Day 69 - Oct. 22

life guard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

estimated pounds collected today - 3.6

estimated pounds collected to date - 326.11

There was a delay in the decision of the Blue Ribbon Task Force to recommend a map for the Marine Protected Area's. Yesterday was supposed to be the day, but they "blinked" as Mark Gold says, director of Heal The Bay in Santa Monica. Read what he had to say about this on his blog, Spouting Off
Sylvia Earle also weighed in on the MPA decision by writing an Op-Ed piece for the LA times. Read it here.

"People who are against protecting crucial areas of the ocean say that doing so will lead to economic disaster. In fact, the disaster is already here: There aren't enough fish left. Protected zones in the Channel Islands, the rest of the California coast and the other 50 countries in the world that use them haven't caused the sort of economic upheaval predicted by opponents. It's interesting to note that the most extreme opposition to MPAs occurs in places that don't have them yet." - Sylvia Earle
The beach was covered in a soft, thick fog last night when I went down there at sunset. I was enjoying the change in atmosphere from the usual Southern California sky. Don't get me wrong, watching the sun set over the pacific is one of the highlights of my life, but the ocean/beaches shifting faces all have a beauty of their own.

If you live in the area, please join us tomorrow at 4pm for the Blogger Beach Cleanup! I can't thank Siel of green LA girl enough for her organizational powers and hard work in putting together this event.

Away on an Anusara Yoga retreat 10/10-10/17

I am on a yoga retreat in Tulum, Mexico which is on the "Mayan Riviera."

We are staying at the Maya Tulum Retreat Center for the third year in a row.

My teacher, Tara Judelle, pictured above,

is a certified Anusara Yoga Teacher

Click here to find out more about Anusara yoga, started by John Friend.

Anusara - a word that loosely means, "to flow with grace." Other ways to think about it are:

- to follow your heart

- flowing with nature

Sleeping to the sound of waves and feeling the breeze that blows softly across this property makes it a lot easier to get in touch with the principles of this Hatha Yoga based practice.

I love coming here with Tara. She performed our wedding ceremony last

December. She is an unbelievably talented, funny, intelligent, and inspirational teacher who walks the walk, while she talks the talk.

Check her out here.
I will be away from 10/9 - 10/17 check back here this week for entries of Beverly's Beach Cleanup Vacation to Rhode Island. I am so excited to share her experience here with you. Her efforts are very much appreciated!

And remember, come to The Blogger Beach Cleanup on Oct. 24th

go to green LA girl for constant updates on gift giveaways, who will be there and more.

Siel of green LA girl is really making this happen and I am so inspired and impressed by her efforts. Please join us, you'll have a blast, save the lives of Marine Animals by cleaning the beach, and meet a really cool group of people too!

Day 67 - Oct 7

lifeguard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

estimated pounds collected today - 1.3 (WOO_HOO!! could be lowest day yet)

estimated pounds collected to date -321.3

That is what you think it is. Don't know why this is underlined, sorry.

Beverly, a reader of Siel's blog and mine, went on vacation to Rhode Island recently. She was inspired by The Daily Ocean to clean some beaches while she was away since she lives in Washington D.C. and doesn't usually have access to some.

I will chronicle her trip in several posts over the next few days. I am stunned and grateful that she took the time and care she did to clean up some beaches. Thank you Beverly!
Sylvia Earle - Oceanographer, Marine Scientist/Biologist, Environmental and Ocean Conservationist/Activist, Deep Sea Explorer, Author, Lecturer who began her work in the 50's was awarded the TED prize this year. Please scroll down in my blog to the next post and watch her talk.

As the winner, she gets to state one wish, (and 100,000 to help it happen).

Can you guess what it could be?

“I wish you would use all means at your disposal — films! expeditions! the web! more! — to ignite public support for a global network of marine protected areas, hope spots large enough to save and restore the ocean, the blue heart of the planet.” - Sylvia Earle

Please watch her talk. If you are reading this, she may be speaking to the choir, but even so it will inspire you even further.

Day 55 - Sept 8

Lifeguard Station 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

estimated trash collected today - 3 bags- 1.8/2.4 of trash .6 recyclables = 4.8

estimated trash collected to date - 292.8

The water bottle for Day 54. I was talking to someone in the parking lot tonight who asked me what I was weighing. I explained, trash, and we got to talking. He is a surfer from Nepal who moved here 14 years ago. He was telling me that he grew up without a lot of material things because he is from a poor country. Therefor there was hardly any waste. For example, to get another soda you took your glass bottle in to be refilled. Two great ideas, glass bottles, and refilling them. But they weren't trying to be green, this is conservation out of necessity. I have a feeling I am collecting trash that stems from privilege.
I thought it was a shame that someone left this tiny, stylish shoe. I should have put my foot next to it for purposes of scale. Well let me just tell you, it's for a two year old. Which brings up something I think about a lot.

Why do people leave trash or their belongings behind on the beach?

I have four reasons and one X factor.

1. People are lazy. They think someone else will do it for them.

2. People really do not think about it. For whatever reason, environmental education has not reached, or made an impact on them. They are lacking in awareness to the point that it rarely, if ever, occurs to them that there is a connection between their daily choices and the rest of the world.

3. People have reached a state I refer to as beach bliss. Beach Bliss is the sense that you are in another world on the beach, one that makes you happy and forgetful. Therefor you act in ways here you wouldn't in your own life because you are essentially having such a great time at the beach. Example, they're probably not leaving empty bottles all over their front lawn as they come into the house from work, but they're not in that mindset here. So as they float away at the end of the day, they forget to act responsibly. A stretch at best, but more optimistic.

4. Beach Fatigue. Similar to the reason above, except you have stayed too long and the sun and waves have zapped you energy until it is all you can do to make it back to your car with most of your stuff. my friend Brigid came up with this after hearing my Beach Bliss theory.

X factor - sea gulls. They tear things away from blankets while their unsuspecting owners are away in the water, or dive for "snacks" in the open trash cans.

Open trash cans--something to tackle in a future post. Hint, open trash cans and open storm drains have something in common.

Rubin, the Lifeguard at station 26 tonight, (who is also responsible for coming up with the above X factor) believes that it is mostly reason 1 & 2. And the grossest thing, in his opinion, is when he sees dirty diapers on the beach. Yuck.

Many people talked to me today on the beach. Rubin offered me gloves, a few others said thank you. Which reminds me, Siel of Green LA Girl and I are doing a joint beach cleanup on Oct. 25th. Come join us! There will be drinks, snacks, like minded folks, bloggers and readers and ocean lovers. We're joining forces for a night, come along.

SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND SAVE THE DATE OCT. 25TH BEACH CLEANUP WITH ME AND SIEL! WOO-HOO!