why cleaner wrasses are so important

cleaner wrasses like clewra are vital for the health of coral reefs, ecosystems that are currently under threat. coral reefs are fragile and sensitive to changes in the environment, and climate change has led to widespread coral bleaching. many reefs across the indo-pacific are struggling and cleaner wrasses are part of the solution. they help maintain the balance by keeping the reef fish healthy, which in turn, helps preserve the reef ecosystem.

this is why my research focuses on cleaner wrasses like clewra. as a student at the university of hawai’i studying marine biology, i wanted to understand how their social behavior and cognitive abilities contribute to the reef’s health, especially in areas still relatively unaffected by coral bleaching. by studying these cleaner wrasses, we can compare their behavior and intelligence across different regions, providing insight into how environmental changes might impact the species in the future.

how cleaner wrasses maintain reef health

with her elegant, shiny purple, blue, and yellow body, clewra darts around the reef like a little underwater superhero. her mission is to clean her clients of annoying parasites and dead skin, leaving them refreshed and rejuvenated.

clewra’s unique talent lies in her ability to perform various gestures to attract and calm her clients. she trembles with excitement to signal she’s ready to clean, her flapping fins creating an irresistible invitation. some clients even say her touch is like a gentle massage, building trust and bonding. her “tactile stimulation” helps her clients relax, similar to a relaxing spa experience for humans.

cleaner wrasses don’t just clean fish for the sake of hygiene, they play a crucial role in the reef’s social structure. their cleaning services foster a sense of community where fish of all sizes and species line up to get their parasites removed. even predators like groupers and barracudas show up at the cleaning stations and wait patiently for their turn, demonstrating how cleaner wrasses contribute to peace and cooperation among marine life.

this unique social behavior creates a symbiotic relationship that benefits everyone. cleaner wrasses are essential because they help prevent diseases by keeping fish free of parasites, ensuring the survival of both the fish and the reef ecosystem. this, in turn, impacts human coastal communities, which rely on healthy reefs for resources and protection from storm surges.

clewra’s intelligence and skill

what makes clewra and others of her species truly fascinating is their intelligence. cleaner wrasses are among the few fish species that can recognize themselves in mirrors, a sign of self-awareness, a rare trait among fish. clewra, in particular, has a remarkable ability to remember individual clients and their cleaning preferences. some cleaner wrasses cheat by nibbling at the protective mucus of their clients instead of just eating the parasites, but clewra is honest and trustworthy. her clients keep coming back because they know she does her job well.

researchers have found that the social intelligence of cleaner wrasses may even contribute to the development of their cognitive abilities. fish that interact with these cleaners must adapt and respond to social cues, making the reef a place of constant learning and communication. my research aims to delve deeper into this intelligence by conducting behavioral and cognitive tests on cleaner wrasses like clewra.

the ecosystem’s hidden heroes

cleaner wrasses like clewra are essential for more than just maintaining cleanliness. their role in preventing disease and infection ensures the overall health of the reef. without them, the balance of life on the reef could collapse, causing a ripple effect that would impact both marine life and human coastal communities.

this story was produced as part of the planet forward summer seminar in multimedia storytelling.

but no matter what year you are i’m sure this is a feeling that many of you are experiencing this week as well. 

to the disdain of my mother (and her wallet) this often has manifested itself as a desire for new stuff. new clothes, shoes, backpacks, sheets- you name it. it’s normal to seek out material items as a way of self expression and a new outfit can be a quick way to feel more confident. but like so many good things, this kind of consumerism is best in moderation. 

these days the online world, where we’re all spending increasingly more time, is flooded with influencers promoting products, celebrities unveiling new brands, and pictures with links where purchasing is as easy as clicking. 

it goes without saying that we are obsessed with stuff. constantly consuming this kind of content can put us in a negative feedback loop, we begin to feel unsatisfied by what we have, convinced that our lives would be better if only we had that one new thing.

not only is this kind of consumerism bad for our brains, it’s also bad for the planet. the production and transportation of clothes, electronics, etc. leads directly to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, effectively warming the earth. it also increases plastic production creating more waste and thus more landfills.

