Day 89 - Jan. 14

life guard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

est. lbs. of trash today - 2.3 pounds

est. lbs. of trash to date - 372

While walking out at sunset last night, I thought to myself, "I live here!" Pretty happy about that. Paid my dues for YEARS living through North Eastern winters. Always thought it would have been less torturous if I liked to ski....but alas, I prefer body surfing. In the right place at last.
Well, SAVE OUR SHORES, up in Santa Cruz confirms what I always think to be the case.

PLASTIC is by far the number one material picked up on their beaches. They keep track of EVERYTHING they collect, much like the HEAL THE BAY MARINE DATA BASE that is done by our local Santa Monica non-profit organization. But don't take my word for it, here's a link to the post that SAVE OUR SHORES BLOG, INTO THE BLUE, says.
Does this look like a beach that you should be afraid to swim at for health reasons? No. But it is the beach where the sign below, posted by the California Department of Public Health, put up their sign warning swimmers of the dangers of swimming near/in water from Storm Drains. I'd forgotten that it rained in LA this week, until I walked up to this sign. Can you say bummer?
But to leave you on a funny note, PLEASE WATCH THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO. The three and a half minutes spent doing so will be worth it. Oh, it's relevant to reusable bags, and FIGHTING PLASTIC!!

Day 88 - Jan 10, 2010

Beach - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

estimated pounds collected today - 1.5

estimated pounds collected to date - 369.8

Grateful that I have put parameters on collecting for The Daily Ocean that allow me to be imperfect, I finally got out to the beach today. My head is so fully engaged in editing my book for this weeks deadline, that I forgot to take a picture of Life Guard Tower 26! Feels very strange to start a post without a picture of 26. Oh well, three cheers for imperfection.
Take out. My husband Garen said that Urth Cafe used to use recycled, and biodegradable plastic alternative packaging and cutlery for their take out. Well, they don't anymore.

Even if the place that I am getting my "to go" lunch from is a fairly responsible, organic coffee selling establishment (like Urth Cafe), when the containers fall on the beach, it is still liter.

Think I'll still ask Urth Cafe to switch back to more responsible containers, even though when cutlery made from cornstarch, or other plastic alternatives ends up in the ocean, it doesn't biodegrade.

Solution - bring your own reusable alternatives. Feel silly taking a Tupperware container to the cafe? Well, the alternatives for now, just aren't there.
Sea Gulls love picking at food left on packaging. Searching for a free meal, they leave trash strewn all over the beach to drift into the water. The picture above is of the contents from the Urth Cafe Bag that started off in the trash can.
We are trying to ban single use plastic bags in Santa Monica. Sign our petition please by clicking HERE.

As Megan Kilroy of Santa Monica High School's Team Marine reminded me in her email yesterday,

"Every year the USA throws away 100 billion plastic bags with less than 5% getting recycled. Plastic bags are the leading contributor to marine debris with over 100,000 marine mammals and sea birds dying every year due to either consuming our becoming entangled in plastic."
The Daily Ocean has been written up in the blog, PLANET CONNECT written by Philipe Cousteau for NEEF, the National Environmental Education Foundation.

I'm thrilled! Thanks so much for your interest. Here is a link to their blog. And NEEF's website.

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.

Day 86 - JAN. 1, 2010

life guard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

estimated pounds of trash collected today - .93 lbs.

estimated pounds of trash collected to date - 367.87 lbs.

community count - 5 people

day 10 - 355 days to go

collected trash for 20 minutes

estimated pounds of trash collected - 3 lbs.

total pounds of trash collected to date - 112.9 lbs.
I got an email from friends of ours early on Jan. 1st saying that the whole family wanted to come out and collect trash with me today. Adam, who is 18 and a freshman at American University in Washington D.C., came home wanting his family to do some volunteer work together during the holiday. They thought of the Daily Ocean, and I was happy they did. I thought it was a great way to kick off 2010.
This is Adam in shadow profile out on the beach. He collected apprrox. .37 lbs. of trash in 20 minutes.

Someone didn't make the resolution to quit smoking in 2010.

