Sea•thos Foundation

Last week, a 7-foot dolphin was discovered in the Bolsa Chica wetlands in Huntington Beach and appears to be lost and “very confused”.  

The dolphin, which spectators have nicknamed Fred, is said to have entered the wetlands with a pod of 5 to 6 other dolphins which were probably chasing a school of fish. While the rest of the pod swam back out to sea, Fred stayed behind. 

Peter Wallerstein, a marine biologist with the Marine Animal Rescue service and five State Department of Fish and Game officers managed to lure the dolphin closer to sea. But before reaching freedom, Fred swam back into the wetland after noticing a group of dolphins circling nearby, which were likely his own pod. 

Shortly after, the pod left the Bolsa Chica lagoon and swam back to sea, once again leaving Fred behind. Rescuers are surprised and unsure why Fred is afraid of his own pod.

Noting that Fred appears to be healthy and “capable of going many days without eating”, rescuers have decided to let Fred find his own way out to sea when he is ready. “He proved he can get out if he wants to. There are no red flags. I’m not concerned,” said Wallerstein. Rescuers say they will reattempt to help Fred to freedom if he is still in the wetland on Saturday.

Wallerstein as well as Fish and Game officials say that the crowd of spectators are likely causing stress for the dolphin. They have advised the crowd to keep away from the area so the dolphin can leave the wetland.

Although the crowd may be unintentionally causing harm, on looker David Gonzalez says the community’s concern is inspiring. “It shows community support and community service for the environment,” said Gonzalez.

We hope Fred will find his way to to freedom soon.

Click here for a picture slideshow from LA Times
Photo credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times / April 27, 2012

Click here to see pictures from the event

Visit Kona Surf Film Festival for more information

Thanksgiving is supposed to be the time of year where we give thanks for the things we have; much of which is provided to us by mother nature. Let us show her how thankful we truly are by greening up our Thanksgiving!

Here are a few ways to have a cleaner and greener Thanksgiving:

1) Natural Decorations: This Thanksgiving let nature be your inspiration for decorations. Beautifully colored gourds, pumpkins, squash and maize are in season and widely available. These are great alternatives to those cheesy store bought decorations. Pinecones and the colorful fallen leaves are other natural and pocket-friendly props you can incorporate in your holiday decorations. Try lighting beeswax or soy candles for some mood lighting.

2) Plan ahead: By making an extensive list of everything that you need to prepare your holiday meal you can avoid taking multiple trips to the store; saving yourself both time and gas.

3) Buy Local and Organic: Organic food is not only healthier for you but it also reduces the amount of harmful chemicals that are released into the environment. What’s even better than buying organic food is buying organic food that is grown locally! You can buy most of your holiday meal ingredients from your local farmer’s market or nearby family farm. Localharvest.org can help in your quest to buy locally grown produce! Try to choose recipes which require locally grown, as oppose to imported ingredients.

4) The table: Try to avoid using one-time use items including plates, napkins and utensils. Using actual silverware, dish-ware and cloth napkins will definitely class-up the dinner table! Remember that running a full dishwasher conserves more water than hand washing.  If it is absolutely necessary to use disposables, make sure they are eco-friendly and biodegradable. Wooden plates and utensils are now widely available and a much greener option than their plastic counterparts.

5) The Meal: Not all turkeys are raised equally! Buying a heritage turkey is both a tastier and healthier option. If, however, this option is not available to you, you can opt to get an organic or sustainably raised turkey or chicken. This will ensure that the birds have had access to the outdoors and are antibiotic-free/hormone-free.

Another option is to forget the birds all together and go vegetarian. There are so many yummy meat-free holiday recipes.

6) Left-overs: DO NOT THROW THESE OUT! Remember Thanksgiving is a holiday that reminds us to be mindful and thankful for what we have. If you’re invited to someone’s house for dinner remember to BYORC, bring your own reusable container. Also don’t forget that by letting your food cool down before putting it in the fridge you are saving energy and money.

