lifeguard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA
trash collected for 20 min.
1.9 pounds
1,280.2 pounds total
8 cigarette butts
Last Saturday I spoke to the Rise Above Plastics Speaker Training class at Otis. Surfrider is hosting it and really it's the orchestration and hard work of LA's own Juli Shultz who has gotten inspiring trainers to come teach.
On Saturday I shared the class with Lindsey Jurca and Jordan Howard, both activists, teachers and inspiring people on their own who collaborate frequently with Surfrider and 5 Gyres among other organizations. Lindsey heads up the curriculum and implementation of Environmental Charter Schools that started with one location in Lawndale CA and is growing rapidly.
Jordan and Lindsey spoke about their trip to India with Marcus Eriksen of 5 Gyres a few months back. It was a sobering presentation with plenty of solutions tacked onto the end. They had photographs of plastic bags covering trees and riverbeds thick with trash. Re-designing products was a major theme as well as getting the audience to ask themselves if "...we really need this?"
I'll ask you - do we really need single use plastic bags like the one above?
It's going to take a coordinated effort to teach, inspire, change and shift ourselves away from creating more environmental consequences with convenience products. Products used for minutes or seconds that persist in the environment leaving a trail of damage and toxicity. I know we can do it though.
Here's two other women happy to lead the way. Check them out.
When I feel overwhelmed by the hurdles humanity has to overcome to take care of ourselves and the planet, spending time in the company of dedicated, knowledgeable people committed to spreading solutions for change gives me hope. Thanks for a great presentation Lindsey and Jordan. And thank you Juli and all the RAP trainees for showing up on a Saturday to care.
