Today’s aquariums are more than collections of fishes and other marine organisms. They now recreate the marine environment with exhibitions where you can see sea creatures interacting with their habitats. Also, they are educational centers, research institutions; they support conservation and restoration programs and they are even treatment and rehabilitation centers for endangered marine species. An aquarium has been proposed for Puerto Rico and the island has certain advantages. Puerto Rico is surrounded by good quality ocean waters. This aquarium, which is said could attract between 840,000 to 1 million visitors a year, could be an educational center and help revitalize the port area. The propagation of marine species can also be an activity for the aquarium in Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rican aquarium should incorporate a little bit of all these aspects, but adjusted to our reality.

The Puerto Rican vireo, endemic to Puerto Rico, is a small bird, less than 5 inches long. It stands out for its song and for having a thick beak, white chest and a yellowish belly. The Puerto Rican vireo can only live in forest and sometimes in shadowy coffee plantations. It is very common in the northern karst, where the diversity of trees provides the food necessary for this bird. Among its favorite food are beetles, grasshoppers and blackflies. Sometimes it also eats spiders, small lizards and fruits.

This week, the Volcanology Observatory of Montserrat reported a volcanic eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano that affected local aerial transit from and to Puerto Rico, as well as the respiratory system of many. It is calculated that the ash cloud reached 240 feet of altitude. Volcanic ashes are particles of pulverized rocks turned to sand or dust, and are a natural element of the environmental contamination caused by volcanic eruptions. These particles can be abrasive, acid, sandy, gassy and usually has a strong sulfur smell.

In the past few years, Daniel Crespo, president of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technicians Association, has dedicated his time to educate the population about the environmental consequences of improperly disposing of the toxic waste generated by electro-domestic equipment. Refrigerants, the substances used to cool down refrigerators, water fountains and air conditioners, contain toxic and flammable substances that could cause respiratory and nervous system problems, if disposed incorrectly. The excessive and inadequate release of this substances to the environment have been the main motive for some nations in the world to create international treaties –the Montreal and Kyoto Protocols- that intend to reduce the production of these and other substances that affect the ecological balance of the planet. According to this organization, not only refrigerators and air conditioners can damage the environment when disposed, but also many other appliances that are common in garbage dumps. The organization presented the Legislature and the government with a plan to create a Plant for the Disposal of Electronic and Electric Appliances. The idea is to create a plant to dispose of refrigerants and recycle the solid waste generated from disposed computers, stoves, washers, and fluorescent lamps.