Sunday, July 31, 2011

Day 207 - July 30, 2011


life guard tower 26 - Santa Monica, CA
trash collected for 20 minutes
6.4 pounds collected
782.2 pounds total



As I start up my beach collections after the long hiatus because of our research trip, I am struck by the fact that I have taken all of these pictures before. The Daily Ocean continues to reveal itself to me as the unintentional, layered title that it is. At this point, I have hundreds of photographs from this beach that I have taken of a bottle exactly like this, on exactly the same stretch of sand. 



I'm anxiously awaiting the 6 o'clock hour tonight as I type this post. CBS Nightly News will feature The Daily Ocean in a segment they call, "American Stories." 

I paraphrase, "...ordinary Americans doing something for their communities." I wouldn't have fit myself under that umbrella on my own, but I'm honored that it is a fit. And that Whitney from CBS took the time to do a piece on the beach. My family have already seen in on the East Coast. One reader of this blog after watching the segment left me a kind comment with a reminder in it to carry a glove. 

I do! Trust me. I have a tan, gardening glove that comes with me every time. That's why I take my photographs one handed. Hopefully, you can't tell.



My friend Kitt Doucette from part two of our expedition, wrote a piece in Rolling Stone called, "THE PLASTIC BAG WARS." From the little that I know about this growing issue, he sums it up nicely. Here's a link if you feel like checking it out. 



Sharks are on my mind. Maybe a way I can incorporate the topics ocean related, but not beach trash related that grabbed my attention while we were away, will be to focus on one of those issues at the end of every post.


And so sharks have hit the top of that list. My friend Danielle, who writes the amazing blog about her cigarette and beach litter cleanup in North Carolina called It Starts With Me, reports that there have been a lot of coastal bites off her shores this summer. She says that the bait fish are in close, and so that brings the sharks even closer. Shark bites are often a case of mistaken identity. And when they hit the news, fueling the sensationalized-shark-flames, it saddens me. 


But let's end on a high note here. Whale Sharks will not bite you. They will let you tag along as they gracefully amble through their blue, watery space, opening wide for a meal. 

Here's a profile of them in pictures from a recent YAHOO! article. Enjoy.

7 comments:

  1. OMG, I must of missed it.. I had to watch it online...Most definitely gloves!. lol... Glad you are back on land...:-)...

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  2. Way to go!
    I saw you on the CBS Evening News and was inspired to check out the blog.

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  3. What a great project! I watched your segment on tv this evening and was so inspired. Ever since my first visit to southern California 4 years ago, all I can talk about is how sad it makes me to see the trash on the beaches there (Seal Beach is among the worst I've seen). I was just in Santa Monica again two weeks ago and took a friend visiting from England to ride the ferris wheel on the pier. We watched dolphins jump and play down below and were filled with joy at such a beautiful sight. How can we litter our beaches and waters when magical creatures inhabit them?

    I am a teacher in Seattle and, although I haven't seen the same kind of pollution on our beaches and in our waters here (thankfully), there is definitely trash to collect. You've inspired me to do this project with my school this year and I hope to encourage my bay area teacher friends to consider doing the same with their students. Thanks for your commitment and for educating the world with your blog!

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  4. Loving the photo of the sunglasses... Claire wants to know if you're wearing them... that is if they're your size ;) Or maybe you donated them because there might be somebody that wants some sunglasses. (can you tell that she's really liking those rainbow sunglasses??)

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  5. Danielle -

    First of all - it makes all the difference to ME that you are out there in NC doing collections too. I think sometimes that this crazy project of mine will take years and years! What have I started?! But seriously, together we can keep it up. Thanks for the inspiration and friendship.

    AND the glasses! I should have sent them to Claire. If I see another pair her size, I will! Tell her for me please. Thanks for all the comments. SO great to be back to business as usual on here and feel connected again.

    Sara

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  6. Angela

    thanks for your comment and for taking the time to let me know what you think. I am available to help get your teachers and students going if you like. Let me know! Really great to hear that you're inspired and that you don't have as much trash in Seattle. Grin.

    thanks again -
    Sara

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  7. Mimi-

    Thanks for stopping by The Daily Ocean. Glad you liked the segment too!

    Sara

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