Merch madness

Now that my “Dive into Science” tour is underway (two of my boys and I will be heading for Eupora when I finish this post), wanted to mention some of the merchandise I’m selling this summer. Because of the summer reading program’s marine theme (“Oceans of Possibilities”), the merch table is looking a little bit beach-y this summer.

As many of you know, my wife is a talented seamstress. She made my cool weather jackets and she also makes pillows. This year she is making “up-cycled” sea creature pillows. If you come to my live shows this summer, I’ll feature a globe beach ball and talk about the lines of latitude that criss-cross its surface. I’ll also mention that two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered in water. But in that water, there’s also a lot of trash . . . .

Did you ever hear of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? It is huge — extending from 35°N to 42°N and 135°W to 155°W (if those numbers don’t make sense, make sure to listen to “I’ve Got an Attitude (About my Latitude)“). Three ways you can help keep trash out of the ocean is “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Even better — upcycle. That’s what my wife has done. She’s taken fabrics that were otherwise going to be thrown away and made beautiful, usable pieces of art. Make sure to take one home with you after the show!