WHY SOAR?

SOAR has a serious side in its missions to help kids find ways of helping the ocean and watersheds throughout the world. I started on having seen hundreds of albatrosses killed by plastic debris at Pihemanu (Midway Atoll). I was inspired by the questions of young people in Ohio and by USFWS biologists working hard to protect endangered species and damaged habitats.



SOAR has a very fun and tough to define side.....thanks to FRED AND FRIENDS, Project SOAR helps with watershed and ocean workshops throughout the world, and generally makes people smile while they learn some tough stuff about how we treat our rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and the one ocean on planet earth..........

INVITING SOAR INTO YOUR SCHOOL, ORGANIZATION, AND COMMUNITY

SOAR introduces young people to ways they can make a difference in their local community and the wider world.



Take advantage by:



1) Invite a SOAR learning kit or bring Ron Hirschi to your school as a guest author or speaker for your organization. Ron has many years experience as an author and as a biologist. SOAR adds another dimension to his list of hands on projects he shares in writing, art, and ecology workshops.



Many schools invite Ron for his work as author of more than 50 nonfiction books, including many with ocean themes. Others bring him to school as a scientist or artist, but the best fit is always when schools use Ron to help them integrate curriculum.



Tom Bates, Principal at Tremont Elementary in Ohio recently said in an interview following Ron's visit, "What stood out to me was how Ron was able to gear his activities and discussion and information so it was meaningful to the students, whether they were in kindergarten or fifth grade."



Be in touch at whalemail@waypoint.com for visit information.



2) SOAR now has a new kit circling the globe along with a Laysan Albatross "Friend of Fred". This duo is packaged with a box full of ideas, activities, information about Papahanaumokuakea, ocean debris, and other materials aimed at sparking new projects related to the sea. Also included is a journal chronicling Fred's adventures, all of which began when kids at Columbus School for Girls (CSG) learned how they could take action to help the ocean.



Currently, this treasured package is in the hands of The Bush School in Seattle.


NOTE: You might also be lucky to receive one of the earlier packages with a FRED and Friend, already traveling. To date, Fred has visited Australia, Switzerland, Israel, England, The Dominican Republic, and many corners of the United States.

01 December 2009

ALBATROSS FRIENDS........A MOMENT IN SPECIAL TIME



Okay. I've been close to orcas, otters, and eagles all my life.
But nothing compares to the close connection with Laysan Albatrosses.
This photo was taken by friend, Trevor out on Pihemanu.
Every time we gathered as a group, the birds preened my legs and prodded,
pecking at my shirt. Old guy must be friend? Don't know why, but they always came close.

Maybe that is what prompted me to work on their behalf.
That happened to a lot of my friends who work for grizzlies and other life in need.
All I know is whatever they might have had in mind, it worked.

I love the majesty and grace of Albatrosses.
They are one of the most beautiful and graceful birds on the planet
and need our help in so many ways.
In fact, I am convinced, if we save them, we save ourselves from certain destruction.

I will share in months ahead some more photos that are too difficult for me to post now.
I befriended a young albatross on Pihemanu
that came out to the edge of the water each day I did a study of plastics.
The young bird let me stay near as it tried to fledge.
I watched the water for Galapagos sharks, its natural predator in the lagoon.
I even swam out in search of the sharks.
You will see this bird attempt to gain independence of aina (land)
and soar off to kai (ocean).
You will watch and learn as I did.
And be treated to the lessons of young human friends
who asked the most difficult questions of me
when I was honored to visit
Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

Ron Hirschi
Project SOAR 

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29 November 2009

HUMPBACK WHALES, POLAR BEARS, AND HAWAIIAN PLANTS



I had the honor of visiting Papahanaumokuakea
Marine National Monument this summer.
Prior to the journey, I asked kids to ask me what I should be looking for
and what questions they might like answers to about the ocean.
One of Mrs. Charna's Book Club students asked
How has climate change affected Humpback Whale Migration Patterns?

I turned to whale biologist, Jan Straley, for the answer.
She said the the melting ice has increased summer habitat for the whales.

Where Polar Bears once walked, Humpbacks swim.


Artwork by Yuko Green
from Winter is for Whales by Ron Hirschi and Yuko Green. 

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24 November 2009

MONKEY SEA MONKEY DO



You Know. Me, Fred the Monkey happen to be luckiest for sure animal on planet earth.

I gotta tell. Girls at CSG treat me so nice and even make board game,
Monkey SEA Monkey Do in honor of me and my Monkey People.

Game help kids Malama i ke Kai - Protect Ocean like Family.
Family all about.
My Ohana (Family) Really Big now.

gotta tell secret though. I snuck down here to Australia. Queensland way.
New best fun buddy Jody show me around
even though I kinda toss banana around when first arrive.