Team Marine went out and did some plastic trash collecting at the Pico Kenter storm drain just north of tower 26. They counted the different items they found, measured off a portion of the tideline around the stagnant water leaving the storm drain, and spent 25 minutes doing it. I volunteer with this group of high school students from SAMOHI and they do amazing things. Check out their post here.
This is Sarah collecting trash. Several times she commented on how many cigarette butts she was finding. Adam also said the same thing, and added that he thought smoking was illegal on the beach. I told him it was, but that Santa Monica is at the end of the storm drains that lead all the way from Los Angeles where lots of cig. butts fall in from the streets. But as you can see from the picture above, the cigarette butts get left right on the beach too.
This is Deirdre's collection at the end of 20 minutes. She also collected approx. .37 lbs. of trash in 20 minutes.

Our group - Sarah - Deirdre - Nancy - Adam - Garen

As always, the colors from a Pacific Sunset never cease to dazzle. Today, any building facing west was lit on fire in the setting sun.

Day 85 - Dec. 28

life guard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

estimated pounds of trash collected today - 1.10

estimated pounds of trash collected to date - 366.15
A cold, wintery beach here in Santa Monica where the sun sets around 5 p.m.. It is still wonderful to be out on the beach. I've been enjoying my vacation at home playing cards, eating, sleeping, and writing. It feels good to be in the quiet, hibernating mode of the season.
A baby wipe? A household cleaning rag? Who knows, tough on dirt, tough to decompose....

Ah...."straws are for suckers." - The Plastic Pollution Coalition.

I wish everyone a happy new year. See you in 2010.

Day 84 - Dec. 21

life guard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

estimated pounds of trash collected today - 1.14

estimated pounds of trash collected to date - 365.05
This is what I saw when I got to the beach. Today was the Winter Solstice and the sun set around 4:48.
Then I saw this.

The top three types of trash littering our oceans:

1. cigarette butts

2. candy wrappers

3. fast food wrappers, and single use packaging

Our oceans are really suffering. Many ecosystems are. Obviously, I am particularly interested in marine environments. It is disturbing how much plastic trash and other items get into the oceans. This pollution is causing such a problem, that in my opinion, we do not even understand all of the consequences from it, and it is possible that we may not be able to undo what we have already done. In fact, unfortunately more than a little possible we will have to deal with these consequences for a very, very long time.

It is tragic that the cause of the devastation of marine life, marine habitat, and the negative impacts on human health, to name a few problems, are:

CIGARETTE BUTTS, CANDY WRAPPERS (plastics) AND FOOD PACKAGING! (more plastics)

Excuse my rant, but I find this very disturbing.
I see plastic every time I am out here collecting. I would estimate that plastic items account for 90% of the trash I collect.
And then there is styrofoam....my friend asked me if it is recyclable. I found many answers, but here is the most concise from treehugger blog:

"Seriously, if you want to recycle polystyrene in the US you are pretty much on your own. That's the bad news. The good news is that the Polystyrene Packaging Association maintains a partial listing of industrial entities that will accept waste polystyrene for recycling purposes. If you happen to live near one of them and can get your municipal authority to sponsor something (if a program is not already in place) you could be positioned to do something constructive."

Really, that is the best we can do? I know, how about not make the stuff.
I feel like I was extra opinionated today which is hopefully unusual for Daily Ocean posts. However, I do have strong feelings and ideas about ocean conservation and protection or I wouldn't be writing this blog. So please, bare with me for the occasional more opinionated post. There is a quote I am paraphrasing, from someone I can't remember, (helpful I know)

"If you're not disturbed, you're not paying attention."

A Day Without A Bag

Me, Anna Cummins, and members of the Compton High's Recycling Club sewing and decorating tank top-bags to hand out.

We turned the tank tops inside out and sewed the bottom up, then flipped it right side out, and hold the handles, vwa-la! a bag. REUSE. cool.
These plastic bag zombies performed to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" to spread the message that single use plastic bags and other packaging are a horror. They are from the South Bay and really had their performance down. Being from the generation who got to enjoy M.J. at his peak, I remember watching the world premier of Thriller. I thought it was magic.

Here's a link to a newspaper article about the zombies if you want to learn more: click here

Come on, how cool right?

Can you find the silver glove?

The Plastic Pollution Coalition was there too. Dianna Cohen, one of four founders, had a table with great information about plastic pollution, cool shirts and bottles that would make a good gift during for the holidays, and some of her incredibly beautiful plastic bag paintings that she has been doing for 20 years.

For more on Dianna's artwork: click here or click here and click here

For how to get one of these reusable water bottles and for more information on the Plastic Pollution Coalition- click here

There is also a new video with Diana talking about refusing plastics. So cool, great work!
This is the "Green Santa" from Heal the Bay.

