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Not sweet! This “Sweet 16” birthday balloon reminded me that an estimated 16 million pounds (8 billion tons) of waste enters the ocean annually. #notsweet16 #balloonsblow #litterati #take3forthesea #2minutebeachclean #shoresweep #justgrabbits #plasticpollution #marinedebris #balloonsblowdontletthemgoDegradation—plastics degrade into smaller and smaller bits until they become microscopic, but they will never mineralize or completely break down. In other words, petroleum-based plastics never go away, and sadly, the various meanings of the word degradation all apply. . Degradation: the process by which something is made worse, esp. the quality of air, soil, or water (environmental degradation) . Degradation: the process in which the beauty or quality of something is destroyed or spoiled (destruction) . Degradation: the situation in which people are made to feel they have no value (demoralization) . Degradation: the process of wearing down (disintegration) . The last image includes x-rays of my shoulder both before and after the surgery to repair the fracture that occurred when I slipped on ice at Lake Tahoe on New Year’s Day. The x-rays remind me of the broken-down plastic items in more ways than one. I encourage all of you to make sure you are getting enough calcium and vitamin D. Bone health is key to a long, active life, and strong bones are especially important for litter-picking, beach-cleaning eco-warriors! ❤️ . #degradation #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweep #plasticpollution #marinedebris #onlyloserslitter #trashtag #xrays #takecareofyourbones #takecareoftheearth #selflove #oceanlove #earthlove #wheelofwellbeing #2minbcphotochallenge8 #helpinghand #callofthetideSuch wise words spoken by 2nd graders after a collaborative art-making experience with my plastic debris collection. I am incredibly lucky that I have the opportunity to work with amazing students and teachers every day. #educationiskey #kidsgetit #wisewords #kidssaythedarndestthings #2minbcphotohallenge8 #marinedebris #plasticpollutesCome make litterbugs with me at Wild Barrel Brewing in San Marcos today beginning at 2:00pm as we celebrate the first anniversary of @thebountifulbag with eco-vendors, art, good food, and family fun for all! #litterbugs #litterbugsme #litterati #onlyloserslitter #shoresweep #marinedebris #plasticpollution #artivism #2minbcphotochallenge8 #worldartdayScientific name: plasticada pacificus detritus—these pesky plastic litterbugs are evolving. #litterbugs #litterbugsme #litterati #onlyloserslitter #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #justgrabbits #shoresweep #plasticpollution #plasticpollutes #marinedebris #makeartnottrash #artivismMaybe every cloud doesn’t have a silver lining after all. #balloonsblow #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #plasticpollution #trashtag #shoresweep #justgrabbits #balloonsblowdontletthemgoInsects, including native nine-spotted ladybugs, are disappearing from the planet. Sadly, this plastic lady beetle that I found washed up on the beach will exist forever. 🐞 The North County Climate Change Alliance recently hosted a fascinating talk about the impact that climate change is having on insects. During the event, Dr. Wall, an entomologist from San Diego’s Natural History Museum, explained that insects are impacted by agricultural practices, including pesticide use and habitat loss. In addition, pollution and rising temperatures are taking a toll. In fact, “More than 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered....The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles.” 🐞 It would be catastrophic if insects vanished, but there are things we can do to protect them, including supporting organic farming and eliminating pesticide use around our homes. We can also sign petitions and contact our representatives to demand pesticide legislation at the local, state, and federal levels. For more information, and to learn what you can do, visit the Xerces Society (link in my bio). 🐞 #litterati #plasticladybug #2minutebeachclean #justgrabbits #trashtag #shoresweep #marinedebris #plasticpollution #insectapocalypse #bringbackthepollinators #pollinatorsnotplastic #xercessociety @xercessociety @northcounty.climatechangeGreen doesn’t always mean good luck. Sometimes it’s just greenwashing. . Starbucks will be phasing out their ubiquitous green straws by 2020 and will replace them with “sippy cup” lids that can be recycled. Ironically, most Starbucks stores don’t even have recycling bins available, and we are terrible at recycling even in the best of circumstances. In fact, only 9% of plastics worldwide are actually recycled, and it has become even more complicated now that China is no longer accepting our waste. . Some believe that Starbucks is simply greenwashing by replacing straws with lids rather than making more impactful changes that will ultimately lead to a reduction in the amount of plastic produced, and if recycling rates are any indication, 91% of the sippy cup lids will either go to landfills or will end up polluting the natural environment. . In short, Starbucks is simply exchanging one plastic hazard for another, and if we accept this change in the guise of a green initiative, we are too. Please refuse single-use cups, straws, lids, and stirrers—choose to reuse instead! . #greenwashing #starbucks #starbucksstraws #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #trashtag #justgrabbits #shoresweep #stpatricksday #happysaintpatricksday #goodluck #green #greenstraws #strawssuck #refusesingleuse #choosetoreuse #lonelywhaleRecent Comments
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Tag Archives: SDAWP Voices
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
“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
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A Soft Serve Education
August 19, 2013 was the Monday before school started in Oceanside. Consequently, it was a day filled with jitters for students and teachers as they anticipated all the possibilities of a new school year. That Monday was also National Soft … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Living, Photography, SDAWP Photo Voices, Teaching, Writing
Tagged #clmooc, American Education Week, Education, NEAToday, SDAWP Photo Voices, SDAWP Voices
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Many Ways to See
For me, SDAWP Photo Voices is all about noticing as much as possible. If I miss seeing something, I might miss an opportunity to take an interesting photograph. Once an object catches my eye, I look at it from all … Continue reading
Bottle Walk
The learning walk that I planned to take at the beach turned into a bottle walk — many single-use plastic bottles littered the shoreline all along my way. I gathered up at least sixteen bottles in less than an hour … Continue reading
Inspired by SDAWP Voices
I have faithfully participated in the SDAWP Photo Voices project since it’s inception on New Year’s Day. In fact, I don’t think I have missed a post since we began on January 1, 2013. I am pretty sure that this … Continue reading