if you’re starting this school year in search of that special something new, here are a few ways to consume sustainably:

1. shop second hand: shopping at thrift stores such as goodwill, salvation army, or your local consignment is a great way to spruce up your closet without hurting the planet! many campuses across the country have introduced sustainable shopping initiatives. at the george washington university, beginning on friday aug. 30 with its grand opening, students will be able to visit the loop. the loop is gw’s free clothing exchange store where students can donate unwanted clothes, shoes and accessories in return for something “new.” learn more about the loop here. 
2. be intentional: there have been countless hours where i get lost in a rabbit hole on instagram or pinterest and walk away from my phone feeling like i want to burn my whole closet and start over. i love new shoes as much as carrie bradshaw does but at the end of the day my outfit is not a reflection of who i am and comparison is the thief of joy. i have found it much more worthwhile to spend time styling what i do have instead of pining over what i don’t. 
3. sharing is caring: in my three years of college i have been incredibly fortunate to live with girls similar sizes to me which has meant our respective closets have morphed into one big one. i recognize this is a huge luxury that many people might not have but friends are always a great place to look for inspiration, especially if they have an impending closet clean-out. 
4. quality over quantity: when you do decide it’s time to buy something new (yay!) consider investing in products that have been created sustainably instead of falling victim to fast fashion. although these kinds of clothes and shoes can be more expensive, it’s true that we vote with our wallets and by supporting brands that care about the planet and their employees, we are working to ensure a future where sustainability is the standard. 

wherever you (and your closet) might be this fall, here’s to a new school year of sustainability! good luck!

sports is often the last place that people turn to when they think about innovations in environmental sustainability. however, this couldn’t be further from the truth. in recent years, many teams across the sports world have been taking steps to adapt their systems and bring sustainability to their fans and competitions. teams like the syracuse crunch, a hockey team using recycled water for their ice rink, are paving the way for increased emphasis on environmentalism in the sporting infrastructure and operations.

continue reading about the syracuse crunch and other sustainability initiatives in sports by clicking the presentation below!

the wff was more than just a forum; it was a confluence of knowledge and passion, where young professionals like me, deeply invested in international development and agriculture, came together. the air was thick with a mix of humility and enlightenment as we delved into discussions and workshops.

each session i attended, and every interaction i had, was a vivid tapestry of insights. voices ranged from smallholder farmers to academics, from private sector mavens to policymakers, each contributing to a rich mosaic of perspectives. the diversity underscored the multifaceted nature of our quest for food security – a challenge demanding nothing less than collaborative ingenuity.

a particularly poignant moment was the address by the president of iraq – whose words painted a stark reality of a world facing the dual crises of food security and water scarcity. his speech was a clarion call, highlighting the dire projections for 2030 and the paradox of our planet’s water distribution, including that over 1.5 billion people are expected to face water scarcity by 2030. the urgency in his voice was a reminder of the critical need to rethink our relationship with water and agriculture.

it was inspiring to witness the food and agriculture organization (fao) exemplify its commitment to sustainability. demonstrating its corporate responsibility, the fao introduced a comprehensive food waste monitoring system in its canteens and food trucks. this system involved participants sorting their leftovers according to food types. observing this system in action on the first day motivated me to be more conscientious about requesting the right amount of food, thereby minimizing waste. remarkably, this initiative led to a significant reduction of 964 kg (2125 pounds) in leftover food waste.

innovation was the pulsating heart of the forum. witnessing technological advancements in agriculture, juxtaposed with time-honored practices that have been the backbone of communities for ages, was inspiring. stories like that of a young woman farmer intertwining her ancestors’ wisdom with modern science to cultivate resilient practices filled me with hope.

throughout the forum, i forged bonds with fellow advocates for agricultural development and a sustainable future. conversations sparked in rome wove themselves into my professional tapestry, reinforcing my resolve to contribute significantly to this global mission. the experienced experts painted a vivid picture of our planet’s limitations, grounding our discussions in a reality that was both personal and urgent. it dawned on me, and perhaps on all of us there, that our work carried an immense responsibility towards future generations.

