EOS's blog

We lost. And so did California.

Yesterday, August 31, the California State Senate voted against AB 1998, the bill that would have banned most plastic bags from many of our supermarkets and other retail outlets. The vote was 21-14 in spite of an estimated $25 million is being wasted every year in California in cleaning up these bags that will take a thousand years or more to disintegrate.

But losing yesterday shouldn’t stop us from trying to clean up our act here in Dana Point.

We all realize how critical Dana Point is to our harbor. Too many plastic bags will find their way down to the sea, our own beautiful harbor. Many cities in California have banned the use of these single-use bags, most of which escape recycling and wind up polluting our streets and beaches to eventually kill much of our ocean wildlife. San Francisco has banned their use. So have Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach and Malibu.

Dana Point hasn’t joined this honor roll yet. Let’s encourage our elected officials now!

Please, right now, phone city hall or write to your city council. Write letters to the Dana Point News and the Dana Point Times. Write to the Orange County Register. Let’s keep the pressure on until we get rid of these damnable bags right here in our City.

Let’s clean up our mess!

Dana Point City Hall – 949-248-3500

Mayor Steven H. Weinberg : sweinberg@danapoint.org
Mayor Pro Tem Scott Schoeffel : sschoeffel@danapoint.org
Council Member Lara Anderson : landerson@danapoint.org
Council Member Lisa Bartlett : lbartlett@danapoint.org
Council Member Joel Bishop : jbishop@danapoint.org

We’re making a big mess, Dana Point. Too many of us aren’t getting rid of all the plastic bags and paper bags we get from stores and restaurants. And too many of those bags are winding up in our ocean, polluting the environment and actually killing seals and sea birds and the fish who ingest them.

But there’s something you and I can do about this mess, if we act right now!

This great mockumentary produced by the Heal the Bay group, shows us the full life cycle journey of single use plastic bag in an urban, coastal community.

by Bob Fairbanks

The fifth annual Neighborhood Cleanup Day in Dana Point was a happy event. Youngsters from R.H. Dana Elementary School were joined by more than 100 other volunteers to help clean up Dana Point's Lantern Village, our Town Center and the harbor area on a sunny day in April.

The volunteers came from near and far. Not just our locals, but college students from Riverside and San Bernardino came to help. So did our city's Environmental Department and the South Coast Water District.

Lots of bags were filled with stuff picked up all around town. And lots of pizzas were then consumed by the clean up crews.

We happily discovered that there was quite a bit less to be picked up on our Dana Point streets and grounds this year. Maybe we're getting the message across to the public : work together to keep our earth and ocean clean!

Click here to see the full photo album:

April 17, 2010 brought our 5th Annual Neighborhood Cleanup Day. And what a day it was!

Kids from RH Dana Elementary School joined groups from Dana Hills High School, UC Riverside, Chaffee College as well as a good number of local volunteers, the City of Dana Point's Environmental Dept., and of course, the great folks from the South Coast Water District.

Here are some photos: 

Also, here is a link to a great slideshow of photos from The Orange County Register:

http://www.ocregister.com/news/dana-244592-day-point.html

First-grade students in Carlsbad, CA, create a huge art project using trash collected on the beach. This is hands-on education alright.

As the New Year quickly unfolds we would like to remind you that our commitment to helping children and their parents understand the fragile ecosystem surrounding our community is still strong and ongoing.

We need your continued participation and donation to extend our efforts.

Your minimum $25 membership helps fund what we are able to give 5th grade classes for their Earth-Science programs and other local programs.  So, please click here to download the membership form and renew your membership with the Earth/Ocean Society while you are here.

Also, take a look at all the great things that happened this past year. With a very special thanks to Board member Bob Fairbanks, click here to see a photo gallery of Earth/Ocean Society events in 2009:
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/356537/?e

Annual Meeting:
Our Annual Meeting will be held on Monday, February 22nd, at 6PM at the Ocean Institute so we can vote on the slate of officers and board members along with letting our members in on all our upcoming activities.  There will be guest speakers and refreshments will be served.  

Please RSVP to Judy at Brandmeier@cox.net or (949) 291-0990.
 

Plenty of Ways to Volunteer:
Here are some of the areas where we could use your help:

Earth/Ocean Society Annual Report - 2009

Hello,

During this past year, the Earth/Ocean Society of Dana Point has been busy in our continuing attempts to call attention to everyone's need to keep our oceans clean. We hope you agree that our work is important, and that you'll consider becoming a member of the Dana Point Earth/Ocean Society by clicking here...

Please click here to see a photo gallery of Earth/Ocean Society events in 2009:
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/356537/?e

Thank you!
Sandie Howard,
President

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography is researching the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" under a program called SEAPLEX, and on October 25, 2009, The Irvine Lake Mud Run took place to raise money for that research.

An organization called Eco Fun Challenge, LLC, has launched an effort to to raise $1 million for "groups that are making a real impact on environmental issues." The Irvine Lake Mud Run event also included an Eco Fair and concerts.

The next Mud Run is scheduled for April 10, 2010. Click here to register online for the April 10 event.

Here is a video from ABC News with information about the Scripps project and general information about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch: