Earth Day and a New Sequoia Reads

What do rubber ducks, athletic shoes, messages in bottles, plastic bags and 6-pack plastic rings have in common? These are some of the items that float around in our oceans today. In Flotsametrics, writer and oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer discusses how gyres move flotsam around the world.

We chose this book as our next Sequoia Reads selection in honor of Earth Day 2009. Join us in reading Flotsametrics by Curtis Ebbesmeyer. Tod Klingler will lead a discussion about the science of flotsam in May.

Where can you get a copy of the book? Aside from the various book sellers, Santa Clara County Library and San Mateo County Library each have 3 copies in their catalog, and Palo Alto Public Library has 2.

In the meantime, you can listen to an archive of Curtis Ebbesmeyer on Science Friday with Ira Flatow on April 10th.

And next time you are out on the bay, pick up that flotsam and rid our waters of some garbage.

Trivia: Do you know the difference between flotsam and jetsam? Leave your answers in the comments.