as i departed from the wff, i took with me not just the wealth of knowledge shared, but a renewed determination to be at the forefront of change. the forum was a catalyst, igniting my commitment to a cause much grander than myself – nourishing the world sustainably and equitably. it was more than just an event; it was the kindling of a lifelong commitment to a cause greater than any individual — a commitment to the sustenance of our world.

washington – climate experts warned lawmakers about the effect of climate change on extreme weather during the first-ever congressional hearing on extreme event attribution, a field of climate science, on nov. 1. they offered solutions to help congress navigate more frequent and intensified weather events, like storms, droughts and heatwaves. 

“we’re the first generation to suffer from climate change, but the last generation which can do anything about it, so that’s our challenge,” said sen. edward markey (d-mass.). 

instances of extreme weather events are on the rise. this summer, phoenix set a record of 31 consecutive days of temperatures at or above 110 degrees. on the other side of the country, florida experienced severe rainfall, leading to flooding in the streets. 

sen. tom carper (d-del.) said extreme event attribution, which detects the extent to which man-made global warming influences extreme weather, can be an “important tool,” as congress takes steps to manage and prepare for severe weather events.  

“these questions matter because the human harms and costs of climate change are massive, and sadly, they are growing,” carper said. “we are going to focus on how it’s fueling extreme weather and what we can do about it.”

sen. shelley moore capito (r-w.va.) stressed the importance of finding bipartisan solutions over debating the causes of extreme weather, highlighting that extreme event attribution can’t tell whether global warming “caused” a specific event. 

michael wehner, a climate scientist at the applied mathematics and computational research division at the lawrence berkeley national laboratory, also emphasized the economic consequences of extreme weather. he estimated that global warming was responsible for about $50 billion in damages from flooding during hurricane harvey, a category 4 storm that made landfall in texas and louisiana in 2017.

extreme weather disproportionately impacts younger, older and low-income populations, wehner added. poor people are among the most vulnerable, as they are the least able to recover from these kinds of events, he said. 

“these damages were not equally distributed within socioeconomic groups,” wehner said. “the most vulnerable portion of the local population was disproportionately affected, and climate change exacerbated this injustice.”

paul dabbar, a former department of energy official, advocated for “technology-neutral innovation” and open strategies, which would further the competition of discovery. 

“the right strategy for the world today is to continue discovery, innovation and deployment of new options,” dabbar said. “while we certainly need to understand the drivers of climate change, we should focus on solutions also.” 

carper asked how attribution science could inform the designing and engineering of infrastructure, such that roads, bridges and pipes could better withstand severe weather. in response, wehner described his experience working with the san francisco city government on their waste management system, which had raised concerns about extreme precipitation. he quoted one city official, who said: “there ain’t no pipe good enough.”

“that has sent the engineers and designers back to the drawing room, saying ‘how will we accommodate these storms in a world that might be considerably warmer,’” he testified. 

wehner told the medill news service that cities need to adapt to increased extreme weather conditions by being more proactive, like adding green roofs or rethinking wastewater management systems. 

“in order to avoid more dangerous climate change, we have to have the entire planet go to zero emissions to stabilize the climate — that’s not going to happen in my lifetime,” wehner said. “so then, we have to adapt.”

sen. sheldon whitehouse (d-r.i.) asked how insurance companies were dealing with extreme flooding in florida, to which jennifer jurado, the chief resilience officer for broward county, florida, replied that some local insurance companies in florida are going bankrupt, while others are pulling out of the state altogether to avoid future risk. 

lawmakers stressed the importance of working together to find solutions to mitigate the effects of extreme weather events in the future. 

“while climate change is driving extreme weather, we are not helpless. this situation is not hopeless,” carper said. “working together, we can prevent the worst impacts of global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

washington – “i’ll show you what i dug out of one [camel] skeleton,” marine scientist marcus eriksen said as he unearthed a roughly 40-pound mass that he estimated held 2,000 plastic bags. 

eriksen’s display came as he and other experts testified on potential solutions to single-use plastics pollution, including new materials and improved recycling, during a subcommittee hearing for the senate environment and public works on october 26.

eriksen, co-founder of the 5 gyres institute, said he has also pulled plastic bags out of hundreds of bird skeletons and has had colleagues find them in whale guts too. he emphasized the global abundance of plastic waste that has risen exponentially in the last 15 years and resulted in serious health impacts for numerous species.

