On April 11th, Surfrider Foundation Portland Chapter gave the students of Da Vinci Middle School in Portland the opportunity to dive into some hands-on water quality activities to better understand their inland impact on coastal watersheds and marine organisms. Students engineered marine organisms out of common craft materials and tested their buoyancy in controlled tanks. They were then able to test the effects of common pollutants on the buoyancy of their "engineered organisms". Many common pollutants such as detergents, pesticides, and oil affect marine plants and animals in unique and subtle ways not always so obvious as an oil spill. The students were able to understand how only the smallest amounts of these pollutants can affect the health and livelihood of important marine organisms that we as humans depend on. More importantly, the students learned how they can help keep such pollutants out of the ocean environment, even in inland cities like Portland. Portland Surfrider participates in many water quality activities from testing the Willamette, Clackamas and Columbia Rivers to marking storm drains in the around the city of Portland. To find out how you can be involved, contact our volunteer coordinator at
noelles@hotmail.com.