You know how far Bexley from Queensland?
First best answer get a big banana from me, Fred and a lot more good stuff I tell
buddy Ron send you. Some a his smoke Salmon, yeah!

So, here I am in land down under upside down after be in papahownowahowa as they
say down here. Gotta learn lingo new. Barbie not doll. Grill up banana on.

FEARFUL

Hear talk a Saltie.
You know what Saltie?
Say Croc big time.
but me, Fred, good surfer Monkey be friend Tiger Shark, Orca, and Ulua.
Maybe Croc not swallow Fred?

Goin adventure. Wanna sure see Aussie Ocean Fun!!!!
Me, Fred send Love home. It Thanksgiving time and me, Fred gotta
tell buddy Ron Family this:

Gotta LAUGH at all everything. Good bad in between find love of laugh.

gift this time of year from Happy Face Clan. Monkey Sea. Big Blue Planet Ocean Blue.

Aloha nui loa,   Fred   
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20 November 2009

POSTCARD FROM FRED --- MY OCEAN FRIENDS AT CSG!!!



Look at Me, Fred the Monkey with my best ocean friends ever at Columbus School for Girls!!!! Thank you Mrs. Charna and all teachers and students of CSG for making me so very welcome! I miss you so very much and can't wait to come back. This spring okay by you??? I hope so.

Check out on table. That too way cool Monkey See (Sea?) Monkey Do Board Game is so fun and teach
a lotta watershed and ocean information!!! How many monkey have mover with picture of their face? You make Fred blush pink Monkey blush........you too very nice.

Kids around world will be playing Monkey Sea Monkey Do real soon. You know. Kids like you change the world. You Malama i ke Kai ame ka 'aina.......Protect Ocean and Land. You very wise beyond years.

Mrs Shaw, Mrs Steele and best of kind person, Charlotte and all teacher and Mrs Joan too..... Thank you for talking story in my journal. People be reading all about my visit with you when Me, Fred come to their school (and surfing beach!).

Aloha nui loa,   Your Buddy, Fred


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HAPPY PLASTIC FREE FRIDAY

Aloha and Happy Plastic Free Friday!

Today I've pretty much gone over completely to the Copic Multiliner SP, a refillable, METAL BODIED, thin line marker. My friends at Akamai Art Supply in Port Townsend, Washington sell these and after writing with them, I won't go back to the Faber Castells I love to use unless Faber Castell comes through with a refill OR I figure out how to refill them myself.

Also wrote back and forth with Crayola. They are responsive, but wouldn't say if they have refillables in the works or not.

Here is the challenge, this being the week before Thanksgiving:   Try to find a turkey that doesn't come in those tight fitting plastic bags. When you do, you might help the planet in many more ways than you can imagine. Turkey farms and small grocers do sell fresh turkeys and if you have never had wild turkey, think on hunting for turkey or sharing a meal with hunter friends.

Stay in touch for news of our Plastic Free Friday Poster Contest.
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19 November 2009

Fred Creates New Museum and Daily List of Endangered Ocean Life

Fred texts me today to say he met with some design and architecturally creative people in Australia last night after a brief tea with Al Gore and some representatives of the estate of Frank Lloyd Wright, Fred has begun moving forward with his Museums for the endangered of the oceans.

Fred loves Hawai'i more than any place on earth and will work to Malama i ke Kai all his life. He also loves the entire world ocean and will share with all of you the love he feels as he brings you the BEST of sites to find information about people helping oceans.

He will try best as he can to bring you the voice of the endangered AND the links to people who are not just talking, but swimming the swim to help. Keep in touch at his new site, http://www.museumoceanlife.blogspot.com/ where he posts the notes from animals and his ongoing creation of museums with plants, animals, kids, and others who care.

If you want to join in creation of a Museum of Ohio Endangered, Kauai Endangered, Chilean Endangered, or wherever you live, be in touch with Fred. He is the Monkey who might just change the world. The Ocean to be sure. He is that kind of Monkey.

Surf with him too. Be there at good breaks.

This site will continue to share his Postcards and other info about Project SOAR! But go on over to his new blog to hear him and his close ocean friends. He speaks fluently, pretty much every language on the planet. So, he has a way better sense of what is happening. He says, "I hear. I listen. I pass it along best I can with a whole lotta Aloha!"

