Day 87 - Jan. 5 2010

life guard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

estimated pounds collected today - 1.5 lbs.

estimated pounds collected to date - 368.37

community count day 11

trash collected for 20 minutes by Nancy Grass-Hemmert

estimated pounds collected today - 1 lbs.

estimated pounds collected to date - 113.9
Our friend Nancy came out with me today. She has made a goal to come every Tues. this semester. I think that is great, and it helps me stay accountable. Working alone, which I do now, whether it is writing or blogging can lead to tiny roadblocks of procrastination. It not only helps our beach, but it helps me to be motivated when I go out to collect with someone else. Thank you Nancy!
I know one of the people who started the site KISS MY COUNTRY, which is just the coolest blog. They interview people who are changing the world and ask them to talk about some of their favorite places. Kind of helps us remember why we care, and maybe why we do what we do.

Their latest interview is my fellow blogger and activist Beth Terry, who writes the blog Fake Plastic Fish. I have included a link to a YouTube video of her.

She said something in her interview with Kiss My Country that I totally agree with and will quote again here.

" People don’t want to feel bad about how they live – I remember how I lived. You have to reach people where they are.” - Beth Terry

Like Beth's amazing YouTube video says, Plastic is a Problem. I have some other friends who are sailing towards the Sargasso Sea to research the North Atlantic Trash Gyre. Yup. Did you know that there is a gyre, (or two), in every ocean? I didn't.

Anna and Marcus will be sailing there, stopping in Bermuda and then traveling to the Azores. They are so inspiring. Please visit their 5gyres site for a wealth of information, and inspiration.

"UNDERSTANDING PLASTIC MARINE POLLUTION THROUGH EXPLORATION, EDUCATION AND ACTION" - 5gyres website

Daniel, of the organization NEEF ( National Environmental Education Foundation ) emailed me, (you can too, thedailyocean@yahoo.com). He has an event coming up that I would like to share with you. National Public Lands Day.

NPLD is the nation's largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy. In 2009, 150,000 volunteers built trails and bridges, removed trash and invasive plants, planted trees and restored our water resources. Join us for the next NPLD on September 25, 2010.

Sometimes the environmental problems we face feel so big that it can be overwhelming. I think that many people feel like just throwing their hands up, or ignoring the problems. I know that as much as I care about the ocean, I did for a while until I realized that even if the odds feel stacked against us, I promise you that action feels a lot better than inaction. I've discovered that I prefer to do something with what I know, but I believe that each person has to get there in their own time, in their own way. Whether it is following Beth Terry's lead and reducing the amount of personal plastic consumption, picking up trash off the beach, or in Anna and Marcus's case sailing into the Sargasso Sea to investigate Plastic Marine Pollution first hand, start somewhere. Do what you can, when you can. If everyone did, think about the difference we could make.