Alas, the California State Legislature failed to get their act together and pass a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags. AB 298 stalled in the State Senate Appropriations committee. I’m guessing most of you already figured this out because there hasn’t been any mention of a plastic bag ban in the news, but I still… [read more]
Help ban plastic bags in California!
Tomorrow (or today if you are reading this on Friday, August 31st) is the last day for California’s State Senate to approve a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags. Please call your State Senator’s office and ask them to vote YES on AB 298 and make this happen! If the State Senate passes the bill… [read more]
In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s hot!
Summer heat has finally arrived in Los Angeles. I knew we couldn’t escape it, but I have to admit a small part of me was really hoping the heat might just end up somewhere else permanently. And yes, I know we are completely spoiled living in Los Angeles and I shouldn’t complain, but it’s hot!… [read more]
Oceans of garbage means plastic for dinner
Here is another great infographic by mastersdegree.net, which seemed extremely appropriate to post after writing about the Risso’s dolphin that died from eating too many plastic bags. All the plastic entering our oceans is completely disrupting the food chain and it’s inevitable that we will be eating plastic too. This graphic does a nice job… [read more]
Risso’s dolphin: death by plastic bags
Here is another photo featuring plastic bags from a stomach, this time from the stomach of a Risso’s dolphin. Dr. Alexandros Frantzis, Scientific Director at the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute in Greece sent me this photo and provided this explanation: “The photo shows the large quantity and size (the meter-tape used as scale is 2… [read more]
Jump start your creativity and help save the oceans!
Game on! There’s a pretty cool contest going on that ocean fans, recycling nuts and crafty creatives should participate in: the Summer Sustainability Creativity Challenge! This contest is all about taking things destined for the trash or recycling bin and giving them a second life as art (functional or not). For inspiration, check out the… [read more]
Contents of a sperm whale’s stomach: squid parts and plastic
After I wrote about the sperm whale that died from eating 100 plastic bags, Dr. Alexandros Frantzis, Scientific Director at the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute in Greece sent me another photo of a sperm whale’s stomach contents. This photo shows the new normal for a sperm whale’s diet in the eastern Mediterranean Sea as described… [read more]
Sperm whale: death by 100 plastic bags
Since my celebratory post last week on the City of Los Angeles plastic bag ban, this gruesome photo came to my attention. For those of you out there who still aren’t convinced that banning plastic bags is a good idea, then you must take a really good look at this photo of 100 plastic bags… [read more]
Way to ban plastic bags LA!
On Wednesday, May 23rd, Los Angeles became the largest U.S. city to pass a plastic bag ban with a 13 to 1 vote by the Los Angeles City Council. As a Los Angeles resident and ocean enthusiast, I was thrilled! When plastic shopping bags were first introduced in 1977, no one had an inkling of… [read more]
Quotes from the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
My weekend was awesome because I was at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books both days! It’s a great way to revel in the written word, hear authors speak about their work and learn new things. To change things up a bit, I went to a variety of panels this year on all different… [read more]