Day 331 - Sept. 17, 2012

lifeguard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 min.

3 pounds 

1,254.8 pounds total

I've said this recently, but it's important to repeat. One of the ways I think that beach cleanups make an impact is the experiential learning taking place as you do it. There's a kinesthetic connection between picking up empty plastic water bottles off the sand and reaching for one the next time you are in the store. It had this effect on me. I am sure I still drank plenty of bottled water when I started this project. I am sure I stopped because I saw too many empty containers, learned more about the quality of water in them, and some of the myths surrounding plastic recycling.

How do I take that message to more people? Just last Monday someone told me that because of all the plastic water bottle photos on The Daily Ocean she thought twice when reaching to purchase some and didn't. That's music to my ears. Delivering a message in a way people can hear it. 

Would telling people to stop buying bottled water work? Making them feel bad? No. I call this "Green Shame" when someone feels guilty for a way they perceive to be environmentally unfriendly. I love the ocean. I have loved the beach my whole life. I didn't switch from drinking bottled water until I found too many empties on the beach. Is it possible that there are other ocean lovers out there that given a message they can hear would switch in their own time, and do so from inspiration rather than from being told to? I think so. 

Heal the Bay's Coastal Cleanup Day last Sat. spanned 56 miles of coastline and extracted 38,598 pounds of trash from California. If you enjoyed coming out on Sat. join Heal the Bay every third Sat. for their monthly cleanups. 

Heal the Bay says that cigarette butts, plastic bottles and caps, snack-food packaging, plastic bags and Styrofoam fragments were some of the most common items found. I covered almost every item on their list just in this one post. I'd agree that these items are pervasive in all my cleanups. 

If you bought less of any of these convenience items you'd save money, and get healthier. 
What's healthy for your body and wallet is healthy for the ocean. 

Day 330 - Sept. 15, 2012

lifeguard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 min. 

9 pounds (a wet sneaker and plastic bottle full of sand contributed to this)

1,251.8 pounds total

3 cigarette butts

The night after Coastal Cleanup Day and I collected nine pounds of trash in 20 minutes. I share this not to discourage those who came out but to illuminate a need for continuous action. 

Here are three things you can do to address all the trash flowing into the ocean:

1. TAKE IT OFF THE BEACH AND OUT OF YOUR OWN LIFE

Do more beach cleanups! Come out with me! I go out 3 - 4 times a week. Here's how to join me. Or do one on your own and email me about it. Surfrider and Heal the Bay also do monthly cleanups. Physically picking up the same items over and over made me reach for them less often in my own life.

2. BUY AND USE A REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE - If you did only one thing to help the ocean, this is it. You'll save money. You'll drink healthier water. (Brita Filters are great if you are worried about the quality of your tap water)

WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOUR BODY IS GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

3. PASS IT ON!
Think of a creative way to spread the message for cleaner oceans to your friends and family. You have permission to act on your own. Not everyone will end up starting a blog, or non-profit, but you probably have a camera in your phone, you have access to free social media (blogspot blogs like this one are free) and you have great ideas. Take 20 minutes and brainstorm how you could use your creativity, passion and determination to inspire people. I started The Daily Ocean with one beach cleanup. What could you do? Start your own Daily Ocean blog. Ideas are free. I share mine. Leave me a comment and tell me yours. 

ACTION FEELS SO MUCH BETTER THAN INACTION.

Maia - Community Count 8th Grader for clean oceans

 Maia's school 

Maia, an 8th grader from Ct., emailed me to get involved. She's written a report on plastics in our ocean. I asked her to tell me what got her interested in this topic, and what's a next step for her now that she knows. Here are her answers.

HOW SHE GOT INTERESTED:

I became interested in this topic because of the fact that I have

always wanted to be a marine biologist since the first time I stepped

foot on the beach. 

After a while I realized just what a huge issue

pollution is causing for local beachs, not only just making them look

unappealing, but causing the waters that people swim in everyday turn

an ugly shade of grey. 

Another reason I became interested in this

topic was because of the fact that sometimes I even see people just

throwing their trash out the windows of theirs cars, and seeing

seagulls attempt to swallow said trash. 

I always feel awful when i see

birds and other animals suffocating and slowly dying on trash, while

their is little I can do to save that particular animal I can reach

out to my community and inform them of what is going on around us.

WHAT MAIA IS GOING TO DO NOW SHE KNOWS THE PROBLEM WITH PLASTICS IN THE OCEAN:

My next step to help end pollution for good is to put posters on

trash cans on the beach and around my school explaining just why they

shouldn't pollute and how one small action can make a huge impact.

Maia is on to a key idea. One small action - sending me an email - got her message out to you. 

You will take this message and share it with others, won't you?

Maia's beach

Maia's report on plastics in the ocean: thanks for a great report!!

Plastic bags, broken bottles, crayons, even appliances slowly float in

the ocean current. That’s what the worlds’ oceans will look like if we

continue littering and polluting. There are two kinds of polluting;

chemical pollution and physical trash.

