Listen to your lakes and protect them

Shedd Aquarium's Great Lakes team will participate today in the third annual Great Lakes Day on Capitol Hill. Our experts will speak up on behalf of our valuable and vulnerable Great Lakes and urge lawmakers to enact crucial legislation to ensure their protection far into the future.

But people do not have to travel to Washington D.C. to make Great Lakes Day come alive. "Listen to Your Lakes," Shedd's Great Lakes public awareness campaign, encourages everyone to think about how our day-to-day activities affect the Great Lakes and provides easy tips on how to become involved in their protection.

At Shedd, we are asking everyone who values and cares about our precious freshwater resource to consider Feb. 28 as a "Great Lakes New Year" and make a resolution to adjust their personal actions to sustain and protect these natural wonders.

People who enjoy relaxing by the beach in the summer are encouraged to participate in a monthly beach cleanup to keep the lakefront beautiful. Since Great Lakes Day last year, "Listen to Your Lakes" volunteers have collected over 400 pounds of garbage and over 2,200 cigarette butts from 12th Street Beach. People who enjoy boating and fishing are encouraged to spread the word about proper bait disposal and boat cleaning to stop the spread of invasive species.

And, everyone, around the house can limit water and energy use, two simple actions that impact our lakes. Together, small and large actions will make a difference to the future of our Great Lakes.

We must make a difference. Our lives are affected everyday by the Great Lakes, and we need to take responsibility for protecting them. If we don't, it is becoming increasingly clear, no one will. Visit www.listentoyourlakes.org to learn about more ways you can help protect our magnificent, yet vulnerable Great Lakes on Great Lakes Day, and every day of the year.

Dr. Jeff Boehm

Senior Vice President

John G. Shedd Aquarium