Sea Studios Foundation and Sealife Conservation launch the "Think Beyond Plastics Southern California Tour" next week. The program includes a screening of the Sea Studios Film "Dirty Secrets," and a voyage aboard the marine research vessel Derek M. Baylis. The Tour is intended to raise awareness about marine conservation in coastal communities from Morro Bay to San Diego. First stop Morro Bay, Thursday, November 5!

Sea Studios Wins Two Major Awards at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival

Sea Studios Foundation is proud to announce that we have won two awards at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival. Sea Studios won Best 360 Campaign for our Think Beyond Plastics campaign. The 360 Award is given to the campaign package that most effectively utilizes multiple distribution platforms and formats, including: broadcast, theatrical, live-event, internet, venue specific display, gaming, mobicast, and any other distribution to enrich an appreciation or understanding of the natural world and the relevant issue. Sea Studios' film Once Upon a Tide won Best Children's Film. That award is given to the program that most effectively inspires an appreciation of the natural world, or issues associated with animals and the environment, to young audiences. Kudos to all!

Plastic Pollution Coalition

The Plastic Pollution Coalition, a nonprofit organization is a coalition individuals and institutions involved in the study and remediation of plastic pollution worldwide. The Plastic Coalition promotes strategic planning, coherent communication, synergistic action to reduce the negative impacts of plastics on the environment, marine life, and human health worldwide. 

Executive Board: Lisa Boyle, Environmental Attorney, Dianna Cohen, Artist, Manuel Maqueda, 

Environmental Strategist, and Daniella Russo, Campaign and Social Activation Expert.   

Supporters, advisors and facts about plastic pollution can be viewed at this website: http://plasticpollutioncoalition.org/ The coalition is hosting an upcoming screening at UCLA.

Mayors' Ocean Summit

On Friday, August 29, 2009 a one day event was hosted by West Marine for mayors of coastal cities from Crescent City to Santa Barbara, to discuss the dangers of plastic pollution.

The following city and state officials were in attendance: 

Hon. Sam Farr
Congress member, 17th district 

Hon. Bill Monning 
Assemblyman, 27th District

John Laird, Member
Waste Management Commission of the State of California

Carmel
Sue McCloud, Mayor
Rich Guillen , City Manager 

Carpinteria
Gregg Carty, Mayor
Dave Duflinger, City Manager

Del Rey Oaks
Joseph P. Russell, Mayor

Half Moon Bay 
John Muller, Mayor

Pacific Grove
Dan Cort, Mayor

Monterey 
Chuck Della Sala, Mayor

Morro Bay 
Betty Winholtz, Mayor

Santa Monica
Ken Genser, Mayor

Pacifica
Julie Lancelle, Mayor
Don Eagleston, Chamber of Commerce

Salinas
Dennis Donohue, Mayor

Santa Cruz 
Cynthia Mathews, Mayor
Katherine Beiers, Council Member
Ryan Coonerty, Council Member
Tony Madrigal, Council Member
Fred Keeley, County Assessor

Seaside
Ralph Rubio, Mayor

Watsonville
Antonio Rivas, Mayor
Carlos Palacios, City Manager

For more on the event, topics discussed and photos, visit this website: http://www.mayorsoceansummit.org

UCLA Film Screening

The Plastic Pollution Coalition invites you to
a special film screening

Friday, October 23, 2009
7 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
UCLA Melnitz Hall - James Bridges Theater

See Tapped, the Movie www.tappedthemovie.com , followed by National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth: Dirty Secrets, hosted by Edward Norton (http://www.pbs.org/strangedays), and a sneak preview of footage from a documentary by Bill Weaver and Jan Vozenilek on the current Midway Journey www.midwayjourney.com .

Screenings will be followed by a Q & A with the filmmakers.
Admission is free of charge

Get Informed. Take action.

This event is made possible through the generosity of Irmelin DiCaprio and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, The UCLA School of Film, Television and Digital Media, and the UCLA Institute of the Environment, with additional support from the UCLA Education for Sustainable Living Program.

To reserve your seat(s) please RSVP to plasticpollution@gmail.com

Summit on Communicating Plastics

Our work on communicating plastics continues. On July 24, a group of environmental leaders actively engaged in communicating the dangers of plastic pollution to the public came together at our offices on Cannery Row. The goal? How to communicate more effectively one key message - plastic pollution is bad. For the people. For the animals. For the planet. An excellent meeting that we kicked off with a team building exercise - African drums.
A day of great discussions took place. Topics, attendees and pictures - please visit the website.
Our work continues to capture the hearts and minds of many. Our facebook group is now over 27,000 people strong. People continue to view Edward Norton's inspirational message to "bring your own bag" and habits will begin to change.
Onward!

Think Beyond Plastics - a finalist at Jackson Hole Film Festival

Think Beyond Plastics is bubbling rapidly. After the film festival our ranks on Facebook are growing: Think Beyond Plastics as well as Don't Trash the Ocean have gained hundreds of new members.
But the most exciting news arrived today: Think Beyond Plastics is a finalist at the Best 360 Campaign Category at the Jackson Hole Film Festival. What a terrific recognition for the campaign, for the people who are working on it, and for all of our partners who have and continue to contribute efforts.