Plastic Man at PEC

As an Earth Day celebration, Paul Ecke Central Elementary School will offer a presentation by Captain Charles Moore, one of the worlds’ most leading authorities regarding the problem of “trash in our oceans.” Captain Moore’s organization, the Algalita Marine Research Foundation (AMRF) is dedicated to the protection of the marine environment and its watersheds through research education and restoration. He will speak in the PEC auditorium on Friday, April 22nd (Earth Day!) at 7:00 pm.

Since 1997, Captain Moore has made numerous research voyages, aboard the ORV Alquita, to the North Pacific Sub-Tropical Gyre - an area of the Pacific that is characterized by a circulating rotation of ocean currents. His area of focus has been a large area commonly referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, due to the accumulation of vast amounts of plastic trash. His studies have resulted in a body of authoritative and internationally recognized research publications and data and educational programs.
Date: Friday, April 22

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: Paul Ecke Central School Multi-Purpose Room

185 Union Street Encinitas, CA 92024

Cost: Suggested donation of $5.00 (or more is good too!) Note – All money collected goes directly to support the research of the A.M.R.F., a non-profit organization.
Please email Darcy Lyons at kdlyons@cox.net if you are interested in attending.
Seating is limited to the first 300 guests. If you want to ensure a seat, arrive early!

Kevin C. Note: I spent years doing research in Southern California Salt Marshes, which is where the watersheds meet the ocean. From my anecdotal experience, cutting north county's plastic input by 90%+ would be less important that cutting just 10% from some Los Angeles rivers or the Tijuana rivershed. Those rivers are covered in plastic. Does anyone want to join me in going to those watersheds to help address this issue?

Here is the voice of San Diego coverage of the TJ litter:

A mile north of the border fence, Mexico's garbage stands five feet high in places, a pointillistic rainbow made of plastics. Royal blue oil containers. Green soda two-liters. Lavender fabric softener bottles.

There, in the Tijuana River basin, a wide channel that serves as the main drainage basin for Tijuana's storm water runoff, a stack of garbage stretches almost a quarter-mile long. The plastic bottles have washed across the border and gotten stuck in plain sight.

Deeper in the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, on land owned by the county of San Diego, the litter dams up creeks, hangs from trees and lurks beneath muddy paths. Tires, two-by-fours and Styrofoam punctuate the mess.