life guard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CAtrash collected for 20 minutes
estimated pounds of trash collected today - 2.2
estimated pounds of trash collected to date -
I am tired of finding these glow sticks. I've said before that I assume they may be used in night fishing practices. If anyone knows for sure, please leave a comment below this post and let me know. Thank you!
Ahhh styrofoam. It is banned in Santa Monica, yet here it is on the beach at Ocean Park with bird beak bites and scrapes. Not good. Go to Sustainable Santa Monica if you see a restaurant using styrofoam containers. You can report them to be investigated. Sound harsh? Not really, what's harsh is the negative impacts to the marine environment caused by styrofoam. Sometimes, it looks like someone sprinkled styrofoam bits all along the tide line which I find really hard to cleanup and very depressing.
MPA's - Some of you know that in Southern California we have been trying for over a year to adopt a Map to develop Marine Protected Areas. Well, there is one final push that you can become involved with if you want to see the science guidelines not be eroded any further from the frankenstein version that the Blue Ribbon Task Force has put forth.
I am tired of finding these glow sticks. I've said before that I assume they may be used in night fishing practices. If anyone knows for sure, please leave a comment below this post and let me know. Thank you!
Ahhh styrofoam. It is banned in Santa Monica, yet here it is on the beach at Ocean Park with bird beak bites and scrapes. Not good. Go to Sustainable Santa Monica if you see a restaurant using styrofoam containers. You can report them to be investigated. Sound harsh? Not really, what's harsh is the negative impacts to the marine environment caused by styrofoam. Sometimes, it looks like someone sprinkled styrofoam bits all along the tide line which I find really hard to cleanup and very depressing.
MPA's - Some of you know that in Southern California we have been trying for over a year to adopt a Map to develop Marine Protected Areas. Well, there is one final push that you can become involved with if you want to see the science guidelines not be eroded any further from the frankenstein version that the Blue Ribbon Task Force has put forth. Here is the final map.
Here is what you can do. Read below from an email that Heal the Bay sent out:
Radisson Hotel - LAX
ABC Ballroom
6225 W. Century Blvd
Los Angeles, California
Public Comment Time: TBD
One final time, we need a huge presence of MPA supporters wearing BLUE shirts at this final hearing. Simply being in the room showing support, even if you don't speak, makes it easier for the Commission, politically, to make decisions in favor of conservation.
Please RSVP to me at (cstevenson@healthebay.org) if you would like to be kept in the loop about attending this hearing. Heal the Bay will be organizing transportation again, so please let me know if you are interested in riding a bus from Heal the Bay again.
Also, please send in one final letter of support for strong protection along the coast, especially in Los Angeles:
- Write a brief email to the Fish and Game Commission at fgc@fgc.ca.gov using your own or some of the suggested points attached to this email. Put “MLPA” in the subject line of the email.
**-OR- - Take 30 seconds and sign an electronic form letter which will be send to the Fish and Game Commission for you:http://healthebay.org/actionalerts/2009_08_15_MPAs/sendletter_finalhearing.asp
And as always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions -- we're almost there!
______________________________________Charlotte Stevenson | Staff Scientist
Heal the Bay | 1444 9th Street | Santa Monica CA 90401
Tel: 310 451 1500 | Fax: 310 496 1902 |
cstevenson@healthebay.org
This sounds strange, but would you collect straws that you use, or find and send them to me?Anna Cummins from Algalita and Bring Your Own, along with her husband Dr. Markus Erikson are collecting them. Email me if you want to participate at thedailyocean@yahoo.com and if you are local, we can arrange for me to pick them up from you.
Yesterday they told me that they need, well....millions!! I think they are building a boat out of them, or some other think-big-crazy-scheme that will work! These two are part of the team that built the Junk Raft and sailed it to the North Pacific Trash Gyre. If you haven't heard about this incredible feat - click here.
That's a plastic bag. Yesterday I got an email about the Monteray Bay Aquarium's exhibit on plastic and the harmful effects it has on the marine environment. Looks like a great idea!
That's a plastic bag. Yesterday I got an email about the Monteray Bay Aquarium's exhibit on plastic and the harmful effects it has on the marine environment. Looks like a great idea!Also...Heather, the Executive Editor for this great site called Earth Promise, featured The Daily Ocean on their blog. They have created a site that lets people pledge to help the environment in some measurable, action based, manageable way that works with their lives. Check it out! And here is a link to the wonderful post Heather did on TDO, thanks so much Heather!!!
That is the color the sand was reflecting when I went out to collect yesterday around 4 p.m.. It was interesting to be out there a little earlier than usual, although I still like twilight. Who can argue with a Pacific Sunset?Looking for something to do tonight:
ZenBunni and the Plastic Pollution Coalition
Invite you to an Evening of Art, Jewelry, Curiosities and Raw Chocolates
at Zen&Bunni's eco-friendly shop in Santa Monica.
This event is to increase the awareness of plastic pollution on our precious Mother Nature.
25% of all sales made that evening will go to the plastic pollution coalition.
The Plastic Pollution Coalition, a nonprofit organization, is a
coalition of individuals and institutions involved in the study and
remediation of plastic pollution worldwide.
Friday November 20th
5-9pm
ZenBunni
Curiosities&Chocolate
2307 Main St.
Santa Monica Ca 90405
Tel 310 452 9605
You're right about the fishing it seems: http://www.nicaboyne.com/shopnightfishing.asp
ReplyDeleteI've seen the glo-sticks used before in night time running races.
ReplyDeleteThose are definitely light sticks that you are finding, and they are used with longline fishing. Each hook on a longline (some longlines may have over 200,000 hooks) will have a light stick. They are used primarily in Tuna and Swordfish longlining, and have been shown to have a serious impact on sea turtles see http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070504153448.htm
ReplyDeleteI have found these light sticks on beaches in Suriname, Hawaii, Kenya, Belize, and Micronesia, as well as inside dead albatross chicks on Midway Atoll.
Very cool to have photos of the items you are collecting. Keep up the great work!
Naturefinder, Chloe and Don --
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you for your comments. I will post what I learned from them in the future. I can't believe that we have such incredibly wasteful fishing practices. I knew about long-lining, but for some reason the glow sticks and luring of turtles just really f&*^*g pissed me off all over again!!
Thanks for adding to The Daily Ocean!!
hope you'll keep checking back,
Sara