Karen Player, Author at Australian Environmental Education

February 13, 2020September 24, 2020

Urban Heat Island effect

What you need to know about the Urban Heat Island effect? Cities create their own micro climates by affecting the surrounding atmosphere and interacting with climate processes. The result is that urban areas are becoming significantly warmer than the surrounding areas. Especially when there is less green cover and more hard surfaces which absorb, store and radiate heat.

The impacts of the Urban Heat Island effect include:

Increased daytime temperatures
Reduced night time cooling
Higher air pollution levels

These impacts affect human health by causing:

Respiratory difficulties
Heat cramps
Exhaustion
Heat stroke
Heat-related mortality

The 2017 Cooling Western Sydney report shows the most effective urban heat mitigation technologies incorporate a combination of urban greening, water-based technologies and cool materials. Increased green spaces with water features and fountains, combined with cool material technologies including cool roofs and pavements are all ways to reduce temperatures across Sydney making a more liveable and climate resilient city.

With the increase in urbanisation across Sydney incorporating theses strategies in urban design will become even more important.

What can you do?

Increase shade around your home: planting trees and other vegetation lowers surface and air temperatures by providing shade and cooling through evapotranspiration. Trees and vegetation can also reduce stormwater runoff and protect against erosion.
Install Green Roofs: growing plants, shrubs, grasses and trees on a rooftop reduces temperatures of the roof surface and the surrounding air and improves stormwater management. Also called “rooftop gardens” or “eco-roofs,” green roofs achieve these benefits by providing shade and removing heat from the air through evapotranspiration.

*INFOGRAPHIC: In addition to reducing stormwater runoff, experts say green roofs have psychological benefits.* © Urban Water/City of Melbourne

Install Cool Roofs: a cool roof is made of materials or coatings that significantly reflect sunlight and heat away from a building. This reduces roof temperatures, increases the comfort and lowers energy demand.
Install Cool Pavements: Using paving materials on sidewalks, parking lots, and streets that remain cooler than conventional pavements by reflecting solar energy and enhancing water evaporation. This cools the pavement surface and surrounding air and can also reduce stormwater runoff and improve night time visibility.

Find out more:

February 1, 2020January 14, 2021

Sydney’s hidden garden

Diving in Sydney is a great experience, there is literally a secret garden hidden beneath the surface. Sandstone rock formations, incredible sponge gardens and a huge diversity of marine life is waiting for you to explore.

Watch this video to get a taste of what is hidden beneath the surface.

I know not everyone is interested in scuba diving so I thought I would share some of the amazing species I saw on my last dive at Long Reef and Old Mans Hat in Sydney with you. You can experience what I saw without leaving your house.

Giant Cuttlefish

The Giant Cuttlefish Sepia apama are one of my favourite animals to find on a dive. They are inquisitive and playful and amazing to see. They can change the colour and texture of their skin so quickly that it almost looks like they are flashing. One of my favourite moments was when I found a Giant Cuttlefish under a ledge, I offered it my occy (secondary air hose) that has a fluro yellow end. The Cuttle was fascinated with the colour and movement, it came in very close, extended a tentacle and tried to take the occy. It was unforgettable to have a personal interaction and be so close to these highly intelligent animals. You can find out more about the Giant Cuttlefish on the Australian Museum website.

Sydney Octopus

My sister spotted a Common Sydney Octopus Octopus tetricus trying to hide in the rock wall. Their camouflage is truly incredible and are very hard to find. One tip is to look for a a pile of discarded shells from their last meal. You can find out more on the Australian Museum website

Blue Groper

The Eastern Blue Groper Achoerodus viridis is a familiar sight for Sydney Divers. The friendly Blue Groper often follows you around while you are on a dive. I have been surprised more than once to turn around and be face to face with one of these guys. You can find out more about the Blue Groper on the Australian Museum website

Weedy Sea Dragon

I was very lucky to see 5 Weedy Seadragon Phyllopteryx taeniolatus at Old Mans Hat yesterday. They camouflage by hiding in the kelp and you need to look carefully to find them. People will often find their dried bodies washed up on the shore after storms. You can find out more about the Weedy Seadragon on the Australian Museum website.

Spotted Wobbegong

It is not unusual to find a Spotted Wobbegong Orectolobus maculatus hiding under a rock ledge or spotting a tail through a gap in the rocks. My sister pointed the Wobby hiding under a ledge at Long Reef. You can find out more about the Spotted Woobegong on the Australian Museum website.

Grey Nurse Shark

I was excited to see so many Grey Nurse Sharks Carcharias taurus yesterday. At one point I was swimming along the top of the rock wall will a adult swam in time below, it must have been almost 3 metres long. I was mesmerised watching this majestic animal and wondered why these sharks create a panic with so many people.

Nudibranchs

Nudibranchs are sea slugs, they are small, colourful and slow moving. Approximately 382 species have been found along the NSW coastline. I saw several of the Nudibranch Polycera hedgpethi pictured below on my dive yesterday. I usually see a couple of different species on each Sydney dive. You can find out more about the variety of Sydney Nudibranch on the Sydney Dive website

*Polycera hedgpethi* ©Sarah Han-de-Beaux

Sponge Gardens

Sponge Gardens are hidden gardens beneath the sea. The Sea Tulips and sponges move in the current to create a surreal environment. It feels like you are in another world.

What can you do to help preserve this amazing environment?

Remove any rubbish that you find in the water or on the beach
Remove any bits of fishing line and nets that you see
Be aware that what you do on land impacts our marine systems downstream

January 31, 2020January 14, 2021

My dive the with Sharks

I just finished an amazing Scuba dive at Long Reef Sydney. The boat dive was booked specifically to see the Grey Nurse Sharks (Carcharias taurus) and we weren’t disappointed. The current was strong and as I peered over the edge of the rock wall into the gutter I saw at least 7 Grey Nurse Sharks.

As my eyes adjusted I began to see more detail as the sharks swam back and forth along the gutter. I was mesmerised watching this critically endangered species and wondered why these sharks create a panic with so many people. Is it their size, teeth or eyes that make people I speak to uneasy? The Grey Nurse Shark may be large and have a lot of sharp pointy teeth, but are not considered harmful to humans. The Grey Nurse Shark actually feeds on range of fish, other sharks, squids, crabs and lobsters which are pierced with these sharp teeth.

Watch this video to experience what it is like to be in the water with these beautiful animals.

I am always surprised when I tell people I dive, that one of the first responses is aren’t you worried about sharks? I find this strange because finding sharks on a dive is a highlight. Some trips are specifically planned to find sharks.

In the 25 years that I have been diving I have never felt afraid in the water. I show respect to all the marine life and dive to the conditions. I feel privileged to be part of this underwater world, especially when I find a shark.

Sharks I have seen in Sydney Waters

Grey Nurse Sharks Carcharias taurus	The east coast population is listed as critically endangered	Current threats are believed to include: incidental catch from commercial fisheries, recreational fishing and the bather protection programs
Ornate Wobbegong Orectolobus ornatus	Vulnerable	The main threat to the wobbegong continues to be overfishing.
Spotted Wobbegong Orectolobus maculatus	Vulnerable	The main threat to the wobbegong continues to be overfishing.
Port Jackson Heterodontus portusjacksoni	Listed as Least Concern on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List, the egg cases have very high mortality rates (estimated at 89.1%).	Vulnerable to being caught as bycatch.
Dusky Whaler Carcharhinus obscurus	Vulnerable	Extremely susceptible to overfishing.

Did you know

Male Grey Nurse Sharks bite females during the courtship process. In the breeding season it is common to see small scars on the females
Sharks are able to swallow air at the surface of the water in order to give them buoyancy control
They have large, sharp teeth, but they are not very strong and break easily
The Grey Nurse Shark was the first protected shark in the world when it was protected under New South Wales legislation in 1984.

How you can help

Remove any rubbish or fishing gear that you see in the water or on the beach
Refrain from fishing in Grey Nurse Shark areas
If diving, report any tagged Grey Nurse Sharks
Learn more about threatened species and their habitats.

January 16, 2020June 11, 2023

When it rains it pours

What is the impact of heavy rain after the recent fires and continued drought? The lack of rain and the fires create a situation where water doesn’t soak into the soil resulting in an increase in runoff. This is because the soil has become hydrophobic and repels the water instead. Vast amounts of vegetation has been lost during the fires exposing the ground to erosion. This combined with all the debris, ash and increased runoff create the risk of landslides, flash flooding and contaminated water flowing into our waterways.

BOM forecaster Abrar Shabren said “Flash flooding is generally a concern with thunderstorms and ponding of water on roads. Depending on how much vegetation is left, how much bushfire the ground has gone through, that can also add to the impact of flash flooding as well,” He said bushfire areas were also “vulnerable” to landslides and toppling trees during thunderstorms because fires would have weakened the vegetation.

The Macleay River in northern NSW has already seen the impact of runoff from bushfire affected areas where locals have reported thousands of fish have been killed after ash was washed into the river system.

Locals believe hundreds of thousands of fish may have died Image © ABC

According to Tony Weber from WaterNSW the amount of rainfall is unlikely to replenish dams or break the drought in any regions. Warragamba Dam, which supplies water to more than 5 million people living in Sydney and the lower Blue Mountains, is only at 43.7 per cent capacity. Mr Weber said that “The modelling tells us that given the size of the catchment and the prolonged dry period that’s been experienced, we’ll need rain well in excess of that to really generate any inflows,” .

In the recent fires over 320,000 hectares in the Warragamba Dam catchment has been burnt. “So the volume of ash and debris that’s flowing around the catchment is extensive,” Mr Weber said. “The advice we’ve had from the Bureau of Meteorology is that this rain probably won’t be sufficient to generate that sort of run-off. However Mr Weber continued stating ” the risk of ash contamination for the storage will remain a reality for some six to 12 months to come.”

The NSW State Government has recently installed curtains and booms to trap silt and ash due to the concerns raised about the risk to Sydney’s drinking water. The ABC reported the State Government was installing curtains and booms to prevent silt and ash from contaminating the water at Warragamba Dam.

Booms will be used to trap silt and ash from the bushfires. © ABC

Professor Stuart Khan a water expert from from the University of NSW told the ABC that “Once you have a fire go through a drinking-water catchment, the ash that’s left on the ground and the ground itself becomes more repelling of water,” Professor Khan said the water coming out of the tap would still be clean and drinkable, but the silt and ash would create a challenge for the Prospect Water Filtration Plant.

“The immediate problems really are problems for the water treatment processes,” he said. “Water treatment plants are designed to remove contaminants like that from the water, but when we have very large quantities of sediment they will really struggle.”

January 2, 2020December 31, 2020

Welcome to 2020

It is great to jump into the the new year with a goal and a plan. I like to think about what I can realistically achieve, what I can do differently to make a better future. 2020 is going to be My Year of Sustainability. I want to step up and do more and show my children that we can all make a difference.

As we begin a new decade it is important to reflect on the year that has pasted. Australia has experienced heatwaves, bushfire, droughts and floods. According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) 2019 was the hottest and driest year on record.

In 2019 my family made 2 big road trips crossing 5 states. I saw first hand the impact of the droughts across regional New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. In July we saw the receding floodwaters in Queensland where the town of Birdsville was recovering after being cut off by floods twice. The devastation of the bushfires on the NSW South Coast was incredible as we drove down the Princes Highway in late December. Even more so because the worst was yet to come. We stayed at Lakes Entrance and drove through East Gippsland as the fire crisis was beginning. I’ve had an overwhelming sense of doom after being engulfed by bushfire smoke for so long and watching these natural disasters.

Receding floodwater Birdsville Qld and the surrounding area July 2019 © Karen Player

Everything I have seen throughout 2019 has motivated me to make 2020 My Year of Sustainability. So where will I start?

What can I do to make a difference?

I am going to start with the things I can control. I’m avoiding single use items and making sure I always have a spare reusable bag with me. Sydney tap water is some of the best in the world, so we should all say no to buying water in plastic bottles. Just refill your own water bottle, save the environment and save money too.

I will spend more time in the garden; build a haven for local wildlife, grow more fresh food and create a space to enjoy and relax. I miss my chickens and will fix up their hutch and get a couple of hens. Chickens are great for fresh eggs, reduce your amount of waste and keep the garden healthy. I’m also keen to get a native bee hive this year.

I will avoid using chemical in the garden to control pests and try some of these ideas:

Apply soapy water directly Bugs (sap sucking insects).
Place a saucers of beer in the garden to discourage snails or sprinkle sawdust some near the base of plants.
Sprinkle half eggshells throughout your veggie garden to deter cabbage moths.
Pour boiling water directly onto weeds to kill them.
Spray milk directly onto affected leaves to get rid of powdery mildew or mix 4 litres of water, 4 teaspoons of baking soda and half a cup of white oil as a spray.

The drought is continuing and we all need to be Waterwise. In 2019 we installed a pump to use the grey water from our showers and baths in the garden, we fixed our leaking toilet and got a pump and hose for our rainwater tank.

We can all reduce our water footprint with the following tips:

Take shorter showers.
Check for dripping taps and leaking
Only run the dishwasher and washing machine went it is full
Don’t put rubbish or chemicals down the drain.
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean paths and driveways

I will continue to reduce, reuse and recycle and go beyond

Reduce Reuse Recycle Infographic — Reduce, Reuse and Recycle © WWF

Think about what changes you can make to the way you live and work to become more sustainable? What changes are we prepared to make as a community and nation that will help us achieve this goal?

I came across these World Wildlife Fund infographics on Sustainable Shopping and Food Waste that I wanted to share. They both provide simple and tangible actions that I can achieve.

Sustainable Shopping Infographic — Sustainable Shopping WWF

*How Much Food Do We Waste? Probably More Than You Think! © WWF*

Find out more

December 14, 2019June 11, 2023

Becoming Waterwise

Water is essential for all life and is the most abundant substance on Earth, yet water scarcity is one of the biggest issues facing us today. Australia is the world’s driest inhabited continent and 2019 was the hottest and driest year on record. Climate change is impacting the Australian landscape and the affects are already being felt with widespread droughts and the intense and early start to the fire seasons.

See how Climate Change will affect you.

You can be part of the solution by looking at your water usage and exploring ways that you can be more Waterwise and live more Sustainably.

There are many ways to be waterwise.

In the home

Take shorter showers.
Use the half flush button on your toilet instead of the full flush button.
Turn taps off when brushing teeth
Check for dripping taps
Only run the dishwasher or washing machine went it is full
Don’t put rubbish or chemicals down the drain.
Don’t turn the tap on too hard while washing your hands and turn off it properly.
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean paths and driveways.

Save Water Infographic copyright @ Cienpies Design

In the garden

Water the garden early in the morning or in the evening because less water evaporates when it is cooler.
Plant Australian plants that are native to your area and mulch your garden.
Find alternatives to fertilisers and pesticides that may contain harmful chemicals.
Wash the car on the lawn.
Reuse your bath water for plants
Check for dripping taps
Collect rain water to use in the garden

Water Usage Calculator

Try out the Hunter Water: Water Usage Calculator to calculate how much water you use each year. The Water Use table lists how many litres of water are used for common household activities each day. You can also use this to calculate how much water you use each day and help you find areas to reduce consumption and become Waterwise.

WATER USE	LITRES
Toilet (Single flush cistern) Toilet (Duel Flush)	11 litres 3 litres for a half flush 6 litres for a full flush
Bath	100 litres
Shower (standard shower head) Shower (low flow shower head)	20 litres/minute 10 litres/minute
Dishwasher load	12 litres
Washing machine load	90 litres
Brushing teeth with tap running	5 litres/minute
Drinking, cooking, cleaning	10 litres person/day
Hand basin per use	5 litres
Garden sprinkler	15 litres/minute
Garden dripper per hour	15 litres/minute
Car Washing with hose	15 litres/minute
Hosing driveway	15 litres/minute
A dripping tap can waste up to	200 litres of water/day
Leaking or running toilet	500 litres of water/day

Remember to check on your local water restrictions

Find out more about Water Scarcity and the impacts of Climate Change on Droughts with the following links:

November 7, 2019June 11, 2023

Outdoor Classroom Day

Today is Outdoor Classroom Day and is a great opportunity to look at ways to take your students outside to explore. Outdoor Classroom Day is a global campaign to celebrate and inspire outdoor learning and play. Thousands of schools around the world take lessons outdoors and prioritise playtime using nature based and hands on learning practices. Last year over 3.5 million children worldwide took part with over 300,000 in Australia.

Research has shown that outdoor learning improves children’s health, engages them with learning and leads to a greater connection with nature. Play not only teaches critical life skills such as resilience, teamwork and creativity, but is central to children’s enjoyment of childhood.

The Australian Curriculum section on Outdoor learning states it can be instrumental in:

the teaching and learning of self-reliance, interdependence and leadership
the development of an adventurous spirit
managing personal risks
experiencing safe journeys in nature
learning the value of lifelong outdoor recreation for enjoyment, health and wellbeing
understanding nature through direct experience; and the development of deeper human–nature relationships.

Any learning experience that can be undertaken in the outdoors or in a natural setting can contribute positively to a range of learning areas. The unique and specific benefits that outdoor learning can contribute to a student’s education include:

providing direct personal contact with nature (the outdoors) in ways that promote enjoyment of outdoor activity and the natural world. Such enjoyment can be the basis for ongoing outdoor recreation and nature experiences, supporting personal health and wellbeing and providing the foundations for ecological literacy.
enabling perspectives on contemporary living and human-to-nature relationships. Through the provision of outdoor experiences, students have opportunities to reflect on healthy alternatives for everyday living and lay vital foundations for sustainability and stewardship into the future.
developing competence and safety management in the Australian outdoors. This includes how outdoor learning can teach students to assess risk and make judgements about their management of it.
enhancing wellbeing through guided reflection on involvement in group and individual activities that are challenging and adventurous.
developing essential personal and social capabilities such as communication, resilience, self-confidence, leadership, teamwork, goal setting, personal autonomy and initiative.