    Chemical pollution is inside almost every marine animal on the

planet, from plankton; to pink salmon; to polar bears it affects even

us humans when we eat our sushi and shark fin soup. Chemical pollution

can come in many forms, one of the most common being runoff from farms

and cities. Some chemicals that are in the runoff are fertilizer, lawn

care supplies, and other household products. 

The thing that sets

fertilizer apart is the fact that once it gets into the oceans it

causes a reaction called eutrophication; it’s when the nutrients in

the fertilizer causes the algae blooms to flourish and it then

depletes the surrounding water of all it oxygen making it

uninhabitable for other marine life such as fish and other types of

seaweed. Oil spills are also a part of chemical pollution, but only

account for 12% of all the oil that makes its way into the sea. The

other 36% is from cars exhausts and street runoff/storm drains. 80%of

all the urban sewage discharged into the Mediterranean Sea is left

untreated. 

Until the 1970’s people were allowed to dump almost

anything into the ocean; things like toxic waste, chemical weapons,

and radioactive material, were dumped on a regular basis.  In 1972

dumping most toxic materials into the sea was banned worldwide,  but

in 1996 they further restricted what could be dumped.

  Physical garbage is also a massive issue in the world. Soda six-pack

rings pose a problem every day; they choke penguins in Antarctica and

dolphins in South America. However the worst criminals are the helium

balloon and plastic bag, these items are found blocking the airways

and stomachs of seals, whales, dolphins, and turtles who mistake them

for their favorite snack of jelly fish. But that’s not all; they even

get caught on coral reefs, killing them. Sharks all over have been

found with numerous types of trash in their stomachs, from tin cans to

license plates, they take a bite out of everything.

Garbage and pollution are everywhere but just one small action can make a big impact.

Coastal Cleanup Day

Coastal Cleanup Day - Sept. 15, 2012

Venice Beach, CA - South of the pier

trash collected by over 110 volunteers

160+ pounds collected in 3 hours

Heal the Bay and Surfrider teamed up to facilitate a well organized beach cleanup. Juli Shultz, a longtime member of Surfrider, really did the lion's share. Thanks Juli. Kathryn Benz from Heal the Bay also pitched in all day. A professor from Otis College of Art and Design joined us with a few of her students. I had fun talking to the volunteers, meeting 8th graders from Sylmar, and high school students from Hamilton as they came back to weigh their findings. 

No surprise that they found the usual suspects - plastic bottles, cigarette butts, straws, plastic food wrappers, bottles and cans, and assorted misc. gross items. 

All in all we weighed in around 160 pounds. That's just over a pound per person. 

At noon we broke down the tents and sorted the trash. I'm thrilled that over 160 pounds of trash got taken off the beach, but as we left it in bags for the city of Venice to dispose of, I was reminded that beach cleanups displace trash, they don't get rid of it. I've wished for a Harry Potter wand to make it all disappear, but what happens to this plastic litter is that it gets moved to the dump where it remains a problem. 

Yes, the trash is off the beach I love, out of the water, and away from the animals, but it is far from out of sight out of mind. Beach cleanups raise awareness for how much liter is generated from our rabid culture of convenience. 

Take it off the sand, and then take it out of your life. 

What's good for your health, and your pocket book 

(you save money buying less snacks and drinks out on the go) 

is good for the environment too. 

You are the environment and the environment is a reflection of you. 

Day 329 - Sept. 14, 2012

lifeguard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 min. 

1.3 pounds

1,242.8 pounds total 

3 cigarette butts

I gave a ten year old boy digging with his friends this shovel. 

"It's free?" he said. 

"Yup, just don't leave it on the sand when you go." 

COASTAL CLEANUP DAY TOMORROW - SEPT. 15

The nation's largest volunteer day on the planet!  

Join us, join the thousands of people who spread out coast-to-coast, up rivers, and down streams to take out the pollution fouling up our waterways. 

I'll be at Venice with Surfrider, the Rise Above Plastics crew and you? 

HEAL THE BAY COASTAL CLEANUP DAY INFO

I thought I'd snagged the best shot. A styrafoam cup sticking out of the sand with the sun setting just right. Notice the pair of legs in the background? That's the kid who looked confused as I held my camera close to the cup of little crabbies he'd carefully collected. He was sweet enough not to freak when I dumped them out to put this nasty cup in my bag. 

"Is this yours?" I asked as little wriggling bug-like crabs crawled about and I finally noticed the kid staring at me. 

"Yeah," he said. 

"These guys like a little water in the sand." I held up the cup. He turned to the ocean and scooped up a few handfuls into the white plastic foam that I usually loath. 

"Make sure this cup doesn't get left on the beach," I said and scrunched it down into the sand for him.

"OK," he said as he turned back to the water and the warm late summer sunset.

