Public Programs in Environmental Sustainability include the following:
- “Re-Spect our Bay” Student’s Program is a hands-on, curiosity-driven program focusing on the connections (called “entanglements”) between all living things in and around the Bay including themselves. Together students investigate several relevant issues impacting the Bay’s health and discuss potential of combining biological, technological, marketplace and policy solutions to mitigate them. These “issue-based” educational programs are crafted to demonstrate the challenge and satisfaction of studying science through the context of a relevant social issue that the student really cares about leading to enthusiasm about civic engagement that lasts a lifetime.
- “Behold our Bay” Environmental Justice Book Club may interest many church groups, or environmental groups and includes discussions of books such as Delio’s Care for Creation, Eisenstein’s Ascent of Humanity and The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible, Tippett’s Einstein’s God, William Hooke’s Living on the Real World, Parker Palmer books on Reuniting Role and Soul, and various meditations for the healing of the planet.
- The VESF Science, Policy, Societal Need and Civic Engagement Seminar Series – We are fortunate to have many outstanding scientists, policy makers, educators and socially motivated business owners in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The intent of this seminar series is to bring in prominent figures from these different sectors to give us their perspective on the critical environmental issues facing us today and offer unique approaches to the way forward as well as for determining
- Ocean and Estuary Advances- We will be participating in several online video conferences hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), The Marine Technology Society, The American Meteorological Society (Ametsoc) and also/TED talks with the Experts. Topics will include: the Societal Value of the Coastal Ocean Observing System ( and VESF’s role in demonstrating it), Engineering against Sea level-rise, Tsunami warning system and sub-sea earthquakes, new methods of controlling red tides, new discoveries at hydrothermal vents, More from the Titanic and other sunken ships.
- Train the Trainer Programs- We will be developing training programs for local high school teachers, community college instructors and guidance counselors in sampling the bay for compliance monitoring and reporting using new technological advances and IT enhancements.
- An Oyster Toolbox for Bay Restoration – Combining our non-harvestable oyster mini-reefs with harvestable cages can enhance the sustainability of waterfront property. VESF’s headquarters on the Rappahannock serves as a demonstration site for many new configurations of oyster reef technology and will periodically host demonstrations of various configurations.
Please stay tuned for updates as to dates and times of these various programs.