“these small, even nanoscale, particles are found in your bloodstream,” eriksen said in an interview with the medill news service before the hearing. “they get into the placenta of mothers. it gets into the organs of humans. it even crossed the brain barrier in studies of rats and mice.”

at the hearing, there was an intermittent back and forth between senators on whether plastic bags can be recycled, illustrating the larger confusion on the country’s present recycling system and its limited efficacy. 

sen. markwayne mullin (r-okla.) asked about the accumulation of plastic bags in the 40-pound mass, saying that it was his understanding that plastic bags can be recycled. sen. sheldon whitehouse (d-r.i.) said plastic bags cannot be recycled and that the recycling rate in general “stinks,” calling it “very, very much a failed system.” 

in response, mullin maintained that there are ways to recycle plastic bags, to which whitehouse said he had meant you can’t dispose of plastic bags in a mixed-use recycling bin. 

erin simon, vice president and head of plastic waste and business at the world wildlife fund, said plastic bags are technically recyclable but not often recycled. some recycling facilities do not accept plastic bags, wraps, and film in recycling bins because they clog machinery and cause safety hazards.

during the discussion, mullin cautioned against an impulsive reaction and called for “innovation, not misguided regulation.” he highlighted the work of witness humberto kravetz, the founder and ceo of gsf upcycling, a spain-based company that recycles plastic with less energy and environmental cost by using nanomaterials.

eriksen called for biodegradable plastics as a solution. he noted his organization’s 18-month field study that measured how 22 bioplastic items broke down in different land and marine environments with most samples degrading significantly within the timespan. 

“a lot of these biomaterials, they are functional replacements, especially as a thin film,” eriksen said in an interview before the hearing. 

eriksen also discussed the potential of regenerative materials such as seaweed and mushrooms in creating alternatives to plastics, which are made from fossil fuels.

simon noted the need for caution when considering the tradeoffs of switching to alternative materials, emphasizing that steps can be taken when sourcing alternatives to ensure there are more environmental and social benefits compared to conventional plastic.  

while various approaches were debated at the hearing, witnesses were unanimous on the need for urgent action to solve the single-use plastic pollution crisis.  

whitehouse argued that an economic component needs to be added to the technical conversation to provide incentive by reaching a point where recycled materials are cheaper than virgin plastic. 

“if that economic signal shifts, then suddenly recycling works,” whitehouse said, “because if there’s one rule of capitalism, it’s the profit’s imperative.”

according to simon, it’s the responsibility of governments and industries to make systems work for consumers while also addressing current trends. 

“all of the science tells us that, whether you’re talking about this from a pollution issue or from human health, first we need to produce less,” simon said in an interview before the hearing. “we can’t manage what we have, let alone what we’re projected to grow to.”

life on the sun-drenched isles of south florida can be breathtaking. miami boasts some of the most vibrant coastlines in the nation; crystalline ocean waters, brimming with life and home to some of the most remarkable biomes on earth, lap gently against bone-white shores. for me, miami is the perfect oasis. if only i could forget one little problem: we. are. sinking.

the atlantic ocean is marching upon us. environmental protection agency reports state that from 1996 to 2011, we’ve lost 20 square miles of coastline to the sea. the very same glistening waters that we floridians so love to admire have begun a seemingly unstoppable tirade against us. so, what are we going to do? where do we turn? who is going to ‘save our souls’?

we can’t count on the powerful developers who run the place. they’re doing better business than ever. the miami coastline is booming; the city is dotted with engineers and construction crews who swarm their work-sites like ants. hundreds of steel and glass towers crowd the narrow strip of land, each one taller than the last and all of them vying to be closest to god.

