Skip to main content

Of Penguins & Solar Panels

African penguins roosting on beach

Here’s a surprising penguin fact: much like our own communities, African Penguins and the ecosystems they’re part of benefit from our transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy.

Like many people, we at the New England Aquarium believe in safeguarding people and places from harm, for the well-being of both animals and people. Our use of fossil fuels – like coal, oil, and natural gas – for energy releases excess carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In the atmosphere, carbon dioxide acts like a heat-trapping blanket, preventing Earth’s heat from escaping, which warms the planet, including the ocean.

Many marine animals thrive in very specific temperature ranges and, as the ocean warms, they are moving toward the poles or to deeper waters, disrupting the food chain. Penguins, like the ones you see at the Aquarium, are finding that their food sources are shifting.

Worker installing solar panel roof

The key to protecting our planet is reducing our fossil fuel consumption at a community level. Fortunately for us, we have initiatives like Solarize Massachusetts, a program that increases the adoption of small-scale solar electricity by encouraging communities to join together to lower purchase prices.

58 communities have already joined this effort, and we encourage our visitors to share what they have learned with their town and get them involved. Switching to renewable energy helps us, helps penguins, and helps the ocean! 

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

More Blog Posts

  • Close up of a microphoneIPCC Communications Tips for Scientists
    IPCC Communications Tips for Scientists Allison Arteaga, February 07 2018 In late January, ahead of the anticipated release of a new IPCC report later this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a new handbook for their scientific authors on how to more effectively engage the public and communicate about climate change [READ MORE]
  • Correcting the ‘Non-Debate’ Debate about Framing Climate Change
    Correcting the ‘Non-Debate’ Debate about Framing Climate Change by Julie Sweetland, June 02 2016 Most people are familiar with the “non-debate” debate between the overwhelming majority of scientists who conclude that fossil fuels are contributing to disruptions to the climate system and the tiny but vocal few who deny it. Now, another “non-debate” [READ MORE]
  • Attention Environmental Advocates: Avoid ‘Cute Critters’ and other Communications Traps
    Attention Environmental Advocates: Avoid ‘Cute Critters’ and other Communications Traps August 09 2016 This is the second in a series about framing ocean and climate change. A fuzzy polar bear cub against an expanse of melting snow. A seal pup slicked in oil. A newborn orangutan clutching its mother’s breast as she swings through a disappearing [READ MORE]
  • Fresh ideas for talking about ocean acidification
    Fresh ideas for talking about ocean acidification by Richelle Tanner, July 30 2020 Our NNOCCI associate, Dr. Scott Doney, along with his colleagues, has recently published an updated review of the effects of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems (see here for a previous review). Read on for a summary of their main findings, and to understand [READ MORE]
  • Thinking Bigger On Solutions
    Thinking Bigger On Solutions by Allison Arteaga, February 28 2020 We all know that we need big, systems-level change in our society in order to address climate change and create a better future. This requires high-impact collective actions that create change at the cultural and public levels by bringing people together (Frameworks). The challenge [READ MORE]