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Pepsi Pollutes . According to BreakFreeFromPlastic’s 2019 brand audit, PepsiCo is the third largest plastic polluter behind only CocaCola and Nestle. As top ranking polluters in both 2018 & 2019, little more than promises have been offered as solutions and even those commitments are mostly greenwashing. . PepsiCo has stated that it will make all its packaging biodegradable, compostable, or recyclable by 2025 but making something that can be recycled doesn’t mean it will be recycled. In fact, only 9% of plastic ever created has been recycled, and biodegradable and compostable plastics are also problematic. . Many people believe that biodegradable plastic will decompose in the landfill, but this is not the case because the high heat and humidity requirements are rarely met. In addition, very few municipalities provide industrial composting facilities with the conditions necessary for composting plastic. Both biodegradable and compostable plastic items will more than likely either end up being hauled away to a landfill where they will emit methane or littered and left behind to harm the natural environment. The best solution is to ditch disposables and switch to reusable/ refillable containers—and big polluters like @pepsi must act to make truly sustainability options readily available to consumers. Until then, please refuse single-use items, including plastic beverage bottles, take-away cups, utensils, stirrers, and take-out containers. Choose to reuse instead. . #pepsipollutes #plasticpepsibottle #ditchdisposables #refusesingleuse #reuserevolution #breakfreefromplastic #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweepThe balloons were really blowing today! #balloonsblow . By now, most people know that when they are released, balloons pollute the environment and can injure or kill wildlife, but many don’t realize that there is a helium shortage that is also causing problems. . A lack of helium not only puts a strain on party supply stores, it impacts medicine, industry, technology, and science. In fact, Tom Welton, a professor of sustainable chemistry, stated “When you see that we're literally just letting it float into the air, and then out into space inside those helium balloons, it's just hugely frustrating. It is absolutely the wrong use of helium." . Instead of wasting helium in harmful party balloons, it should be reserved for essential purposes. Did you know that helium is used for MRIs and respiratory treatments? It also used in hard drives and makes high speed internet possible. In addition, helium is used in fiber optics for telecommunications—and the list goes on. . For a fascinating look at the helium shortage, watch the video linked in my profile. . #balloonsblow #mylarballoons #balloons #helium #heliumshortage #balloonsaregarbage #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweepVery belated happy holiday wishes! I found this oversized ornament on the beach on January 5, 2020—over ten years after it was dedicated to “Andy + Maggie.” Every winter people decorate a tree on the bluff overlooking the coast, and my guess is that this ornament once hung from one of its branches. #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #ornament #happyholidays #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #planetorplastic #plasticisforever #marinedebris #shoresweepThe Trashy Way Galaxy* . Space might be infinite but “the orbits around the Earth are not inexhaustible.” Currently, there are 3,000 decommissioned satellites and millions of other pieces of debris orbiting our planet. Traveling more than 17,000 miles per hour, something as small as a fleck of paint can cause critical damage to a spacecraft. In fact, an ever-increasing amount of debris could threaten the satellites that make so many things possible here on Earth. . Innovative cleanup technology is in development. In fact, a mission by Swiss startup ClearSpace set to launch in 2025 will use “a four-armed robot to latch onto debris before diving back down to Earth, where both machine and junk will ‘burn up in the atmosphere....’” . However, cleaning up is only part of the solution. Preventing satellites from becoming debris in the first place is essential. Companies are beginning to build satellites that will drop toward Earth and burn up upon re-entry at the end of their usefulness. However, it’s up to individual organizations/governments to set their own guidelines because international regulations do not exist. . Sadly, space has been treated much like the ocean has been, and neither can continue absorbing our trash without causing irreparable harm. . For a brief overview, watch “Attack of the Cosmic Space Junk!” from the It’s Okay to Be Smart series produced by PBS. . *The Trashy Way Galaxy was created with plastic pieces of marine debris found on North County San Diego beaches. . #spacedebris #marinedebris #planetorplastic #protecttheplanet #protecttheocean #plasticpollutes #trashyway #milkyway #galaxy #orbitaldebris #spacejunk #shoresweep #shoresweep #spacesweep #clearspace1Happy New Year, everyone! I am optimistic that the next decade will be a time for even greater activism that will lead to healing for the planet—and humanity. I resolve to continue fighting for environmental and social justice through art, advocacy, and education, and I am grateful for all the warriors, both near and far, who are fighting right alongside me. Thank you to all my litter-picking, beach-cleaning, art-making, photo-taking, kid-teaching, community-organizing, rabbel-rousing friends and colleagues who inspire me and give me hope. . The “fireworks” were made with nurdles, biofilters, and other pieces of plastic all found on San Diego’s North County beaches. To learn about one way plastic is harming the environment, please watch a short animated film called The Nurdles Quest for Domination—and let’s all keep working together to reduce plastic pollution in 2020 and beyond! . #happynewyear #fireworks #microplastics #nurdles #resolve #artivism #advocacy #education #socialjustice #environmentaljustice #plasticpollutes #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #planetorplastic #shoresweepInvasive species: tropicalis fishius plasticus . #plasticfish #nurdles #pladticinvasion #invasivespecies #plasticpollutes #plasticpollutes #planetorplastic #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweepA hairy surfboard fin, a Christmas tree ornament, and other scary stuff. #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweep #surfboardfin #christmastreeornament #plasticwaterbottle #plasticbag #pickuponemillion #vo5 #plasticpollution #plasticpollutes #planetorplasticWrack Wreath #4 . Check out the beautiful wreaths posted with the #wrackwreath hashtag and be inspired to make your own. . #wrackwreath #biofilters #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #microplastics #marinedebris #planetorplastic #plasticisforever #shoresweepRecent Comments
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Category Archives: Writing
Del Rio’s Green Team Dream
When I walk at the beach, I often stop and scan the ocean out to the horizon. I notice the surfers as they wait patiently for the perfect wave, and I watch seabirds soaring overhead as they search for something … Continue reading
Posted in #Litterati, Education, Environment, Leading, Living, Teaching, Writing
Tagged #greenteam, #litterati, #teaching, #writing, #zerowaste, #zerowasteschools
2 Comments
What Is Hope?
Hope is taking action and becoming part of the solution… I found a water bottle on the beach last week. There wasn’t anything unusual about that. Every time I go to the beach, I pick up several empty beverage containers, … Continue reading
Posted in #Litterati, Education, Living, Mentor Text, Teaching, Uncategorized, Writing
Tagged #beachplastic, #hope, #literacy, #litterati, #sdawpphotovoices, #sdawpvoices, #teaching, #writing
3 Comments
Writing to Connect with Nature
Write to Connect is the theme for the 2013 National Day on Writing, which has expanded into a weeklong celebration of making connections through writing. In my October 6th blog post, I wrote about the importance of being a connected … Continue reading
Something to Celebrate
I lucked into an invitation to hear Lucy Calkins speak at the Marriot Marquis Hotel in San Diego on Saturday, and I spent the day in awe. Lucy is a renowned writing teacher who has written many influential books on … Continue reading
Posted in Creating, Education, SDAWP Photo Voices, Teaching, Writing
Tagged #celebrate, #celebration, #leadership, #literacy, #teaching, #writing
7 Comments
I Am a Connected Educator!
October is Connected Educator Month, which “seeks to broaden and deepen educator participation in online communities of practice and move toward a more fully connected and collaborative profession.” In response, I have been pondering my own connections. I have always … Continue reading
Posted in Creating, Education, Leading, Living, Making, Teaching, Writing
Tagged #clmooc, #connectededucator, #connecting, #teaching, #writing
5 Comments
A Purple Balloon
I was inspired by the incredible ideas shared at the San Diego Area Writing Project’s Fall Conference yesterday morning, and my mind was reeling as I stopped at my favorite Carlsbad beach on the way home. I didn’t expect to … Continue reading
Posted in #Litterati, Education, Photography, SDAWP Photo Voices, Teaching, Writing
Tagged #litterati, #poetry, #purpleballoon, #sdawpphotovoices, #sdawpvoices, #teaching, #writing
4 Comments
“Talking About…” A Nonfiction Mentor Text
I wrote the article that follows in the spring of 2011. I am finally sharing it here for the first time as my contribution to SDAWP’s #113texts Mentor Text Challenge. I realize that this is more timely than ever with … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Mentor Text, Teaching, Writing
Tagged #113texts, #CCSS, #Informative Writing, Common Core State Standards, SDAWP Voices
3 Comments
