Day 107 - March 24

life guard station 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

2.1 pounds

427.4 pounds
Today we showed the movie TAPPED at Santa Monica High School, and wouldn't you know it, the first kind of trash that I found on the beach was a PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE.

fun fact I learned from TAPPED: if you leave your water bottle in the sun, then drink the water in it, you have an even greater risk of leaching Benzene, a known carcinogen, into the water you are about to drink. Hmmm.......bottled water is supposed to be a "healthy choice" right?

No, turns out that your paying for tap water (40% of all bottled water comes from a municipal source) that then comes to you in a plastic bottle that leaches cancer causing chemicals into it.

Oh, but not before you pay an 1000% mark up for this now contaminated tap water.....

Talk about total insaninty!!! Reminds me of the tobaco industry.

wwww.tappedthemovie.com

Plastic....check out this blog that I really like with a link to a cool video about the, "The Story of Bottled Water." - LESS PLASTIC MORE LIFE - started by:

"A POLYMER ENGINEER BY TRAINING, A NATURE LOVER BY HEART. THE HEART WON. AND HENCE THIS BLOG." - how f*&%ng cool is that?!?!

This is a graphic picture of shark fins gathered after the brutal practice of Shark Finning.

Let's put an end to this insanity, shall we?

Go to STOP SHARK FINNING

"KEEP SHARKS IN THE OCEAN AND OUT OF SOUP."

It was very dark by 7:08 when I arrived at the beach. I felt exhilirated after seeing TAPPED with 125+/- people, but I have to say it is easy to feel as dark as this weather about the future of our environment when I come to terms with the size of the David and Goliath fight we have on our hands against plastic pollution.

What's the option though?

There is none, and so as my friend and co-founder of the Plastic Pollution Coalition

Manueal Maqueda says, "Onward!!!!!"

Day 33 - July 3

Leo Carrillo State Beach, Malibu CA

trash collected by 2 people for 20 minutes

estimated trash collected today - 1.2

estimated trash collected to date - 193.4
Here is the trash collected by both of us out on this beach. Leo Carrillo is 30 min. or more north of Santa Monica Bay. I see a huge difference, don't you? Two days before we filled 5 or more bags in 20 min.. Today, just this. It was refreshing. I thought to collect here while we were on the beach for the day to see the difference, if any, of being farther from the city of Santa Monica. There is a big difference. 
The Water Bottle of the Day - even here, there are some to find. I am interested to see that this water bottle company supports an environmental non-profit. The American Forests.

It looks like a great program with a friendly interactive website. They have a carbon calculator so that you can see what your Carbon Foot Print is. 
I like this photograph. The bottom line of the can matches up with the horizon line of the water. But I would like to continue my train of thought from above. I think that corporations whose products contribute to marine debris should sponsor ocean conservation groups as well. Like the Long Beach Aquarium. It is an amazing place that we went to this week. There is a website to visit associated with them. www.thankyouocean.org

They are promoting Shark Conservation. Since 1975 and the release of Jaws, the public's attitude to sharks has taken a steep decline. This hasn't helped the cause to protect these amazing animals that keep the marine ecosystem in balance. They have been here for millions of years, but their numbers are dropping fast.
Why should you care about sharks you may ask? Maybe the only time you think about them is when you are in the water like the people above? I get it. So let me explain. 

"The Importance of Sharks in Maintaining Healthy Marine Ecosystems - 

Sharks have been swimming in the ocean for 400 million years, that's 100 million years before the dinosaurs appeared on land. They inhabit the oceans from its deep seas to its coastal wetlands and coral reefs. Sharks play a truly vital role in the maintaining the health if marine ecosystems, but today many species of sharks that are at the top of the food web, are in danger of extinction. While many people fear sharks, a greater fear should be the consequences of the loss of sharks will do to an already stressed ocean." The Long Beach Aquarium Brochure. 

If you want to feed sharks and rays, lorikeets and sea lions, and much more, please make a visit, and consider becoming a member, thanks.