Just last Tuesday at Blue Drinks I shared how I'd seen so many kids playing with plastic Starbucks, or styrafoam cups to make sand castles. These items I saw as toxic trash helped form their summertime memories at the beach. When I go to schools, how do I make sure that they don't feel ashamed when they hear my message? How do I make sure I don't taint their memories, memories of the beach that I too have and in part make me do what I do? I don't have the answer yet, but I am going to take time to figure out how to encourage change instead of make kids like this boy feel guilty for a golden Sept. evening on the beach. 

Day 328 - Sept. 12, 2012

lifeguard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 min. 

1.1 pounds

1,241.5 pounds total 

7 cigarettes

As I approach beach cleanup 365 of The Daily Ocean it's obvious that I've used creativity, passion and determination to carry a message and a call to action for cleaner oceans. These last three and a half years have transformed me. I know I can affect the world in a positive way. 

It started with one little cleanup and some brainstorming. 

My challenge to you is - can you take 20 min. this week and think of a specific talent you have that could contribute to a cleaner ocean and a healthier planet? 

20 min. to dream

20 min. to stand up for your family and for the planet

What would you do if you felt like you had more time?

What would you do if you believed in yourself and your abilities? 

I know you too are passionate, intelligent, capable, and willing to work hard. I know that your contribution matters, I know you like me undervalue what you have to say.

TAKE 20 MIN. THIS WEEK AND DREAM BIG FOR THE OCEAN, FOR THE EARTH, FOR EACH OTHER, FOR YOUR FAMILY. 

(leave me a comment if you'd like to share what you come up with. I'd love to hear from you!)

Day 327 - Sept. 11, 2012

lifeguard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 min. 

3.1 pounds 

1,240.4 pounds total

12 cigarettes

After speaking at Blue Drinks, I got to thinking about the GREEN MOVEMENT. It's done wonders for the planet. It's how we identify a healthier choice when shopping fOR everything from groceries to a car. But does this label need to expand to fit a broader message that could attract more people?

I think so. For when we think about the term environment we think green. But an expanded message to explain a healthier environment is one that includes the colors and description of you and me, our pets and children, the ocean, the color of the sky, the flowers in your backyard. It's a multi-colored movement because in greening the planet we have to and will be healthier ourselves. 

IT'S NOT GREEN OR BLUE BUT ALL THE COLORS OF YOU AND ME

 I'd like to pose a question to you, that I am asking myself.

WHO AM I TO THINK MY ACTIONS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD?

WHO AM I NOT TO?

Day 326 - Sept. 10, 2012

lifeguard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 min. 

3 pounds

1,237.3 pounds total 

6 cigarettes 

It's been a packed week. I've gone to Palo Alto, spoken at Blue Drinks here in Santa Monica and kept up with my last few beach cleanups!

I'm getting ready to bring - 

THE DAILY OCEAN OFF THE SAND AND ON THE ROAD!

Hawaii, West Coast, Texas, South East Coast, Florida, East Coast, New York, Chicago, Colorado

Do you live here, or know of a school or business for me to take The Daily Ocean to? 

LET ME KNOW! thedailyocean@yahoo.com

A point I wish I had emphasized the other night - by taking these plastic items off the sand, I took them out of my life. I didn't do this overnight. I used plastic bags from our house to clean up the plastic trash at the beach. I've picked up so many plastic water bottles that I buy glass beverages when out and about 

TAKE THE TRASH OFF THE SAND

AND THEN TAKE IT OUT OF YOUR OWN LIFE

YOU'LL BE HEALTHIER, YOU'LL SAVE MONEY, AND YOU'LL MAKE THE WORLD AROUND YOU HEALTHIER TOO. 

WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU IS GOOD FOR THE PLANET.

OUT OF TOWN FOR A SEMINAR UNTIL 8/9/12

I'm out of town until late Sunday night. Beach cleanups will resume after I return. 

I'm not at a body surfing seminar, but isn't this an incredible photograph? 

Day 325 - Sept. 5, 2012

lifeguard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

4.4 pounds 

1,234.3 pounds total

6 cigarettes

My friend Harry's done it again! De-bunked another recycling myth. It's been on my mind lately too. In  Harry's post he lays out what happens to most of the carefully sorted plastic in the USA that's deposited in the "blue bin" to be recycled. But where does it go? To get recycled, right? In China. Yes, CHINA gets more than 50% of the plastic slated for recycling in the USA. Follow the link below to learn more. 

The Flotsam Diaries 

 No single-use plastic water bottles! Hurray! But I snagged two plastic bags in 20 minutes.

When I see waves, I think about my friends who I go out with most mornings. We're a rag-tag group at different ages and stages of life, laughing, body surfing and keeping tabs on each other's floating heads on days when the surf is big. One of my closest body surfing buddies had open heart bi-pass surgery yesterday. He's already awake, lucid and going for a walk later on. I can't wait until we're all back in the water together. To us, the ocean is a playground, but like my friend Bruce has been saying lately after he gets submerged up to his neck, "Ah, it's good to be home."