Research Log #6 - Solutionary Project 2020

 
Date: 3/10/2020
Name: Breyson Chang
Essential Question:  How is invasive seaweed harmful to Hawaii’s aquatic environment? 
 
Three Points to Prove: #1: Communities can combat the problem
                                        #2: Invasive algae can be repurposed
                                       #3: The removal of the invasive algae helps the environment
 
Point that this Source Proves:   # 2
 
 
Excerpts (These should provide insight into the Point to Prove): 
 
According to Jono Blodgett, after they suck up the invasive seaweed. They are able to reuse it.
“but the good thing is we're taking the seaweed and giving it to local farmers in the Kane'ohe
Bay area and they are using it for compost and fertilizer.”

 According to the interview conducted by Christy Martin, the division of Aquatic Resources
removes “anywhere from 2 to 8 thousand pounds (2,000 -- 8,000 lbs) of seaweed per day.” And
they reuse the seaweed instead of just throwing it away.

 Jono Blogett stated that when he donates the invasive algae to local farmers. “We're able to turn
something that is bad in the ocean into something that is good on land.”

Analysis (How does this source support the Point to Prove?): 

On September 21, 2012, the Hawaii DLNR you tube channel posted DLNR Revealed:

Episode 3 Protecting Hawai'i's Reef from Invasive Seaweed. During this video, the host Christy

Martin interviewed aquatic invasive species program leader Jono Blogett about the problem of

invasive species in Hawaii waters. There I learned that the use vaccums on barges to suck up the

invasive seaweed as a method of removal. They remove around “anywhere from 2 to 8 thousand

pounds (2,000 -- 8,000 lbs) of seaweed per day.”

But you may ask what do they do with all of the invasive seaweed once it has been

removed? Well if you guessed that they just throw it away. You are sadly wrong. Once the

invasive seaweed is removed, they give it to local farmers for use on their farm. “But the good
thing is we're taking the seaweed and giving it to local farmers in the Kane'ohe Bay area and they

are using it for compost and fertilizer.”

Invasive seaweed might be dangerous on in the water killing coral. But when used on

land, their destructive traits are reversed. Instead of hurting the land environment, it actually

supplements to it. Invasive seaweed makes an excellent fertilizer for crops and it is also free and

plentiful. “We're able to turn something that is bad in the ocean into something that is good on

land.” That goes to show that the harmful invasive algae can be repurposed for good.

 
Work Cited (correct MLA format): 

 DLNR, director. DLNR Revealed: Episode 3 Protecting Hawai'i's Reef from Invasive

Seaweed. Youtube DLNR Revealed: Episode 3 Protecting Hawai'i's Reef from Invasive
Seaweed, 21 Sept. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxFZ2cDyW9Y.

 
This is a reputable and reliable article because the video was published by Hawaii DlNR and
the man interviewed is Jono Blogett who is the aquatic invasive species program leader.
Breyson Chang
Mrs.Nourrie
English 11 Sec E
3/12/20

Research Journal

It is the week before spring break so I want to make sure that I have a solid place to stop

in this project. The only thing that is going to be hard is our second interview and community

service hours. Due to the recent corona virus. It is making everything very complicated. I don’t

know if they will still hold community cleanups to remove invasive seaweed. So we might just

have to go on our own and collect. We really wanted to go with an organization so that we got a

good feel for what we are doing and if we were doing it right. But given the current virus, we

might not be able to accomplish that. We were thinking of just going on our own.

We will go to a given beach and just walk around the shallow waters of the bay picking

and removing invasive seaweed. Then we will take everything we removed and take it home. At

home we will add it to our gardens to fertilize our plants. Just because it is harming the aquatic

ecosystems doesn’t mean that it will hurt the land ecosystem.

We also are still looking at interview options because we are waiting to hear back for Dr.

Celia Smith who might have someone who we can interview. The only thing is that since corona

is going around. I don’t think that we should interview them face to face. So we might have to

just do it over the phone or possible face time. Hopefully we can get it done over spring break

but we will have to see since UH manoa has gone to a online education.

Hopefully we will be able to overcome this obstacle and still do what we want to do for

our community service and interviews. But only time will tell if we can do it.