we can’t count on our elected officials. even when faced with daily floods and the sobering aftermath of hurricane irma, florida governor rick scott — the man who banned the phrases “climate change” and “global warming” from his administration’s vocabulary — still refuses to deal with the watery grave that he’s condemning our city to.

as it turns out, we’re going to have to save ourselves. all over the state, university students and educators are answering the call-to-arms. they’re researching, collaborating with the city of miami beach and working towards implementing substantive solutions. essentially, they are fighting back.

they are fighting back not just against the incoming tides but also against the seemingly endless inaction from those who are supposed to be in power. florida international university’s sea level solutions center (slsc) is leading the charge. the center was founded in 2015 with the vision of creating and implementing sustainable solutions for sea level rising.

in under two years, slsc had netted together a vast web of collaborators, student scientists and project leaders who work towards making some real changes in south florida. year after year, slsc pushes out newer, more innovative research projects. from a project which outlines the potential dangers of increasing salinity on our natural water systems and drinking water, to a project that aims to stabilize and protect south florida archaeological sites with integrated ecosystem restoration.  these research projects are important because through them the slsc is not only able to gather usable data and implement plans, but they also get the opportunity to educate on the less obvious effects of rising sea levels.

slsc tries to work directly with the community, according to brad schonhoff, a fiu graduate turned project manager.

“[we are] bringing science to the table, and telling what the latest data is showing, informing current zoning and building projects on the data… getting them to implement resilience into the building,” schonhoff said.

slsc works hand in hand with regional bodies to make sure that the plans for this new generation of renovations will be based in science. for example a recent a $400 million dollar general obligation bond was voted on in miami. roughly 200 million dollars of that will be funneled into environmentally focused renovations to the city, this includes; water pumps, sewage restructuring and raised roads. in situations like these, slsc takes the research they’ve painstakingly gathered and presents it to those who are charged with rebuilding our cities.

while this collaboration between the city of miami beach and the university’s research center is enough to give us hope for the future, we know that water pumps and high-roads are not exactly permanent fixes. we cannot build high enough, nor can we pump back out enough water to escape the forward march of the rising seas.

dear readers, i’m going to level with you. we know there is only one real solution to this problem. and floridians are counting on you – yes, i mean you! – to help us out on this one.

although we’re facing the immediate effects of rising sea-levels, this is a truly international issue. if we, as a united international community, could come together to do something about the adverse effects of global warming, melting glaciers wouldn’t be flooding into our coastal cities.

miami needs you, all of you, to join the fight. for our sake. this is our s.o.s. call, because at the rate we’re going, this beautiful, blossoming, slice of tropical paradise won’t be here for much longer.

from florida, with love.

social scientists disagree about why this is the case, but a new report from yale and george mason university offers a compelling explanation.

the report suggests there is a spiral of silence around climate change. few americans, even those who care about the carbon crisis, chat about climate change with friends or family. no one talks, so no one feels comfortable talking. silence begets silence begets silence, widening the gap between popular discourse and public opinion, in an ever-descending spiral.

how social scientists imagine a spiral. source: scheufle & moy, 2000

the term spiral of silence was coined in 1974 by german researcher elizabeth noelle-neumann, who was attempting to understand the rise of hitler. she wanted to know how so many people remained silent as the country slipped into the grip of fascism. she found that when everyone is silent, no one speaks up.

over the years, scholars have applied the theory to a range of issues. consistently, they find that people don’t speak up for fear of isolation and reprisal. share an unpopular opinion, and you risk losing friends and social status.

with climate change, there is some evidence of this. again and again, surveys show that americans broadly care about the issue, but few talk about it openly. this is apparent in the findings of the yale/gmu report.

most americans care about global warming.

there are several ways to measure concern. the yale/gmu report looked at who is interested in climate change and who finds the issue personally relevant. turns out, it’s a lot of people. this is consistent with other othersurvey data showing that large majorities of americans believe the climate is changing and think the government should work to cut greenhouse gases.

source: yale/george mason university

few americans say they hear about global warming in the news.

when asked how often they hear about climate change in the news media, fewer than half of americans said once a month or more. on this measure, public perceptions are roughly in line with reality. news coverage of climate change is sorely lacking. last year, broadcast news gave climate change less airtime than deflategate.

