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

Think Beyond Plastics gains momentum

From Daniella Russo's notes
Well, so much about writing regularly. We got real busy really fast: the campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of plastics "grew legs" in multiple communities and many grass-roots organizations. We have reached out to Surfrider, Save Our Shores, Oceana, Sea Life Conservation, Save The Whales and many others to get the message out to our communities. How? We produce thousands of CDs with outreach materials and ask people to take one and host a party. Not tupperware party, but a plastics-awareness party. As a result of our relentless focus on getting the word out, our Facebook cause Don't Trash The Ocean topped 15,000 and continues to snowball and traffic to our web sites GreatGarbagePatch.org and DropThePlasticBag.org has nearly doubled.
We must press on.

Earthday

Earthday, Tuesday April 22. New York City.

It’s 7am and Edward has just arrived at the Today Show studio. We’re welcomed by a nice producer who prepped the interview. Edward is going to be able to talk about Strange Days and our campaign encouraging people to stop using plastic bags. He’s asked to hand out reusable bags to the crowd outside. Great that even the Today show is going green—at least for today. 7:40 and he’s taken to the “couch.” I’m invited along to watch from inside the studio. But today is no normal day. Mrs. Bush is a guest also. As a result, I’m not let in and watch on a monitor in the green room. The interview goes well. Matt Lauer seems to be a genuine fan. With a day to the broadcast, I hope that it will convince some folks to tune in. And who knows, it might even get some to think about their use of plastic.


I had to laugh. As I was hustling to the subway to catch my flight back home, I look up and spot “plastic man.” Here is this guy covered in plastic bags. I had to meet him and get his picture. He and his buddy are traveling the country on behalf of the environment. And plastic man is a Stanford grad. What a kick. I’ll find out more about what he’s up to and post it when I do.

--Mark Shelley