Earth Day 2011 Preparation

Earth Day is coming up on April 16, 2011! The venue has been moved to the San Clemente Community Center lawn due to the ongoing construction in the pier parking lot. The good news is that this new location gives us an opportunity to:

• Add more vendors! We are looking for vendors or display booths from those who support sustainability or whose products are eco-friendly!
• Sell food! We are also looking for restaurants or anyone who would like to sell food at the event in support of the San Clemente Watershed Task Force!

In addition to the Earth Day Festival at the Community Center, we need volunteers to help with the beach cleanup from 9:00 to 11:00 am at the pier as well as to man the Adopt-a-Beach booth.

Please contact Colleen Canfield at colleen@scwatersheds.com if you are interested in participating!

2010 So Far....

2010 so far for me has been full of time spent with family (including a now 1-year old son), friends, and work. Sound familiar? If you're like me, who lives and play near the ocean, it has been rare for you to find time to fulfill your volunteer commitments to the beach. That's ok! Because together we are making a difference in our community and on the environment! Thanks to the following teams for cleaning the beach in 2010 so far...

The Beach Master; The Joe Zoller Team

The Lemly Family; Team F.I.S.H.

Lasuens Boardriders Club; Team Fun

Keller Williams, OC Coastal Realty; The Chapman Family

New Leaf America; Jack & Ryan Baker

Sunrise Rotary; The Miller & Pelham Families

SMES Environmentality

There have been many exciting events in 2010 so far for Adopt-a-Beach:

• The City of San Clemente Commondation - see document on website


• The Earth Day Beach Cleanup - over 200 volunteers through the Disney program and 2 dumpsters of trash picked up!



• Earth Day Festival - Blue Water Business Awards & I received the Stephanie Dorey Award - Thank You!


• The 5th of July "Morning After" Beach Cleanup - over 50 volunteers & 1 dumpster of trash picked up!

Upcoming events in 2010 include:

• September 10 - 5th Annual Live Art Auction!!! 6:00 pm @ San Clemente Art Gallery (the community center on Ave. Del Mar). $10 per person (refunded with purchase). Complimentary Food and Beverages! To reserve a spot, email info@scwatersheds.com


• September 25 - California Coastal Cleanup Day!!! We need volunteers. Please email info@scwatersheds.com


• More beach cleanups to be announced...

JULY 2010 ADOPT-A-BEACH NEWS

City of San Clemente - Styrofoam Ordinance

The City of San Clemente has prepared a Negative Declaration for the Draft Ordinance Prohibiting the Use of Expanded Polystyrene Disposable Food Service Ware, which is available for public review and comments through September 9, 2010. Available through the city website are resources to assist food service businesses with finding alternative products and a list of vendors that supply these products. Click here for more information.

State of California AB 1998 - Plastic Bag Ban

This month we have a real opportunity to adopt legislation in California to ban single use plastic grocery bags once and for all. But the plastics industry is spending thousands of dollars on a misleading campaign to derail the proposal. We need your immediate help if we're going to put a stop to the 36,000 plastic bags disposed in California every minute:
Fax/Email your State Senator and Urge their Support for AB 1998;
Sign-up to receive daily updates and action alerts on the legislation;
Make an online contribution today to support our campaign.
In the next four weeks the California legislature will take final votes on AB 1998 (Brownley), legislation that will promote a shift to reusable bags and prohibit grocery, liquor and convenience stores from distributing single-use plastic bags.Think about what that means: 52 million plastic bags a day eliminated! What does that mean for you? We would still be able to "purchase" plastic bags, and this type of legislation is proven to reduce the occurence of plastic bag use and disposal very quickly!

Poche Beach Bacteria Study

The City of San Clemente has partnered with Weston Solutions of Carlsbad to implement a bacteria-source study for the Prima Deshecha watershed? Poche Beach is the point of the largest amount of run-off drainage within the San Clemente watershed, and because a large amount of bacteria is associated with the run-off, Poche Beach is often rated F for water quality. This means that it is unsafe for swimming, which is the #1 designated use for all waters of the United States! In an effort to improve water quality to Poche Beach, this bacteria-source study will consist of discrete sampling points in the Prima Deschecha watershed to identify the areas where the most bacteria is coming from.

Corps of Engineers Beach Erosion Study

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is nearing completion of a beach erosion study and proposed sand replenishment project. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Report is available for public review through September 23, 2010. The report is available at the San Clemente Public Library or through the City’s website via the link below. A public workshop will be held on August 19 at 910 Calle Negocio at 7pm.

Graffiti Hotline

Did you know that there is a San Clemente Grafitti Hotline? If you see grafitti in your neighborhood, please call (949) 361-8385. Response within 24-hours!

Youth Groups help Adopt-a-Beach after Big Storms hit San Clemente

On Sunday, January 24, two different San Clemente youth groups came together with Adopt-a-Beach to clean up the beaches around the San Clemente pier after last week's series of 5 pacific storms left San Clemente beaches full of trash. The groups met at Linda Lane park because we'd had reports that this area was especially bad due to the construction materials that had been ripped off the pier by big waves. However, upon arrival, it became clear that because the City's subcontractors had cleared the area of the construction debris, their help was needed between Marine Safety and T-Street, which was covered in tiny styrofoam bits and all those other pieces of trash that Adopt-a-Beach team members are very familiar with! This cleanup was organized by Planning Commissioner Brenda Miller and Rose Velasquez from OC Human Relations and included 23 San Clemente kids from the Mary Erickson Tutoring Center and the San Clemente Presbyterian Church Hispanic youth groups. Also participating were Mike Dobbles, Isobel Pelham, Brenda Miller, Rose Velasquez, and Colleen, Jake, and Adam Canfield.

Happy Holidays!

On behalf of the San Clemente Watershed Task Force, I'd like to wish all our Adopt-a-Beachers a Happy Holiday!

So, what did Santa bring us?

A Commendation by the San Clemente City Council!!!! Please join Sherry Johnson and I at the City Council meeting on January 5, 2010 to accept this wonderful award and share in the recognition of all your hard work for Adopt-a-Beach! The meeting is at 6pm at 100 Avenida Presidio.

Summer Cleanup Totals

The Summer (July and August) Beach Cleanup totals are in!


http://scwatersheds.com/reports.htm


While items such as glass, plastic, and styrofoam are sometimes too numerous to count, it seems that you all, like me, loooove to count those cigarette butts! In July and August almost 9,000 butts were collected and counted. Adopt a Beach members Isabel Pelham and Brenda Miller has been saving the butts she picked up...take a look! All of these butts were picked up between Mariposa Point and Linda Lane along the beach, beach trail, and street. Thanks Brenda & Isabel!

Thanks to the following teams!:

Beach Master

Hodson Family

Joe Zoller Team

Miller/Wood Family

Jefferson Family

Our Savior Lutheran Church (one-time event)

Lemley Family

Lausens Boardrider Club

Citro Family

Chapman Family

F.I.S.H.

SC Sunrise Rotary Club (shown on right)

Team Fun

Why is the Adopt-a-Beach program so important?

There are many reasons why the Adopt-a-Beach members clean up San Clemente beaches. The reasons range from the protection of marine animals to pollution education for their children to a sense of fulfillment by giving back to our community. Whatever your reason(s) are, it's also important to remember to motivate ourselves to keep up with the task at hand. I too have had a hard time motivating myself this summer; however, the heat of summer and the inundation of tourists to our San Clemente beaches only give us more reason to get out there and pick up the trash!

Personally, I find motivation in the effects of pollution on our environment, one of which is the huge patch of plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean, known as:

The "Great Pacific Garbage Patch"

Last month the Scripps Insitute of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, launched a three week investigation of the Garbage Patch. What they found was that it is roughly the size of Texas, and instead of being a solid island of plastic, it is composed of millions of tiny pieces of plastic that float just under the surface of the ocean! One nsource of the plastic is thought to be the west coast of the United States! To read more about the Garbage Patch and the Scripps Institute investigation, please click on the links below:

http://sio.ucsd.edu/Expeditions/Seaplex/

http://www.greatgarbagepatch.org/

http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/info/patch.html

Sept. 18 Art Auction

SAVE THE DATE!!! The Sept. 18 Art Auction is our BIGGEST event of the year, and we expect all our teams to participate! Please check your email for your personal invite to this event!

Sept. 19 Coastal Cleanup Day

The perfect way to spend a beautiful Saturday morning in San Clemente! Please help out by either (1) cleaning up your section of San Clemente coastline or (2) come down to the pier and help the San Clemente Watershed Task Force by cleaning the beach, pier, or trail!

Monthly Reports: The monthly reports can now be found at: http://www.scwatersheds.com/reports.htm

Contact information update: I want to make sure that our members are getting the most up-to-date Adopt-a-Beach information! Please email me at colleenmcanfield@hotmail.com with your current phone number, email address, list of team members, and preferred beach section.

Personal Note: Please excuse my absence from the Sept. 3 party! I am currently on doctor ordered bed-rest, but I will be back in action as soon as possible! I am hoping I will be able to make it to the Art Auction!

Summer's Here!

Summer officially began last weekend, but at San Clemente beaches, it looked like Summer began with the Memorial Day weekend! The Adopt-a-Beach teams are off to a great start, with over 90 hours of logged cleanup time on the beaches in May. However, I'm sure you've noticed that there is an increase in the number of people and the amount of trash on the beach recently! We'll have a tough job for the next few months, but we'll all have a little fun at the same time.





May 2009 Monthly Report: http://members.cox.net/rockgirl14/2009_06_AaB%20Monthly%20Report.htm

Thanks to the following teams for cleaning up in May!
Joe Zoller Team
Miller/Wood Family
Jefferson Family
F.I.S.H.
Canfield Family
SC Sunrise Rotary Club
Wicks Family
Lemly Family
Lausen's Boardrider Club
Seaview Pharmacy
Chapman Family
Beach Master
Eads & Others Team


Introducing....

Welcome to the new teams joining us this summer:

Hodson Family
Nonaca Family
Winkelmann Family (shown on right)

We now have many openings available for new teams, so if you know of anyone who may want to join us in adopting a beach, please have them contact me at colleenmcanfield@hotmail.com!



Coming up...

Summer time is full of exciting events in San Clemente!


July 4th - Independence Day: A big day for all of us, and the day after is one of the best times to get all the good trash ;) Have fun & please plan on hitting the beach post-4th of July!


July 18th & 19th - 2009 Ocean Festival: Come visit us at the festival!


September 3rd - Adopt-a-Beach Team Party: Our last party was a great success, so we've decided to have another one. On Sept. 3, please join us at the Community Center on Del Mar Avenue for another evening full of food, drinks, good times...and a bit of business.


September 18th - Art Auction: Mark your calendars for the biggest Adopt-a-Beach/San Clemente Watershed Task Force event of the year, the Annual Art Auction! This event keeps our program going, so invite your friends! As usual, it will be held at the Community Center on Del Mar Ave.


September 19th - California Coastal Cleanup Day: As if you needed an official day to cleanup! The Adopt-a-Beach program is sponsoring a special cleanup day in conjunction with this state-wide event to bring awareness to the San Clemente community. On this day, ask a friend to join you in a beach or neighborhood cleanup!


Summer Beach/Train Cleanups: There will be various scheduled community cleanups taking place this summer. As they come up, I will forward the details to you via email! Keep those bags and buckets close by!

Introducing Colleen Canfield!

GREAT news! The talent search is over – I have found my replacement.

Please join me in welcoming Colleen Canfield as the new Adopt a Beach Program Manager/Volunteer Coordinator.

After interviewing five applicants (three of them strong contenders) I determined that Colleen was the best choice for the position. She meets all of the requirements we were looking for – and more.

Colleen is a professional geologist with an MS in geology from SDSU. She is a new resident of San Clemente, recently moving here from San Diego. She is an active member of Surfrider and has participated in beach cleanup events. Of particular interest is her experience working with databases – a skill set which will be key in achieving our goal of automating the data tracking process. She is organized, energetic, highly personable, and a clear communicator. She is also willing to commit a minimum of 1 year to the position and to recruit and train her replacement when the time comes. I believe that Colleen has the passion, the experience and the skill set we need to take the Adopt a Beach program to the next level.

You'll be hearing directly from Colleen in future blog postings and will have a chance to meet her in person at the upcoming kick off/team social meeting. (Nothing has been announced yet, but it keep your calendar clear for early June). I plan to remain an active member of the Watershed Task Force and will be on hand to support Colleen during the training and transition period.

In the meantime, please start faxing your data collection sheets to Colleen at 714-371-1852.

This is an exciting new chapter for the Adopt a Beach Program. I can't wait to see your new initiatives and progress in the months ahead! Speaking of progress...

News Flash!

SDSU has just completed a study on the impact of cigarette butts. Based on the results of their findings (one cigarette butt can kill a fish in a liter of water within 96 hours) they are pushing to get filtered cigarette butts classified as toxic waste with strict rules for disposal. Given the large number of cigarette butts you all find each month, I know this is a topic of great interest. Thanks to Mary Vondrak with Environmental Programs for bringing this to my attention.

Here's a link to the article if you'd like to read it yourself:

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/may/01/sdsu-study-says-cigarette-butts-kill-fish/

Adopt a Beach "Cleans Up" at Earth Day Celebration Awards Ceremony!

What an amazing day! The weather was beautiful, the dolphins were jumping and the air was filled with music. (Pause for a few bars of "Here Comes the Sun")



Speaking of the Sun - Mother Nature sure shined her spotlight on the Adopt a Beach program this year. AaB volunteers walked away with not one, not two but three (count em three!) awards this year. Wowi Zowi! (nod to Roby) I had prior knowledge of two of the awards - but I have to say the third one was a total surprise.


Mark Aubrey (Beach Master) was presented with the Watershed Task Force Volunteer of the Year Award. (applause/applause!)


The Zoller Team (Joe Zoller, Bob Bewak, and J. C. Hartley) walked away with the Watershed Task Force Team Award. (applause/applause!)

And I was surprised and honored when Bill Hart and John Dorey presented me with the coveted Stephanie Dorey Blue Water Dolphin Award. (gasp, hand over my heart!)

It is difficult to put into words what this award means to me. Stephanie was/is one of my heroes. I will treasure it always as a visual reminder of my time with you, the Adopt a Beach program and the amazing things we were able to accomplish together.

Most of you already know this, but for those of you who don't - Stephanie Dorey was a former San Clemente mayor and a legendary coastal advocate. Among her many environmental accomplishments was the formation of the Watershed Taskforce and the Adopt a Beach program. After Stephanie's death in 2007, the Watershed Taskforce created the dolphin award in her memory.

I also want to send a shout out to Shorecliffs Middle School, this year's recipients of the Blue Water award. Students in the school's Peer Assistance Leadership (PAL) class gather recyclables and turn them in for money which ultimately is donated to needy families and school events. Impressive!

Check out the article and slide show in the OC register

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/beach-clemente-san-2368465-thousands-adopt

And the San Clemente Times also did a great cover for us this year:

http://www.sanclementetimes.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=1641&cntnt01dateformat=%25B+%25d%2C+%25Y&cntnt01returnid=99

Sandbags, Earth Day, March Stats and More!

Great Green Idea in Action -

Remember my post earlier this year where I asked for ideas on how we might "green our clean up efforts"? And do you recall the idea that was proposed by Mark Chavez to reuse city supplied sandbags instead of single use plastic bags to collect debris?

Never one to let a great idea go to waste, I found the perfect opportunity to pilot Mark's idea when I helped out at Surfrider's Global Ocean Initiatives event. With permission from the local chapter, volunteers were provided sandbags instead of the single use disposable bags typically used for large scale cleanups.

Results - overall, the results were encouraging. No complaints - the volunteers seemed to enjoy participating in the pilot and helping us test out the use of the sandbags. We handed out approximately 40 sandbags -resulting in keeping 39 single use bags out of the landfill! All but 4 bags were returned to us - one volunteer was still out cleaning when we packed it up, and 2 people asked if they could hang on to the sandbags and use them for future cleanups. We did decide to "retire" (dispose of) one of the bags because of its contents - a dead bird. :(

Next Steps - expect to see the bright yellow sandbags out in full force on Earth Day in San Clemente. The Watershed Task force is partnering with the local chapter of Surfrider and the city will be supplying the sandbags for the event. And to think - it all started with an observation, a request, and a great idea...

Note - Corn based plastics bags are typically handed out at large group clean up events. They are often viewed as a “greener” alternative to petroleum based plastic bags – but they are still designed to be a single use disposable item (inherently NOT GREEN) and there are other issues associated with their production and disposal. They are promoted as biodegradable, however most people don’t realize that it can take these PLA plastics as long as 1000 years to biodegrade in a landfill because they don’t receive the air and water necessary to break them down.

Earth Day 2009
Speaking of Earth Day, I hope to see you all at the festivities this Saturday. The fun starts at 10:00am and runs until 2:00pm. There will be music, informational booths, cool giveaways, and more at the park area above the pier. This year will be even more special because...

Two of the Adopt a Beach teams are up for awards! I know who they are but I'll keep it a surprise - so plan to be near the stage at 12:55pm to hoop and holler and whistle and applaud with me. Who knows - maybe it will be your team!

March Totals
Activity was slow for March. Spring Fever? An extra dose of gratitude to the Steadfast Six:

- Joe Zoller Team
- Miller Wood Team
- F.I.S.H. - St. John's Youth Group
- Weller Family
- Seaview Pharmacy
- Beach Master

ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankYouThankYou...

Here is the link to the report for March:
http://greenwaveleadership.com/Adopt%20a%20Beach/AdoptABeachMonthlySummaryMarch.pdf

I have more news to share with you, but it will have to wait until my next posting. Maybe a special post Earth Day edition? To be continued...

It's Time to Pass the Baton

The Search is on for the next Adopt a Beach Program Manager/Volunteer Coordinator!

Yes, my wonderful friends, neighbors and fellow ocean advocates – it is true. I am preparing to take on some new responsibilities/ adventures and feel that this is the best time to turn the program leadership over to someone new. I was just getting ready to contact my friends at Surfrider and ask them to post something on their website (after all – that’s how you got me :). Then I thought, hey, wait a minute – there is probably someone already on one of our Adopt a Beach teams that would be perfect to take this on.

Might that someone be you?

If so, shoot me an email to let me know of your interest ASAP. And just so you know – it is a voluntary gig. Personally rewarding – yes! But, alas, no monetary compensation.
My plan is to have our new program manager/volunteer coordinator in place (and filling my Rainbow sandalsJ) no later than May11th.

Now, on to the the business at hand...

The February Data is In

And it was another successful month! Have I told you guys lately how much I appreciate you? A gold sea star and a big round of virtual applause for all the vounteers on these dedicated teams:

- Joe Zoller Team

- F.I.S.H. - ST. John's Youth Group

- SC Sunrise Rotary Club

- SC Green

- Wicks Family

- SC Historical Society

- Lemly Family

- Weller Family

- Seaview Pharmacy

- Beach Master

Awesome! For a look at the full report click here: http://greenwaveleadership.com/Adopt%20a%20Beach/AdoptABeachMonthlySummaryFebruary2009.pdf

Quote of the Month:

In closing, I thought I would share with you another one of my favorite quotes.

"Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we cannot eat money." Cree Indian Proverb

Happy New Year!

Welcome Team Lemly

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Don and Kathy Lemly in front of the pier and getting them all set up to join our happy crew. Here is a photo of them with bucket in hand ready to take on the world...or at least their selected section of beach. Expect to see their names reflected on future monthly summary reports for Section 13 (Restrooms to Boca del Canon).

FRESH START - STRONG START!

Here it is - 2009 and the Adopt a Beach Program is already off to a strong start. All 22 sections of beach were covered in January. An auspicious beginning indeed!

Here are the NINE TEAMS that came through for us in January:

Joe Zoller Team
Miller/Wood Team
Jefferson Family
F.I.S.H. - St. John's Youth Group
SC Sunrise Rotary Club
Wick Family
SC Historical Society
Weller Family
Beach Master

Click here for the January Report.

Year End Wrap Up

And to each and every team who turned in a data sheet last year, thank you for your part in making 2008 an amazing year for the Adopt a Beach program. I just finished the final summary report for the year and I think you will be proud of what we accomplished together. Take a look!

Click here for the Year End Summary Report for 2008.http://greenwaveleadership.com/Adopt%20a%20Beach/AdoptABeachAnnualSummary2008.pdf

GO YELLOW to GO GREEN

As you all know, I am always on the lookout for ways we can improve our processes, reduce waste and go greener. Mark Chavez (Beaches Parks and Recreation Division) has come up with a very creative yet practical idea to help us reduce the number of plastic non-reusable bags being used for beach cleanups. SANDBAGS. Yep, those bright yellow city supplied sandbags could be just the ticket to helping us go green. If you or members of your team are currently using plastic bags for your cleanups, I strongly encourage you to use (and reuse) a sandbag instead. You can pick them up from Marine Safety. By the way, if your team is taking steps to "green their team" I want to hear from you. Who will be the first team to send me a photo of the sandbags in action?

Special Presentation This Thursday

Captain Charles Moore from the Algalita Research Foundation will be presenting at the Coastal Advisory Meeting on the effects of plastic in the ocean, now commonly known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It's on Thursday, February 12th, 7:00pm at the Community Development Building, 910 Calle Negocio, 2nd Floor South Entrance. Sure to be an eye opener and there is no charge to attend.

More to Come

Plans for another team get together is in the works and there will be more in the way of information and announcements coming your way in the weeks ahead. I'll save those for another time to avoid info overload. For now, I will leave you with this thought:

It's a new year - stretched out before us like a beautiful empty beach. Where will you leave your footprints this year?

December Data is IN.

IMPRESSIVE ENDING
FOR 2008

Wow.
You guys are full of surprises.

In spite of the holidays and competing commitments, the activity reports for December were some of the strongest ever.

Here's a special salute to the 12 teams who made it happen:
Joe Zoller Team
Flotsam & Jetsam Crew
Miller Woods Family
Jefferson Family
F.I.S.H. - St. John's Youth Group
San Clemente Green
Wicks Family
San Clemente Historical Society
Weller Family
Lasuens Boardrider Club
Citro Family
Beach Master

Again, an extra salute to Mark Aubrey (Beach Master) who managed to cover the entire 22 sections of beach/trail several times this month. Although not quite as exciting as saving a drowning man, he did report finding a new watch on the beach which he was able to return to its rightful owner. What other interesting things were found? Click on the following link to find out:

AdoptABeachMonthlySummaryDecember2008.pdf

SEAsons Greetings!

Taking a break from all the festivities to wish all of you a happy, healthy holiday.

Peace to you and all you love - Sherry &Vernon

December 18th - Day without a Bag

Paper or Plastic? Neither!
The Watershed Task force is teaming up with San Clemente Green and other local environmental groups to participate in Heal the Bay's outreach effort of A Day Without a Bag.

Tomorrow (Thursday, December 18) we'll be asking holiday shoppers to "bag the disposable bag habit" and choose reusable bags - even if just for a day. The hope is that as people become more aware of the environmental impacts they will opt to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) all the time.

Volunteer members of our reusable bag coalition will be stationed at various locations in San Clemente. We'll be out raising awareness & gifting shoppers with free reusable bags and the opportunity for positive action. I'm signed up as site captain/team leader for the Ralph's Camino de Estrella location. We will be there from 4:00 to 6:00 pm -so if you are out in that area, please stop by to say hello. Other ways you can lend your support is to pass the word to your friends and family.

Choose Buckets over Bags!
Not so much for shopping (although it certainly earns you points for flair and thinking outside the bag!). No, in this case I am referring to our beach clean up activities. While on one hand we are working to keep plastics and other debris out of the ocean (and doing a mighty fine job of it I might add!), we are inadvertently adding to the landfill problem whenever we use plastic bags to collect and dispose of the trash. Do you see the irony in all this? How about a visual. Picture, if you can, 463 bags of trash piled into a landfill. That is the total number of bags of trash that our Adopt a Beach teams have collected and disposed of over the past 8 months. Compare that with the 226 buckets that were collected.

I know that you'll agree that we would like to see less of what we collect during our clean ups going directly to our landfills. Our founder, the late Stephanie Dorey, had that in mind when she created this program. You see we are unique from other clean up efforts in that we provide each team with a reusable bucket and calipers (vs disposable plastic bags and latex gloves). I think the challenge is that we have grown so much and have added larger teams with a rotating number of volunteers. Still, with a little awareness, creativity, and leadership from all of you - it can be done.

RAISING THE BAR - GOING GREEN(ER) in 2009
So, I propose that we shoot for greatly reducing (if not eliminating) the use of disposable bags and gloves during our clean ups. Are you up for the challenge? What are your thoughts on this? Get in touch with me (either by commenting on this blog, sending me an email, or writing/typing a comment on your next data collection sheet) I will compile the info that I receive and we can identify your challenges and come up with solutions. To jump start your creativity, here are some suggestions that have come my way already:

- gardening gloves, rubber dish washing gloves, or work gloves instead of disposable latex
- large canvas shoulder bags (like city workers use) and just reuse each time
- large mesh bags (like those used to wash lingerie) can be hosed off or laundered
- city could provide empty sandbags to use for collections, dump and return post cleanup
- team leaders set the tone/educate and request volunteers bring their own reusable materials

Looking forward to hearing what you come up with! It's fun to explore possibilities. Need inspiration? Then check out this video - http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=3320169

And the Gold Sea Stars for November Go To...

The Twelve Teams
Who Showed Up & Cleaned Up!
Joe Zoller Team
Flotsam & Jetsam Crew
Jefferson Family
F.I.S.H. - St. John's Youth Group
SC Sunrise Rotary Club
Wicks Family
SC Historical Society
Weller Family
Lausuens Boardriders Club
Chapman Family
Headrick Family
Beach Master

Thanks to these teams (with the usual above and beyond efforts of Mark Aubrey/Beach Master) over 15,848 pieces of trash were removed from our beaches and trail this month. So even though most of the tourists have gone home and the beaches appear relatively clean this time of year, your clean ups are still making a huge difference.

Catch of the Month
The Most Unusual Item of The Month goes to our newest team - F.I.S.H. (St. John's Youth Group). In addition to the usual plethora of cigarette butts, styrofoam, and bottle caps this team found a switch blade (!) on their adopted section. What?! You just never know what you'll find. Anyway, we're all glad that's outta there. Nice job, kids! On a lighter note, if you need some last minute items for holiday gift giving see the Beach Master. He netted 2 cell phones, 3 swim goggles, 1 dive mask and several items of clothing. : )

To see the Summary report, click on the link below.
AdoptABeachMonthlySummaryNovember2008.pdf

I'll be blogging again soon to tell you about an important event that's coming up on December 18th. Hints: Sea Turtles Don't Shop / Ban the Bag Monster! Until then, I will leave you with my favorite star fish "story". There are many versions out there. I believe all are adaptations from the Star Thrower by Loren Eisely (1907-1977). No doubt you already know of it, but it is a good reminder of how our seemingly small efforts can make a big difference. Hopefully this link will work - if not just copy and paste into your browser. Here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GunVwl6K4M

Over the River and Through the Woods...

In just a few hours I will be packing up my pumpkin pies and heading off to enjoy the day breaking bread and giving thanks with friends and family.

But first, here's a quick shout out/Happy Thanksgiving to my Adopt a Beach family with a link to a website you might enjoy:

http://www.gratefulness.org/t/motherearth.htm
Food for thought - and calorie free!

October Trick or Treat?

Compared to the activity of the summer months, October was a frightfully slow period for the Adopt a Beach program.

There were so few data sheets coming in that I began to suspect that both my fax machine and PC were bewitched.


I tried to keep my spirits up, but was beginning to doubt that there was even a ghost of a chance that I would be reporting good numbers this month.

But then, like magic the data sheets started coming in. Not many - just 6 teams - a mere skeleton crew from the 48 teams listed on the Adopt a Beach roster.

So...how did we do? Did our 6 month winning streak finally come to an end? Or can we now claim 7 straight months of keeping all 22 sections of beach/trail clean? Click on the link below to find out. But first - let's raise a glass of apple cider and toast the six teams who gave us a spooktacular first rate effort this month:

Joe Zoller & Friends
San Clemente Green
Headrick Family
Weller Family
Eads & Others
Beach Master

To see the Summary report, click on the link below.
AdoptABeachMonthlySummaryOctober2008.pdf

What a Welcome Treat!
The St. Johns Youth Group - team name F.I.S.H. (Friends in Serving Him) - have decided to lend their considerable energy and enthusiasm to our cause. The leader of the group is an impressive young lady by the name of Caili McDaniel.

Caili and her team selected Section 8 - Volley Ball Court to Marine Safety (north side) as their adopted beach/trail. Youth taking leadership roles and actively working to preserve the environment - it makes my heart sing.

Our Blog Cover Model - Rupert the Pumpkin
Before I forget - I want to be sure and give credit to Rupert - our quirky cover model - and Steve Polatnick -the genius who discovered him. I invite you to check out Steve's website at http://www.rupertpumpkin.com/ruperts.html

That's the scoop for October. I hope to see more teams out there doing their part in November. It's a great way to stay in shape during the holidays. More beach walking/clean up activity translates to an extra slice of pumpkin pie at the dinner table. So if the idea of racking up the good Karma doesn't motivate you, maybe your sweet tooth will. (wink/wink - big smile)

September Summary - It doesn't Get More Exciting Than This...

Beach Master in the News...Local Man Adopts a Beach and Saves a Life...
Yep - that's our very own Mark Aubrey (aka Beach Master) making headlines. This time, it is not for his extraordinary dedication to the Adopt a Beach program (for which he has long been our hero). This time he really outdid himself. It seems that being a record breaking clean up legend on the Adopt a Beach team is no longer enough for him. Oh no. (Head shake) Now he has to go off jumping into the water and saving people. Way to raise the bar Beach Master. How can the rest of us mere mortals ever live up to that? Ha. Seriously, we couldn't be more proud of you Mark. You never cease to amaze us - and that is just the way we like it! (Big Smile)

The story was picked up by the OC Register with favorite local reporter Fred Swegles providing the scoop and Paul Bersebach snapping the awesome photos. (Thumbs Up)
Here is the link in case you missed it: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/aubrey-beach-cane-2192212-water-went

The September Data Is In!

There were 12 teams this month who were walking the walk and not just talking the talk. And in the process of walking, managed to pick up a lot of junk from the beach and trail. Thanks to these hard working folks, we can proudly proclaim that for the sixth month in a row every stretch of beach has been cleaned at least twice. Awesome Awesome Awesome. Thank you Thank you Thank you.

To see the September Beach cleanup summary
click here.


September Fundraising

The live Art Auction was a blast. When I wasn't drooling (figuratively/not literally!) over the donated treasures or rubbing elbows with artists and art lovers in the community I did my part by keeping the wine flowing. (To the wine glasses of the attendees glasses not my own!) Fun Fun Fun. I spotted members from the following Adopt a Beach teams bidding away - Historical Society, Sunrise Rotary Club, City Council, Judy Jones for Assembly, and probably many others of you were there too. I was too busy to do any bidding myself but luckily Vernon arrived in the nick of time with the checkbook. We now have two of Jim Proett's masterpieces hanging on display in our home. According to Nanci Mavar, the event netted $4,200 for the Watershed Task force. (Cha ching!) I'm including the link so you can read the full write up, including the list of artists who donated their work. In return, please repay the favor whenever you can by supporting our local artists. Check it out...http://www.ocregister.com/articles/art-san-clemente-2194053-gallery-force

Just today, I heard through the grapevine (hint: Nanci Mavar) that Mary Vondrak with the City of San Clemente Environmental Programs Department has secured a grant that will provide an additional $3,000 to support clean ocean efforts. (cartwheels). Lookin' good on the fundraising front.

AT Last...Smoking Banned on the Trail

Great news - on September 29th a new law went into effect banning smoking on all municipal trails. Hopefully that will translate to fewer cigarette butts showing up in our our bags and buckets. Depending, of course, on how well it gets enforced. Anyway, it's a start! Thanks to all of you who have been consistently counting, logging and sending in the data from your cleanups. This is the kind of hard data that gets considered when making public policy. Good incentive to keep those data sheets and your comments and suggestions coming to me. Sometimes it takes awhile, but this is a real relevant current example of how we can influence change. Kudos to the City Council. And Kudos to You - all the Adopt a Beach teams out doing the work. I'm learning that activism isn't always loud and bigger than life. In fact, a lot of the time it is subtle and behind the scenes and involves getting your hands (or in our case gloves) dirty. And it is frequently tedious work - like counting cigarette butts or adding up data from a stack of faxed in data sheets. But it is powerful and important. It helps to remember that.

I have the link to that news article too - here it is for your reading pleasure: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/row-trails-san-2168687-smoking-clemente

California Coastal Cleanup

This was also the month for the annual coastal cleanup. Even though it was the morning after the art auction (and required getting up early on a Saturday- groan) I couldn't miss that one! And I'm sure glad I didn't. Danna McIntosh, Mary Vondrak, Bill Hart and I teamed up to sign in volunteers, issue cleaning materials, supply refreshments, and answer questions. We also laughed a lot. If you know these guys you understand what I am talking about. Among the many volunteers who showed up, I recognized some familiar faces from our Adopt a Beach family including Kristi Kindred and members of her group from the Sunrise Rotary Club. All in all, volunteers bagged up over 345 pounds of litter including 70 pounds of recyclables. Impressive! Of course what would be even more impressive is if we could keep this stuff from getting on the beach in the first place!

Check out Danna's article in the OC Register: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/san-clemente-pounds-2166823

On a related note, Mary Vondrak forwarded the tally sheet so I could include it in the blog. To see the results from the annual Coastal Cleanup day click here.

Whew! September was a news filled month for the Adopt a Beach program. Now I wonder what delights October will bring? Stay tuned...

August Update - Five Consecutive "Wows!"

August Status Report - WOW x5!
August proved to be yet another successful month for the Adopt a Beach Program - this makes the FIFTH CONSECUTIVE MONTH that all 22 sections have been cleaned at least twice. This was due to the collective efforts of 13 dedicated teams, including the amazing Beach Master. Many thanks and Much Appreciation!

For the full report clickhere

Adopt a Beach Team Social
Speaking of thanks and appreciation, we hosted our first Adopt a Beach team social at the Ole Hanson Community Center this month. It was a fun evening with pizza,prizes,and a presentation.

To see the powerpoint slides from my presentation click here

Community Support:
This event was made possible through the support of community sponsorship. Ron Perugini,local business owner and Vice President of the Watershed Taskforce, rallied his friends in the Auto industry to donate the funding for our team party. Our thanks to the following for their generosity and support:

Ron Perugini ($250)
Sam Clemente Auto Wrecking

JC and Mary Krumpols ($250)
AVI Commerical Insurance

Michael Daley ($100)
Ray’s Auto Repair

Gary Giaominis ($100)
Rincon Truck Center


Save the Dates
There are two big events coming up during September to add to your calendars. The San Clemente Art Auction (Sept. 19th) and the California Coastal Cleanup Day (Sept. 20th).

The Annual San Clemente Artist Association Art Auction
The San Clemente Art Association partners with the Task Force to present our BIGGEST fundraiser of the year. This funding is necessary to pay for Adopt a Beach supplies and to present the Annual Earth Day San Clemente event. The event will be held at the Art Gallery at the Ole Hanson Community Center, on September 19th, from 6:00 - 8:00pm. It will be a gathering of Adopt a Beach team members, Watershed Taskforce representatives, local artists, art lovers, and other kindred spirits. Speaking of spirits - I hear there will be wine and delectable goodies to munch on while mingling and bidding on beautiful art pieces. Tell your friends and come out and join us! If you're lucky you could walk away with a treasured work of art at a great price.

California Coastal Cleanup Day
The very next morning, September 20th, our beaches will be getting some extra attention/TLC as part of the annual California Coastal Cleanup Day. To join in, you will need to register with Mary Vondrak. Her phone number is (949) 361-8204 and email is VondrakM@san-clemente.org. This event is scheduled to run from 9:00am - 12:00pm.

That's all for now. Thanks again for being part of this important program and for making a difference one bucket at a time! - Sherry