Day 161 - Oct. 10, 2010

lifeguard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

4.7 pounds

650 pounds total

COMMUNITY COUNT DAY 59

Rachel, John, Siel, Heather, Barry, and Hanalea

Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

9.4 pounds

409.4 pounds total

"On 10/10/10, people at 7347 events in 188 countries got to work on the climate crisis" - for 350.org and we joined in down on the beach in Santa Monica.

Above is my friend Siel and blogger/writer extraordinaire who is the author of green LA girl and now contributes to the KPCC blog, among many others, where she wrote a really cool post about our 10/10/10 day.

Rachel, who is in the 8th grade in Crossroads School, came out to video the event for her class. I wish that I had a photo of her, but sometimes when I go out for a collection with other people I forget to take the pictures that I need! Sorry Rachel for not being able to represent you here today, BUT I can't wait to show your project on The Daily Ocean if you will permit me. It was a total blast having you there.
Our cleanup was the most serendipitous that I have experienced. My friend Heather - after not hearing back from me about that night's collection for 10/10/10 - called just as we pulled into the parking spot on the beach and was down to meet us in 15 minutes! Thanks Heather!

Find her here at LIVE NATURAL LIVE WELL and also follow her on BLOG TALK RADIO, she hosts a very compelling show about environmental issues, nutrition, people making a difference and a whole long list of inspirational guests.

The ubiquitous plastic bag.

We began our cleanup with just three of us until this wonderful women who drove all the way from Montrose (a good hour inland) walked up to me and Rachel and asked if we were the 350.org event. I didn't know that Siel had written about it online on the KPCC blog so it took me a minute to work it out that we must be who she was looking for. SO Hanalea joined in with gusto to expand our group.

Rachel on the left in the distance and Barry on the right

But then something happened that is a Daily Ocean first. Barry was at the beach to take in the sunset. He noticed an abundance of trash washed up on the sand which he then started to collect on his own. Then he saw that we were doing the same thing, and so he came over to me to ask if he could put his handful of plastic findings in my bag. I of course agreed and gently roped him in to joining us for the rest of the cleanup. He came along! And even stayed to create the 350 sign in the sand. A HUGE thank you to Barry for increasing our group to 5!

Hanalea, Siel, Heather, Barry, and me

Here is what 14 pounds and 10 ounces of trash looks like in a 350.org sign. Oh, and I may have mentioned that we found all of this in 20 minutes or less. Hanalea, Heather and Barry joined in around the 12 minute marker...... What 350 means can be found in the text below taken from the 350.org website.

"350 is the most important number in the world—it's what scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Three years ago, after leading climatologists observed rapid ice melt in the Arctic and other frightening signs of climate change, they issued a series of studies showing that the planet faced both human and natural disaster if atmospheric concentrations of CO₂ remained above 350 parts per million.

Everyone from Al Gore to the U.N.’s top climate scientist has now embraced this goal as necessary for stabilizing the planet and preventing complete disaster. Now the trick is getting our leaders to pay attention and craft policies that will put the world on track to get to 350."