged with- How can I get my students to truly care for our wild spaces (terrestrial and aquatic).

After the few days here, I have realized that the answer is simple: spending meaningful time in these spaces is the most impactful way to inspire conservation.

Carbon sequestration.  Mitigation.  Climate change.  

These words are now becoming commonplace vernacular when describing ecosystems.

I was shocked today while speaking with the scientists here at the USC Wrigley Center for Environmental Studies.

Here's what I learned:
-seagrasses can seriously help mitigate climate change
-The Giant Kelp population is declining
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How do we keep teachers inspired?  
The answer is simple.  
Give us opportunities to keep learning with experts in our subject.

Day 1 was inspiring, overwhelming, beautiful and exciting!

Today we:
-toured the USC Wrigley Environmental Studies Research Center
-checked out the food waste compost system using FLIES!-----stay tuned for a separate post
-we took our first HABs sample - Harmful algal blooms

I left my hotel from San Pedro headed towards the USC dock at 7AM this morning!  After a one and half hour boat ride, we arrived!  Four teacher fellows- accompanied by leading conservation researchers.  Stay tuned on my newest Laurax Adventure!  I'll be blogging my experience throughout the next 8 incredible days!