I love California.

For more information on their Day WIthout a Bag event - click here

It is the third year running. Looking forward to next year.

Thanks Heal The Bay!

Megan Kilroy of Team Marine

I'm going to do a little bragging in this post. I work with Team Marine of Santa Monica High. They constantly inspire me. Above is a photo from a newspaper article about the march we did to ban plastic bags in early Sept.. That was taken in front of the Santa Monica City Hall. Makes you smile, doesn't it?

That same weekend we headed out to the Santa Monica Pier to participate in Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots organization's, Day of Peace. Here is Megan, a member of T.M., showing the girls in the Peace Troop a water sample on loan from Algalita Marine Research Foundation, of the North Pacific Trash Gyre.

This is a clip from the Teen Nick Halo Awards hosted by Nick Cannon. Megan was a recipient this year.

She is quick to mention that there is NO WAY she would be getting awarded anything without

the rest of her friends on Team Marine and the Surfrider/Heal the Bay Teach and Test Club.

But....she is awesome and this week didn't really want to do homework one afternoon so she

went to the beach in Santa Monica near the pier and collected trash for 20-25 minutes

She collected 1 pound and took some good shots. Well, she took clear shots of disturbing amounts

of trash. Below is what she found on her walk that lasted for less than 30 minutes.

Fact - Santa Monica cleans it's beaches daily

Fact - Plastics Are Forever. Yup, they do not biodegrade but break into smaller and smaller pieces until you have plastic soup.

www.teammarine.org / www.teammarine.blogspot.com

Day 83 - Dec. 14

life guard station 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 minutes

estimated pounds of trash collected today - 3

estimated pounds of trash collected to date - 363.07

community count -

Day 9 of 365

pounds collected by Kirsten - 2.06

total pounds collected to date - 109.15

This was my view while I was waiting for Kirsten to arrive. Not bad, huh?

Many of you know about the Climate Conference in Copenhagen right now. Here is a great link to see what they have been discussing in terms of the oceans. Sea levels on the rise, ocean acidification, and other pressing problems facing us that tie into the health of our oceans.

"A new website, the Ocean Climate Forum (www.oceanclimate.org), will be released on Oceans Day, December 14. This valuable resource for members of the world ocean community introduces some of the issues linked toclimate change in the ocean and ocean acidification, and further gives options for responding to these impacts, including a special section for decision-makers."

Above is a video sent to me from Lisa Boyle, one of the founders of the Plastic Pollution Coalition. Here is a

link to their website for more information on the video and a very eloquent summary of the

problem of Plastic Pollution by another founding member of the PPC, Manuel Maqueda.
Heal the Bay attended a hearing on banning trash from the LA River. They were successful.

Here is a link to the story in the LA Times!

Water board moves to enforce ban on trash in L.A. River

Cities along the watershed are required by 2016 to keep all trash out of their storm drains. Those that don't comply will now be in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.

Also of interest is DAY WITHOUT A BAG TOMORROW DEC. 17TH

Sponsored by Heal the Bay, join us to get free reusable bags, and give up single use plastic bags for the day. Here is a link to the Heal the Bay page for more info.

My friend Siel of the blog greenLAgirl wrote an interesting post about this event on her blog this week. Read her post

I'll be helping Anna Cummins of Bring Your Own, Algalita and Livable Legacy transform old tank tops by sewing the bottoms and using the straps as handles to create reusable bags. Come to downtown tomorrow to get one!
This is Kirsten who I met at the Blogger Beach Cleanup. She is a raw food expert and has been offering classes in Santa Monica and the LA area lately to teach people how to make delicious raw desserts and other healthy, yummy, raw foods. Leave me a comment if you would like to learn more about her classes and get in touch with her and I will connect you.

Recently back from Sierra Leone to raise awareness for amputee victims, she dedicates a lot of time to the service of other people, and the environment. Thank you Kirsten for coming out today!

If you would like to join me, just get in touch by leaving me a comment, sending an email, or following me on twitter. I will include you in my post for that day, and add the weight of trash you collected to my Community Count tally. See the information above under the life guard tower picture.

She also kept collecting after the 20 minutes were up. I gave her this bag to borrow from the Green Bag Lady made for me to use in my Daily Ocean project. I thought it was so cool of her to want to keep going. I understand how hard it is to leave anything behind on the beach.