Though there hasn't been too many updates recently on our blog or our website, there are lots of things going on behind the scenes! We have a new addition to our staff coming soon that we are very excited about! As well as lots of updates to our website, our campaign for sustainable seafood, our Youth Committee starting up, new events, and a number of other things that we can't wait to share with you all!
Our next event will be to help restore the wetlands! Volunteers 16 years old and older are invited to join us and the City of Ventura to clear the way for new native species of plants in the Harbor Wetlands. Our wetlands are vital to birds and mammals, including endangered species! Wetlands not only filter water before it enters our oceans, but provides food, shelter, and nesting grounds for migrating birds. For more information on this event go here!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monthly Beach Clean up (October)
October 17th was our monthly beach clean up at Seaward Beach in Ventura, CA. We had a great time cleaning up the area and speaking with the community about Seafoam Project and the importance of keeping trash out of the ocean.
California had been hit with a good amount of rain recently. Rain is great for the usually dry and hot California weather, but with rain comes heavily polluted waterways that drain directly to our ocean. Creeks, streams, and storm drains that trickle into the ocean were dumping full force during the rain, bringing large amounts of trash (urban runoff).
During our beach clean up we were able to identify items of marine debris (trash) that had obviously come from urban runoff. We were also able to identify tiny broken and worn pieces of plastic that had been washed up from the ocean. As you know, these tiny pieces of plastic are ingested by marine life and cause hundreds of thousands of deaths for birds, mammals, and fish.
California had been hit with a good amount of rain recently. Rain is great for the usually dry and hot California weather, but with rain comes heavily polluted waterways that drain directly to our ocean. Creeks, streams, and storm drains that trickle into the ocean were dumping full force during the rain, bringing large amounts of trash (urban runoff).
During our beach clean up we were able to identify items of marine debris (trash) that had obviously come from urban runoff. We were also able to identify tiny broken and worn pieces of plastic that had been washed up from the ocean. As you know, these tiny pieces of plastic are ingested by marine life and cause hundreds of thousands of deaths for birds, mammals, and fish.
Above, Hillary removes items of trash from the storm drain located near the sand. Storm drains have no filtration system in place so anything that enters will end up in our ocean.
Volunteers removed over 560 pieces of plastic from the beach that day!
Kim holds a "nurdle" in her hand. Nurdles are pre-production plastic pellets (what is made to make plastic bottles, containers, etc) and are incredibly harmful to the environment. To learn more about nurdles go here!
As always, thank you to everyone who volunteered! We hope to see you at our next monthly beach clean up! For more information about our November events check out our website's event page!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sustainable Seafood
Seafoam Project is focusing on sustainable seafood: seafood that is caught and/or farmed with little damage to the environment. The high demand for seafood has been leading to destructive fishing and farming practices. You don't have to give up seafood, but instead should be aware of the best choices that are easily available!
Seafoam Project is working on an educational campaign to raise awareness regarding sustainable seafood and we cannot wait to share it with you! Until then, here is an interesting article we hope you will check out!
Link to article: Imposter Fish
Seafoam Project is working on an educational campaign to raise awareness regarding sustainable seafood and we cannot wait to share it with you! Until then, here is an interesting article we hope you will check out!
Link to article: Imposter Fish
Monday, October 5, 2009
Storm Drain Stenciling!
October 3rd, Seafoam Project Volunteers added "Do Not Dump..." plaques to Simi Valley neighborhoods! We stenciled 20 storm drains that day. In addition to the plaques, we removed debris and trash from the storm drains and recorded information onto data cards. We removed plastic bottles, glass, food wrappers, and more - which would have made its way into waterways and the ocean.
Remember, storm drains and catch basins are for collecting water only. These draining systems have no filtration or trash collection process in place and drain directly to our waterways and ocean!
Here you can see volunteers adding adhesive to the plaques before placing them near the storm drain!
We hope you will join Seafoam Project's next storm drain stenciling event!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
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