A short animation looking at the issue of marine litter and the direct impact it has on Turtles and other sea creatures. (Video by Archipelago UK - Engage, Inform, Inspire - archipelago.co.uk)
Learn more about marine debris - SeaLife Conservation - www.sealifeconservation.org
In 2009, Dr. Sylvia Earle made her Ted Prize wish to do anything we can to create awareness of the need for marine protected areas to save and restore the ocean.In response, 100 scientists, conservationists, advocates, artists, and concerned citizens set sail for a week in the Galapagos to learn, share and collaborate. Unbelievable things came out of this voyage.
“We raised awareness, and almost $20 million. We let people know about state of the ocean and what’s needed to fix it. We organized around key ocean initiatives and committed to action plans around education, enforcement, protection, and long-term funding strategies. We also formed an international coalition around Mission Blue — supported by the Sylvia Earle Alliance (SEAlliance) and TED — with partners dedicated to protecting our ocean.
In the two years since, we’ve made incredible progress, and a Mission Blue site unveiled today will track this progress and serve as a news source for all things ocean.”
Mission-Blue.org brings together hundreds of partners, and reports on the incredible spectrum of work so many are doing to save our ocean and take on its greatest threats.
During the 2006 Pacific Cup, Todd and I were shocked by the amount of debris we saw floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It seems to us that the oceans are getting worse even though our perception was that people were getting more environmentally conscious. What can we do to help clean up our oceans? We keep asking ourselves this question and as we come up with some answers we’ll share them with you here! But in the meanwhile, join us in the search for answers and see what you can do to help.
Some things to look at and think about:
The San Francisco Women’s Match Racing Team will be competing again in 2011 at both the Grade 1 Santa Maria Cup in Annapolis in September and the U.S. Women’s Match racing Championship in New Orleans in November.
We’re looking forward to getting back into the women’s match racing circuit. More news later!
E.T. is has found a new home with Tony and Linda English. Congrats!
Here’s a great time-lapse video fo E.T. doing the 2011 Jazz Cup:
The team from E.T. is racing in the 2010 Pacific Cup on Buzz Blackett’s Antrim Class 40 - California Condor.
Follow the action here:
The California Condor blog:
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/cacondor/
or here:
I On Earth Tracking:
http://www.ionearth.com/2010/pacific-cup/
The Problem
In the middle of the North Pacific Ocean, on a tiny island 1,000 miles from the nearest big city, many Laysan albatross chicks die each year because their bellies are full of bottle caps, toothbrushes and other plastic. One study found that 97.5% of chicks had plastic in their stomachs. Many people think that the biggest source of pollution in the oceans is oil spilled from ships, but most marine pollution is litter that starts out on land.
To read more, visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium website:
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/oceanissues/plastics_albatross/
If you are wondering why there has been so little activity on this website, it’s because I’ve been SO busy updating Facebook, Twitter, and the WIMRA website with new posts!
So, if you want to see what I’ve been up to check out:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=1430458124&ref=mf
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Womens-International-Match-Racing-Association-WIMRA/96370131218
January 12, 2010
Today, NOAA and several partners in Hawaii announced a comprehensive long-term plan to actively assess and remove plastics, derelict fishing gear, and other human sources of marine debris from coastal waters and coral reefs along the island chain. The plan, a first of its kind for the nation, will be instrumental in protecting the state’s coastal communities and marine life from the thousands of pounds of marine debris that wash ashore each year.
“For too long marine debris has marred the natural beauty of our ocean and threatened our marine ecosystem,” said Sen. Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii. “I have long championed a coordinated effort to mitigate the many tons of debris that suffocate our coral, kill our fish and aquatic mammals and blanket our coastlines. This is a critical issue for our state and I am proud that Hawaii is taking the lead in finding a solution to this global problem.”
To read the entire article, please visit the NOAA website: www.noaanews.gov
We’re moving into a more modern social networking mode:
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LizBaylis
or Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Liz-Baylis/1430458124