What You Can Do

10 things you can do to protect aquatic environments

To celebrate the Oceanarium turning 10 years old, we've put together a list of 10 activities you can do or choices you can make that will help protect our environment - including local rivers and Lake Michigan and, farther downstream, the oceans.

Connect with nature - get outside! Enjoy your local natural areas with family and friends in neighborhood parks and the forest preserves, along our rivers and on the lakeshore.
Make the outdoor spaces you enjoy better - take part in a park, lagoon, river, or beach cleanup. You'll be amazed at the amount of stuff you collect. And the next time you visit, you'll see the improvement and feel good about helping to protect the animals, plants and environment in your community.
Right in your own yard, you can practice "green" gardening. Avoid using chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides on your lawn and vegetable or flower garden. During rains, these chemicals can run off into local waterways. They are very harmful to wildlife - on land and in the water. You can help wildlife instead: Create homes for birds, butterflies, dragonflies and other wildlife by including native prairie plants in your garden, or planting a tree. Apartment and condo dwellers can make container gardens, plant part of a common outdoor area, or naturalize a community garden. Prairie flowers are gorgeous and, as a plus, they are adapted to our climate - once established, they need little watering, saving resources and money.
Cleansers and other household products carry toxic chemicals down the drain and into our waterways. Cut back on or eliminate use of chlorine-containing products, which include many laundry and dishwashing detergents, and general cleansers. As an alternate, use vinegar, baking soda and other common, nontoxic cleaning products. You can also try environmentally friendly household products, available in many stores and by mail order.
Recycling is a standard part of many communities' waste-disposal process, but can you actually reduce what you throw away? Sure! Look for items with the least packaging and products that come in refillable, reusable, or returnable containers. Substitute reusable for disposable kitchen items, too, including plates, glasses, cups, napkins and towels. When you buy paper products, from greeting cards to kitchen towels to office supplies, choose recycled (with high post-consumer content), chlorine-free, or tree-free. Check the Web for more information and sources.
Shop at a farmers market. Many markets offer organically grown produce. Organic farming has less impact on the environment than conventional farming. By buying locally grown food, you'll save fuel and reduce chemical pollution, and you'll get the freshest fruits and vegetables in the bargain.
Seafood is a global product, and your choices can help protect the health of the world's oceans. Make the "Right Bite": At the store or in restaurants, choose seafood that comes from abundant stocks and is caught in a manner that doesn't harm other wildlife or habitats. You can get a convenient wallet card with this information, produced by National Audubon Society, at Soundings restaurant in the Oceanarium, or on our Web site.
Go on a litter alert! When you see a stray plastic bag, newspaper, or six-pack ring on the street, grab it and take it to the nearest recycling or trash can. Flyaway balloons are one of the most dangerous forms of litter. They can travel hundreds of miles, landing in trees, rivers, lakes and even the ocean. Birds can be trapped in their strings, and sea turtles mistake them for food, with fatal results. Please don't release balloons!
You can prevent hazardous waste spills! Take used motor oil, leftover paint, batteries, cleaning solvents and other materials to a proper disposal facility - otherwise, they can turn into poisonous pollutants if they get into streams or groundwater. Check with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for hazardous waste collection days.
Exercise your energy-saving potential: If you're not going far, don't take the car - walk or bike. And a flick of the wrist - to turn off a faucet or a light switch - will conserve resources, energy and money. By cutting down on the use of fossil fuels - gasoline, coal- or gas-fired electricity - you're helping reduce toxic emissions and greenhouse gases.

We all have the power to make choices about how we are going to live in our environment. We are a part of nature, not apart from it, and we can enjoy it and protect it in our daily activities. Local chapters of conservation organizations can help you find enjoyable activities that can help keep nature healthy.

Remember, everyone makes a difference!