Seaweed Art

You have been invited to participate in an ocean plastic pollution global awareness campaign. Healthy oceans are very important for the health of the planet and one of the most serious threats comes from the plastic pollution. Please take a look at the following video so you can better understand the enormity of this issue: 

On June 8th, World Oceans Day, environmental activists from all around the world will simultaneously upload a photo of themselves wearing this T-shirt on their Facebook walls with a short caption telling everyone about one thing that they are doing to make this world a better place, with a focus on, but not limited to, plastic pollution. We are going to flood facebook walls with this. That’s not all. Participants will also receive instructions for a secret plan which is going to be a huge surprise for all. To join the Let’s Turn Facebook Blue event click here. 

Real change is achieved slowly, at turtle speed– one step at a time. Change one thing in your life without thinking. If you eliminated one plastic bag or a straw you can make an huge impact in reducing plastic pollution. It does make a difference so JUST DO IT!

For suggestions on how you can reduce plastic waste and pollution, please visit The Plastic Pollution Coalition.

Order your Blue Turtle T-shirt  here. Order two or more and use this coupon code worth $10  RF2013

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My husband Bill and I spent New Year’s Day visiting metal marine animal sculptures in front of closed museums. Here we are posed in front of the Santa Cruz Natural History Museum whale and there’s Bill in pseudo Burt Reynolds Cosmo poses on top of the whale’s tail in front of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center.  He’s wearing the new Irish Fisherman’s sweater I got him for Christmas. It was a warm and sunny beautiful day. Gotta love livin’ in Santa Cruz.

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Over 1,000 Hong Kong school children, teachers and volunteers form a massive kid-designed dolphin to say in two languages “Protect” in English, and Ocean in Chinese (海洋), communicating their desires for a clean and thriving sea. Kids Ocean Day Hong Kong is organized by Ocean Recovery Alliance, Bonza Pie and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, as well as the Malibu Foundation and Spectral Q from Los Angeles. The children are alerting the world about their appreciation of the ocean and the need to protect it. The event links the Hong Kong and California Kids Ocean Day projects, run by the Malibu Foundation for the past 20 years, across the Pacific Ocean, and marks the first beachhead in Asia which brings our young, future ocean ambassadors together to deliver a global message about ocean protection.

Aerial Art by John Quigley of Spectral Q and time lapse images from Daniel Basson.

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Determining where to buy sustainable seafood may seem challenging and confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. FishWise has taken the guess work out of the decision by developing a myriad of purchasing tools. You can choose a Seafood  Watch Pocket Guide or refer to this list. There’s even an app for that. Or you can simply enter your zip code here to find a sustainable seafood retailer. To learn more about sustainable seafood, please refer to the FishWise useful links.

Ten percent of profits this month will be donated to FishWise.

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Plastic-free blogger and activist Beth Terry will be at the San Francisco Green Festival this weekend signing copies of her book, “Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too,” at the Life Without Plastic booth #126 at 1:30 on both Saturday and Sunday, or for as long as book supplies last. Please come by. The book is sold out in most places right now, and while there is a second print run ordered, this is your chance to meet Beth, Chantal from Life Without Plastic, and get a signed copy of the book without waiting. It’s a great gift for the holidays!

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Seaweed Greetings!

This Christmas season spread holiday cheer with SeaweedArt’s whimsical sea lettuce Christmas tree.  Ten percent of November’s profits will be donated to FishWise sustainable seafood conservancy.

Like FishWise on Facebook. 

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This month SeaweedArt is happy to annouce  a partnership with Fishwise, a sustainable seafood consultancy that promotes the health and recovery of ocean ecosystems through environmentally responsible practices. Ten percent of  profits for the month of November will be donated to Fishwise. You are also welcome to make a donation here.

Fishwise defines sustainable seafood as coming from sources, whether fished or farmed, that can maintain or increase production in the future without jeopardizing the structure or function of affected ecosystems. To learn more about seafood sustainable assessment methods click here and watch the video below. Stay tuned throughout the month for more information.

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In this video, National Geographic underwater marine wild life photojournalist, Brian Skerry, describes the exhilaration he felt during a close-up encounter with a curious, 45-foot-long right whale who turned out to be a gentle giant.

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Save your skin. Save the Planet.

I’ve always been a very health and environmentally conscious consumer, particularly when it comes to what I eat. I read labels. Anything I can’t pronounce, I don’t consume. I like to keep things simple. Lately I have become even more vigilant, not only about what I put in my body, but what I put on it. Especially since there is mounting evidence surrounding the toxicity of ingredients commonly found in many self care “beauty” products. If you are worried about this stuff going down your drain and polluting the ocean, think about what it is doing to your body. I have recently come to learn that 80% of what you put on your skin ends up in your blood stream.

Besides that, who needs all those over priced, over rated skin care regimens anyway? Whenever anyone compliments me on youthful glowing complexion (I’ll be 51 next month) I tell them I wash my face with Dr. Bubbles handmade all natural soap that costs $5 a bar. *

Dr. Bubbles is also my friend, Dorothy D. who is a research scientist and the chief bubblologist at Dr. Bubbles Handmade Soap. She studies the effects of fragrance on the human body and attempts to solve some of the world’s skin problems with her truly all natural skin care products.  Dr. Bubbles natural skin care products grew out of a need to solve her gardener’s hands problems and she has helped me immensely because I have always had extremely sensitve skin. (I break out in a rash whenever I walk past the fragrance counter of any department store and those cloying, heady scents nauseate me.)

Dr. Bubbles soaps and all natural skin care products are clean, fresh smelling and safe for my body and the environment. It has also become a soothing ritual for me  every night before I go to sleep to slather my hands (and my husband’s) with the Bar None Shea Butter Lotion Bars. I also love and highly recommend the Nobeo (Get it? No B.O.?) deodorizing body powder. Not only is it talc free, it does not contain aluminum chlorhydrate, which is commonly found in most antiperspirants and deodorants and known as a human reproductive, developmental and neurotoxin.  Because of its known toxicity, this ingredient is banned in many countries outside of the U.S.

Be safe and keep it simple. Wash your body the old fashioned way. Use soap.

Thank you Dr. Bubbles for saving my skin. For more information and to place an order, please visit: Dr. Bubbles.com.

* This is not a paid endorsement.

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The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center in Santa Cruz is now open and I am pleased to announce SeaweedArt cards are on sale in the Sanctuary gift shop! If you haven’t been to visit yet I highly recommend it. Just steps away from the Santa Cruz wharf, The center features state-of-the art displays, research discoveries and interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to explore the sanctuary’s remarkable marine environment. Admissioin is free. Open from 10am to 5pm, Wednesday through Sunday.

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