World Oceans Month
The oceans cover more than 70 percent of our planet and it’s one of earth’s most valuable natural resources. Not only does it produce more than 50 percent of the world’s oxygen, but it also absorbs approximately 30 percent of carbon dioxide emissions produce by human activities. The oceans currents distribute heat across the globe, regulating temperature and weather and absorbing over 90% of the heat.
Did you know that bacteria, found in the depths of the ocean, are used to carry out rapid testing to detect the presence of COVID-19? Species of robots (ROV) are used to collect samples to study communities and understand what species there are. The diversity of species found in our ocean offer great promise to combat illness and improve our quality of life. It’s crucial we protect the oceans and its beauty.
ITEST projects work to bring awareness to the issues surrounding our planet. They teach students ways to solve today’s problems through STEM through projects like the “Billion Oyster Project” helping restore oyster reefs to New York’s Harbor or “Voices to Hear” a project that uses oral tradition of storytelling to empower Native American students to engage in environmental decision-making and scientific communication, while building a stronger sense of their ethnic identity.
Take a look at the Resources below to see how these ITEST projects are helping our oceans:
