Blog posts by Simon Costanzo
The Orinco River Basin. Credit: WWF

Our first report card in South America – The Orinoco River Basin, Colombia

Simon Costanzo ·
6 March 2015
Environmental Report Cards |     1 comments

This February, I headed further south in America than I have ever before…..to Colombia in South America (still in the northern hemisphere though at 3o N). This trip was on invitation from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Washington D.C. with the aim to set up a report card for three tributaries of the Orinoco River within Colombia - The Meta, Bita and Guaviare Rivers.

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Billion Oyster Project logo with Manhattan skyline in the background.

Growing minds through growing oysters

Simon Costanzo ·
18 November 2014
Learning Science | 

In late October 2014, I travelled to New York City to represent IAN at the media launch of a new National Science Foundation (NSF) project based in New York Harbor and led by PACE University. It’s a pretty big deal to receive major funding from the NSF and this is the first NSF project that I have been involved in. For it to be based in one of the most famous cities in the world is an added bonus.

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Location of the 64 Large Marine Ecosystems around the world. Source: Sea Around Us project

Large Marine Ecosystems – An Australian in Paris

Simon Costanzo ·
24 July 2014
Science Communication |     1 comments

Recently IAN was asked to attend and present at the 16th Consultative Committee Meeting on Large Marine Ecosystems and Coastal Partners in Paris, France. I was lucky enough to be the one from IAN chosen to participate and I absolutely loved it! It’s unusual these days to attend a meeting and not know anyone, but this was the case for me at the UNESCO headquarters in the Invalides district of Paris.

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Shrimp and Grits – Working with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

Simon Costanzo ·
8 May 2014
Science Communication | 

IAN was lucky enough to be invited to Charleston, South Carolina, to conduct a science communication course for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC). Together with Jane Thomas, Brianne Walsh and Jane Hawkey, we had two wonderful days in the warm South, and were even greeted by an alligator on the lawn outside our hotel when we arrived. We were then greeted by a much more pleasant host, Amber Von Harten, who is the outreach specialist for SAFMC.

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Those Aussies have a carbon tax?

Simon Costanzo ·
13 December 2011

I read in the Washington Post that the Australian Government passed the Clean Energy Bill through the Senate on 8.11.2011. It was widely covered in U.S. media, with even a theme of anticipation in the lead-up to the vote. Some of the responses to articles were quite funny including “…those Aussies are going to have to heat their food up in the sun” and “I guess they will be eating their baked beans cold from now on”.

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Duck hunting

It's fowl to be sustainable

Simon Costanzo ·
7 December 2011

Paying homage to the annual migrating Canada geese flying overhead, it is apt to discuss the unusual balance that exists around Chesapeake Bay between hunting and conservation. My recent visit to the local Walmart required passage past three aisles of camouflage attire, duck decoys, bird whistles, knives and of course guns. I spotted a whole pallet of discounted ammunition, akin to a half-priced pallet of washing detergent you might see in an Australian supermarket.

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USEPA Criminal Enforcement Webpage

CRIME DON'T PAY IN THE USA

Simon Costanzo ·
23 November 2011

Having worked as an investigator with the former Queensland EPA in Australia, I was gob-smacked by the progressive way that the U.S. EPA deals with environmental crime. EPA Special Agents are sworn federal law enforcement officers with statutory authority to conduct investigations, carry firearms, make arrests for any federal crime and execute and serve any warrant. There is even a remembrance day to remember Agents who gave their lives carrying out their duties to protect the environment.

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John Holdren and the U.S. President

Climate Disruption

Simon Costanzo ·
23 November 2011
Science Communication | 

I recently attended a summit in Washington DC on climate change where the keynote speaker was Dr John Holdren who is the Science Advisor to President Barack Obama. Dr Holdren gave a great presentation on the facts proving climate change, or what he coined "climate disruption". He believed "climate change" was too soft and too gradual a term that didn't portray the message of the true climate phenomenon that is currently facing the earth. Keep your eye out for "climate disruption" in the media.

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