Open 9 am - 4 pm (Early Close)

What is Surge?

Surge is the premier digital platform to take collective action for our blue planet. Through email alerts, dive in to tangible and timely ways to act and advocate for wildlife, in the Great Lakes region and beyond. Make your voice heard, get out in nature or go deep on environmental legislation with our experts. It’s all here in engaging ways that work for you, joining others in making a big impact.

Want to join?

Tiny fish swim among the roots of near-shore trees and bushes in the Caribbean.

Subscribe

Join the Surge community for free by subscribing to our email alerts. These emails include: 

  • news alerts to let you know about important topics in conservation, sustainability and environmental justice
  • action alerts notifying you of petitions you can sign, letters you can send, or other immediate actions you can take that benefit our blue planet
  • invitations to relevant programs and events like Shedd Aquarium Action Days or Immersion 
A Blanding's turtle is held by a member of Shedd's Animal Response Team.

Subscribe and Support 

Donations are an impactful tactic to make a difference for our blue planet. Become a stakeholder and support the movement for as little as $3 a month. 

Donate today


Like what you see?

Check out our blog for stories meaningful to you like conservation, research and sustainability, and for more ways to act for the Earth.


Meet the community

Fishes school. Bees swarm. Penguins live in colonies. Sharks have their shivers. Frogs form an army. Now, we need you: a Surge of collective action. 

We need your energy, your passion and your ideas to drive this community dedicated to building a healthy and equitable future for all members of our shared planet. 

Nature needs all of us working towards a shared goal. Taking action in your daily life, calling a representative to hold corporate polluters accountable or making a donation to support a biodiverse world all hold equal weight here. 

We’re all working toward a world thriving with aquatic animal life. 

  • The Chicago skyline, viewed through a field of native plants.

    More Than 1,000 Letters

    Sent to Congress by Surge members advocating for policies that protect wildlife

  • Water splashes.

    3,500 Members

    Earth-loving members, working together to tackle climate change and prevent extinction

  • A bee sits on fluffy purple flowers.

    350 Cities

    Cities — from Manchester, United Kingdom to Dallas, Texas — where Surge members live and are making a difference over the world!

  • A tiny froglet, about the size of the leaf it sits on, peers up at the camera.
  • Two young participants in Shedd's Summer Road Trip look through binoculars at something in the woods.
  • A fish's large yellow nose fills the frame as it peers at the photographer.
  • A diver ties dangling coral polyps to a tall propagation frame.
  • A Shedd staff member digs in to plant plants with a grin