source: yale/george mason university

few americans talk about global warming with their friends and family.

this is perhaps the most significant factor. the fear of isolation and reprisal is immediate and personal. people look to friends and family to judge which opinions are safe to share. not many americans hear their peers talking about global warming, and few are likely to bring it up in conversation — a fact that hasn’t changed much over the past several years.

source: yale/george mason university

here is the smoking gun.

among people who say they are interested in global warming and say it’s personally important, less than half say they hear about it in the media on a monthly basis. about a quarter say they hear about it from their friends once or more a month. and — here’s where the spiral of silence comes in — less than half talk about it with their peers.

source: yale/george mason university

why is this happening?

part of the problem is that news coverage hardly measures up to the scale of the problem. it’s a well-established finding in social science that americanstake their cues about which issues are important based on the volume of coverage.

but that doesn’t explain why so few people talk about climate with their family and friends. the rise of social media may be a factor. political polarization may be as well.

“our sense is that most americans don’t raise the issue in conversation because they want to avoid heated or drawn out conversations with people who may hold more extreme views than they do — one way or the other,” said ed maibach, professor of communications at george mason university and lead author of the report.

climate change has become more political polarized in recent years. source: dunlap, mccright, & yarosh, 2016

“it’s a bit like the old adage that it’s impolite to discuss sex, religion, or politics at the dinner table, because it is likely to make someone uncomfortable,” said maibach. “our spring 2016 survey found that 56 percent of americans see global warming as a political issue… that’s more than half the people at any given dinner table.”

but, while climate change has become more polarized, few americans hold extreme views. most linger somewhere in the middle — concerned, cautious, disengaged or doubtful, as summed up in previous research from yale and george mason university.

americans cluster into six groups according to their beliefs about climate change. source: yale/george mason univeristy

“most americans are convinced that climate change is happening, but they don’t hold strong feelings about it. moreover, they mistakenly think that lots of americans hold strong feelings about it — either alarmed feelings or dismissive feelings,” said maibach.

not everyone agrees that what we are seeing is a spiral of silence. david karpf, professor of communications at george washington university, offered a competing view.

“i believe the main driver here is that climate change is a quiet crisis. the problem isn’t that it is politicized, or that it isn’t a priority,” said karpf. “the problem is (1) that there isn’t a set of routinized events that bring it to into public conversation, and (2) we don’t have a clear notion of what we can each do about it.”

“that’s not really a spiral of silence,” he said. “if there were some set of events that acted as a drumbeat and pushed us to either pay attention to climate change or actively ignore it, then i think we’d see a lot more public conversation about climate.”

compare climate to gun violence, a problem that regularly consumes the news in the wake of mass shootings. these are moments, explained karpf, “that seize our collective consciousness.” with climate, such flash points routinely go unrecognized. reporters fail to connect heat waves, droughts and severe storms to global warming, despite a wealth of evidence.

so, while most americans believe climate change is a problem and worry about it, few are passionate about the issue. what’s needed is more coverage and more conversation about global warming. it’s going to take some work to serve up climate at the dinner table.

.  .  .

jeremy deaton writes for nexus media, a syndicated newswire covering climate, energy, policy, art and culture. you can follow him at @deaton_jeremy.

when hobart and william smith president mark d. gearan signed the american college and university presidents climate commitment in 2007, the colleges cemented both their dedication to a campus-wide effort of environmental sustainability and a more complete education towards its mission. in doing so, president gearan set in motion an institution-wide initiative that incorporates environmental sustainability in all campus life and decisions.

the hobart and william smith colleges’ climate action plan is designed to fulfill the colleges’ obligation to achieve “net zero greenhouse gas emissions” by 2025. it incorporates the input of students, faculty and staff in an effort to create an inclusive educational atmosphere that offers practical application for theories and ideas learned in the classroom, with the result of making a positive difference on the immediate hws campus, in the local community and on a global scale. by fostering the growth of an environmental “living laboratory,” this climate action plan offers opportunities for students to become empowered leaders and agents for change.