Lake Erie Awareness Day Comes to South Bass Island

Residents, families and visitors are invited out to South Bass Island on August 10, 2023 from 10 a.m – 4 p.m. for Lake Erie Awareness Day  to learn more about the cultural and historic significance of the island and environmental issues facing the region like aquatic invasive species and plastic pollution. The event further creates awareness around aquaculture and clean boating programs while promoting land conservation efforts.

Free to the public and family-friendly, the event will offer opportunities for guests to experience a close up look at trash removal technology with the Pixie Drone — a floating, remote-controlled, mobile waste collector that targets floating waste in all forms: organic, plastic, glass, metal, paper, rubber, etc. 

In August of 2022 Meijer officially launched its participation in the Great Lakes Plastics Cleanup Program through the use of the Bebots and Pixie Drone technology, and has donated $1.5 million to The Council of the Great Lakes to aid in Great Lakes  clean up.

“We are very excited to be hosting the third annual Lake Erie Awareness Day. Each year the event grows and improves,” says Jill Bartolotta, event coordinator and extension educator with Ohio Sea Grant. “I look forward to this event all year as we welcome residents and visitors to our day of fun, education, and stewardship. Thank you to the many education partners who help make this day possible.”

The event is hosted by a partnership between Ohio Sea Grant, Stone Laboratory, Ohio Clean Marinas Program, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Clean Marinas Program, Lake Erie Foundation, Great Lakes Island Alliance, National Park Service, H2Ohio, Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center, Eriesponsible, Lake Erie Islands Conservancy, and Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce. Funding support comes from the Center for Great Lakes Literacy and donation of island maps comes from Put-in-Bay Official Tourism Bureau.

To learn more, visit ohioseagrant.osu.edu.