Read more on the Australian Curriculum website: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/curriculum-connections/portfolios/outdoor-learning/

Outdoor Education in your classroom

Hear are some simple ways you can integrate outdoor education with your class

Wildlife surveys
Water audits
Sustainability
Gardening

November 3, 2019June 11, 2023

World Jellyfish Day

Jellyfish are in the phylum Cnidarians an ancient group of animals with a history of more than 650 million years. The word Cnidarian comes from the Ancient Greek: knide = nettle, named after a type of plant with stinging hairs. They have soft, hollow bodies, live in water and generally have tentacles.

Fun Fact: Moon Jelly can age backwards! They can revert back into polyp stage and then regrow into an adult again. Moon Jellies can also regenerate lost body parts.

Jellyfish: snack food of the sea

Jellyfish were once thought to be at the end of the food chain because they are have low nutritional content. New research shows that many species rely on Jellyfish as part of their diet including penguins, albatross, tuna, turtles, crabs and benthic microbes. Some animals even time their oceanic migrations to coincide with expansive jellyfish blooms like the Leatherback Turtle.

Concerns have been raised about the explosive growth of Jellyfish populations due to climate change, overfishing, nutrient runoff, and habitat modification. However this could be a positive in areas where fish and krill are in decline, as the importance of Jellyfish as a food source for marine animals will increase.

Find out more about these amazing animals

Did you know: the Bluebottle, Physalia utriculus is not a single animal but a colony? It is a colony of four kinds of zooids that are dependent on one another for survival.

The float pneumatophore is a single individual and supports the rest of the colony.
The tentacles dactylozooids are polyps concerned with the detection and capture of food and convey their prey to the digestive polyps.
The digestive polyps gastrozooids breaks down the food
The reproduction polyps gonozooids

Happy World Jellyfish Day

October 28, 2019September 30, 2020

Beachcombing – exploring our shores

Beachcombing is a great way to explore our shores and learn more about the animals that live along our rocky shores, sandy beaches and mangroves. There are so many amazing things to look out for including shells, shark eggs, crabs, cuttlefish bone, seaweed, sponges, along with interesting rocks, sea glass and driftwood. You never know what you will find?

Here are a few ideas to help get you started.

Wear comfortable shoes, hat and sunscreen
Check the tides, the best time to explore is when the tide is going out
A great time to explore is after a big storm
- Use caution and common sense as waves can still be big.
Bring a camera to record your discoveries
- Use a scale to help identify the animals later
Check local restrictions on collecting shells and driftwood.
- It is illegal to remove living animals or plants from the foreshore and rocky reefs in Marine Parks and National Parks
- Remember hermit crabs are always needing to upgrade their shells
Bring a bag to collect rubbish to help keep our marine environment clean.

Below are some of the animals I found on a recent walk near Anna Bay in New South Wales, Australia. There were lots of shells, bits of driftwood and I was very lucky to photograph these crabs before they disappeared beneath the sand.

Soldier Crab Mictyris longicarpus *Anna Bay NSW*.
Soldier Crabs sort through the sand for organic matter, whats left is made into balls and left on the sand.

If you find something interesting or that you haven’t seen before, do some research. Using a Google image search is a great place to start. You can also contact the Australian Museum for species identifications. Make sure your image has a scale to help with identification https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/species-identification/

The Pumice Raft is coming

Keep an eye out along the east coast of Australia for the arrival of the Pumice Raft between March and June 2020. Queensland University of Technology geologist Scott Bryan said pieces of pumice from the eruption of an underwater volcano near Tonga in early August 2019 would wash up on Australian shores in 7- 12 months. “When it gets here, the pumice raft will be covered in a whole range of organisms of algae and barnacles and corals and crabs and snails and worms,” he said. “We’re going to have millions of individual corals and lots of other organisms all coming in together with the potential of finding new homes along our coastline.”

You can record what animals you see along our shores at the Atlas of Living Australia

October 10, 2019October 8, 2022

World Octopus Day

World Octopus Day is on the October 8th, I think these amazing animals should be celebrated everyday along with other Cephalopods: Squids, Cuttlefish and Nautilus. The largest Cephapods are the Giaint and Colossal Squid that are over 10m in length, this makes them the largest invertebrates. The smallest cephalopod is the squid Idiosepius, at only 1cm. The Colossal Squid also has the largest eye in the animal kingdom that is about the size of a soccer ball.

*Credit: Bristol ridin/Flickr/CC-BY-2.0*

Learn about 10 different species of Octopus with Ocean Scuba Dive