He says what he really means is I Love You..........Aloha nui loa, Fred


   
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14 November 2009

POSTCARD FROM FRED -- HAWAIIAN ENDANGERED SPECIES MUSEUM



It's me, Fred.......Sorry to be writing in a sad way, but me and my new friend, Ed stopped
at the Museum of Hawaiian Endangered Species.
This is a picture hung on a side of a beautiful wili wili tree.
I was touching the wili wili, remembering my surfer buddies telling
me surfboards used to be wood of wili wili instead of plastic.
That's when I went in search of a Alaia Board I'm gonna surf with,
Plastic Free!!!

When I saw this picture, I cry. Me, happy Monkey Fred.......

There on the bark of wili wili tree, down by nice waves, in sweet Kauai air
was Memorial in Memory of X310, X532, X357, X536............
All my best buddies, Albatrosses up at Pihemanu no longer flying.
All these red leg bands from my once soaring friends.
Majestic birds, Most beautiful ocean bird on planet earth.

We gotta get plastic from out of sea.
We gotta surf on board of wood.

President Obama, my buddy. Listen up for your next surf trip to islands.
Me, Fred, Me will get you good board just for you and family to ride. Yippee I feel better on that!

Fred on Kauai.
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X310 Plastic Ocean Activity


It's me, Fred, the Monkey.

If you look closely, you can see I wear X310's leg band around my neck. It's to remind me of her. She was a Laysan Albatross. She was born in March 2008 and lived on Pihemanu, one of the most remote atolls on earth, now part of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

You can wonder about Pihemanu and about X310. She didn't live very long, dying in June 2008. Her parents flew thousands and thousands of miles finding food for her. But x310, like lots of baby albatrosses died before she got to soar the seas. Some albatrosses fly three million miles during their life. Like X310's parents, their sea is a new challenge in food finding because of our actions on land.

Adult albatrosses fly more than a thousand miles just to get a single meal for their babies. But the ocean is full of plastic. And if you read my buddy, Ron's blog and website, you learn about plastic in the sea. It is everywhere and babies like X310 die because they eat so much plastic, they can not get it out of their stomachs.

Where's all this plastic come from?
Where does it go?

Here is a simple activity:

Get up from your chair and walk around the classroom or wherever you are sitting.

Write down each thing around you that is made of plastic.

Everybody compare lists and make a total of the plastic products.

Now, the hard part of this activity:

Can you find alternatives for the things you use, alternatives not made of plastic?
Maybe start with drinking water from a fountain or glass or reuseable container?
Maybe start a really good recycling project?
Maybe make some art from recycled plastic?
Learn more on links here on this site and others.
Talk about times with no plastic.
X310 would have appreciated if people, just a few years ago had decided to make a plastic-free world for you....
You and X310.

Learn how you can SOAR with FRED by arranging a visit with Fred and his ocean teaching kit by emailing his banana provider at whalemail@waypoint.com

FEEDING A BABY ALBATROSS OCEAN ACTIVITY

What you need:

Pint size plastic beverage container with wide mouth (about 1.5 inches) ---This approximates the size of a baby albatross stomach and esophagus.

Important to have the lid too.

Enough plastic items (bottle caps, toothbrush, legos, fishing line, small chunks of nylon rope, markers, pens, more bottle caps and even a few more bottle caps since they are pretty much the most common marine debris.

Talk with your audience of kids of any age about ocean debris and the way adult albatrosses fly out a few hundred or even a thousand miles to find flying fish eggs and squid for the little ones. They return to Pihe Manu or up on the Northeast shore of Kauai, find their young one among thousands of others and begin to feed by regurgitating "food".......

As you talk about this, have the kids place one or two pieces of the plastic into the bottle.

Replace cap with each addition of plastic. Shake gently to mimic bird moving around the nesting area a bit.

Remove cap. Shake gently to mimic the bird trying to dislodge "food" that can not be digested. In a perfect ocean, this would be squid beaks, fish bones, or other natural pieces of food.

Add more plastic, repeating above until no plastic falls out of the bottle when cap is removed (bill is opened) and the bird tries and tries, but can not toss up the mass of debris. See how much and how many different kinds of plastic can be added. Does the rope tangle with the legos and bottle caps. Do five bottle caps cause a blockage in the esophagus???

In nature, the upchucked mass is like an owl pellet and is known as a bolus. Natural foods slip freely through the esophagus and more feeding can continue. Most times, a baby albatross will toss up one bolus before leaving the nesting island. Unfortunately, thousands die because plastic blocks the stomach completely.

Your feeding the baby albatross activity can lead to a lot of discussion of plastics we use, discard, then find their way into the ocean and into the mouth of a baby albatross.

If you want to have a Baby Albatross Feeding Kit, complete with some plastic items that actually came from once living albatross at Pihe Manu, Papahanaumokuakea, be in touch.