7) After the meal: Don’t be a couch potato! Put down the remote and actually spend some quality time with your friends and family. Here’s a novel idea: instead of sitting on the couch watching football try getting some exercise by playing the game OUTSIDE! In the fresh air!

Happy Thanksgiving

This Thursday November 17th, 2011 the Patagonia store on Main St. in Santa Monica will be hosting movie night and you’re invited! They will be showing 2 films starting at 7:30pm :

“Rio Breaks”

Rio Breaks tells the story of two best friends, Fabio and Naama, who live amid the squalor of a Rio de Janeiro favela but find solace in the slum’s precarious but vibrant surf club.They find a way to navigate between life in the slums and surfing on their favorite beach. What will happen to these best friends? Will their friendship
survive the pressures of life in the favela? Can surfing offer a way out and the possibility of a better life?

“Desert River”
Every spring in Haines, Alaska, a river bulges and rages towards the sea, fed by the thawing of a massive mountain snowpack. These same mountains fuel the hunger of those willing to test their skills against the desolate white beauty of Alaska’s high desert– giving life to river and skier alike.

Hope to see you there!

Companies that utilize disposable cans and plastic bottles such as Coca-Cola, Pepsico, Coors, and International Bottled Water have declared November 15th  ’America Recycles Day’. We are all growing increasingly aware, however, that simply resorting to recycling is not good enough for the health of our environment and oceans. We say forget “America Recycles Day’ and celebrate the more responsible and environmentally conscious ‘Zero Waste Day’!

‘America Recycles Day’ was created by the mega-companies as a tactic to influence public perception and shift responsibility of waste disposal from producer to consumer. Once upon a not-too-long-ago these companies actually cleaned up after themselves. They had an effective system in place whereby they would distribute beverages in refillable bottles which would then be returned by the consumer and reused. But then the big bad cheap plastic bottle entered the picture and everything changed!

With the increased use of disposables came the public’s uncertainty of what to do with the empty bottles. Initially, they were instructed to trash them. Once landfills started fill up, however, people started raising environmental concerns and viola recycling was born.

One of the goals of Zero Waste Day is to help us become more mindful consumers and ‘disposers’. Just because large companies such as Budweiser and Coca-Cola are giving us a pat on the back for recycling doesn’t mean we are doing the right thing. We are still throwing things away! Zero waste Day should be celebrated with the 7 Rs (and none of these are recycle!):

1) Reduce: consume less
2) Return: Look for companies such as Apple and Dell that are taking back old/worn out products
3) Reuse: Don’t be so quick to throw things away even if they are a little banged up…They can still be of use
4) Repair: fix it, don’t ditch it
5) Refill: use refillable bottles. Urge local companies to have a blast to the past and reconsider the refillable bottle
6) Rot: Composting turns waste valuable nutrients
7) Refuse: Stop buying products that support the destruction of our environment

HAPPY ZERO WASTE DAY FRIENDS

Hawaiian North Shore pro surfer Jamie O’Brien has been the target of much criticism since he posted an online photo of himself of ‘riding’ a sea turtle. He supposedly mounted the threatened sea creature in an attempt to raise awareness about the spread of fibropapillomatosis, a deadly skin disease cause by a herpes-type virus, that is negatively effecting the sea turtle population. It seems, however, that his well-intentioned attempt has backfired.

Surprisingly, the criticism has nothing to do with the questionably sexualized nature of the photo rather some are claiming he has broken state and federal laws against harassing the endangered sea turtles. Others feel that this image conveys O’Brien’s lack of respect for a creature deemed sacred by Hawaiian culture.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Honolulu have confirmed that O’Brien is under investigation. All sea turtles living in US waters are consider endangered and are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). According to this Act, the fine for harassing a sea turtle can be up to $13,200.

Habitat destruction, commercial fishing and entanglement in marine debris are all major threats facing the endangered sea turtle population. Hawaiian marine reserves and beaches are littered with signs that warn against disturbing marine life and the reefs. It seems Jamie didn’t take this into consideration before his underwater photo shoot.

What do you think: Should Jamie O’Brien be charged for potentially causing distress to the endangered species or should he be let off the hook with a warning?