Sea•thos Foundation

The Environmental Protection Agency has released newly proposed beach pollution regulations that should leave any beachgoer feeling a little queasy.

Under the new guidelines, the proposal allows for a startling 1 in 28 swimmers to experience some form of gastrointestinal illness. This number is down from 8 in 1,000 from previous regulations, according to the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC).

To make matters worse, the EPA has also limited water quality testing to once per 90-day period. Given that many coastal communities average around 90-day swimming seasons, these parameters make it possible for weeks of heightened bacteria levels to go unnoticed. The new measure also allows for one in every four samples to exceed safe levels.

The NRDC has been the EPA’s most vocal opponent on this issue, even going as far as suing the government agency when they failed to meet a 2005 deadline to update the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000. The NRDC was successful in gaining a court order to update the measure and establish new guidelines, but the resulting 1-in-28 standard leaves much to be desired.

On the heels of the release of these lackluster regulations, the EPA came out with a study warning that beach sand may contain more bacteria than the water itself, yet another example of why the EPA should be doing more to protect beachgoers rather than finding it okay for 1 in 28 people to become sick from the ocean.

Let the EPA know that these proposed regulations are unacceptable and that they should be increasing beach safety and pollution standards rather than loosening them. You can comment on the proposal until Feb. 21st on the EPA’s website or contact EPA administrator Lisa Jackson directly to voice your concerns.

On Monday, the National Park Service announced that single-use plastic bottles will no longer be sold within the Grand Canyon National Park. The ban will go into effect within the next 30 days as the park’s vendors use up their remaining supply.

A similar effort was thwarted in late 2010, when park officials balked at a potential ban due to pressure from Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola, who owns the Dasani water brand and has donated over $13 million dollars to the parks, expressed concerns over the implementation of a straight ban rather than increased recycling programs.

The park has already begun the construction of additional water filling stations for reusable bottles.

Plastic bottles are said to make up 20% of the waste within the Grand Canyon National Park, as well as 30% of it’s recyclables. In addition to waste within the parks, plastic bottles often end up in the ocean by way of the Colorado River. Another example of how plastic, even when sourced from hundreds of miles inland, is a major contributor to marine pollution.

Check out the Seathos store to purchase a reusable bottle for your next trip to the Grand Canyon!

World Wetlands Day (WWD) marks the date when the Iranian city of Ramsar adopted the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971. WWD has been celebrated each year on February 2 since 1997.

 The Ramsar secretariat provides materials to all interested groups including government agencies, conservation organizations, non-governmental organizations, and groups of citizens in order to celebrate and promote awareness of the importance of wetlands.

WWD activities include lectures and seminars, nature walks, community clean up days, children’s art contests, radio and television interviews, the launch of new wetland policies, and much more.

What is a wetland?
A wetland is an area of land that is covered or touched by water either permanently or seasonally. Examples of wetlands are bogs, marshes, and swamps.

The Ramsar Convention defines wetlands as “…areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres.”

There are two types of Wetlands: Coastal (Tidal) and Inland (Non-tidal)
-Tidal wetlands are found near our coasts. plants are unlikely to grow in tidal wetlands due to the mixing of fresh water with salt water in nearby estuaries.
-Non-tidal wetlands are found inland next to rivers, lakes, ponds and streams. Non-tidal wetlands have fresh water and are therefore ideal habitat for plants to grow healthily such as brush-filled marshes and wooded swamps.

Why are Wetlands Important?
Wetlands benefit people and ecosystems by providing  ecosysem services  such as flood control, ground water replenishment, shoreline and storm protection, water purification, climate change regulation, wetland products, biodiversity, and cultural values.

Sustainable Tourism
The theme of this year’s WWD is sustainable tourism which is also the theme of Ramsar Convention’s next meeting with the Conference of the Parties, COP11: Wetlands, Tourism and Recreation in June 2012.

Sustainable tourism encourages people to enjoy natural beauty while protecting the enviornment through conservation and respect of biodiversity and culture.

To achieve sustainable tourism, Ramsar is working closely with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), an agency within the United Nations. Thanks to this partnership, tourism is now reported in 35% of Ramsar sites (wetlands that are listed under the Ramsar convention) which includes wetlands in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceana and the Neurotropics.

In previous years, the Ramasar has focused on such themes as “Wetlands and Forests,” “Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People”, and ”Caring for Wetlands- An Answer to Climate Change”- these themes focus on the health and wellbeing of wetlands and the communities that depend on them.

Fun Fact: Wetlands are found on every continent except Antarctica

Who knew that wetlands are so crucial to the wellbeing of you, me, and the entire planet?! Happy World Wetlands Day!

For more information and materials visit ramsar.org

The Plastic Pollution Coalition is launching a new global initiative called “Plastic-Free Campuses”.

Students at the University of California Santa Barbara have joined the coalition to promote awareness of plastic pollution and to ban the use of single-use plastics on the UCSB campus.

The video features Danielle Russo Co-founder of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, student speakers, and newly-elected city council member Cathy Murillo who has expressed that she is in support of a plastic bag ban in Santa Barbara, which is promising!

Check it out!

Hawaii’s Big Island, home to under 10% of the state’s inhabitants, became the latest in the pacific island chain to pass legislature effectively banning the use of single-use plastic bags. They joined Kauai and Maui as the third Hawaiian county to adopt such a ban.

Honolulu County stands as the only remaining Hawaiian county not to pass similar legislature.

Effective January, 17th, 2013, the law will place a fee on single-use plastic bags before outlawing them entirely.

The bill was passed with a 5-3 vote by the Hawaiian City Council. Mayor Billy Kenoi signed the bill into law despite requests for a veto as he felt the legislature is necessary for the health of the Hawaiian islands.

“This bill holds the promise of keeping our island clean, healthy and safe,” said the mayor.

The Big Island joins Seattle, WA, Monterey, CA, Aspen, CO and San Luis Obispo County, CA as recent supporters of the movement to ban single-use plastics. With continued public support and your individual pledge to stop using plastic bags, the list will only get bigger!

On January 19th, 2010, President Obama signed an executive order entitled “Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes,” putting an increased focus on the Federal Government’s responsibility in marine conservation. The order also created the National Ocean Council (NOC). One of the NOCs first tasks was to put together an implementation plan to direct Federal agencies in how to best use their resources for the protection and management of our nation’s oceans and lakes.

The National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan, released earlier this month, highlights over 50 actions the Federal Government will take to ensure the protection of our country’s marine ecosystems. It focuses on nine priority objectives, which include ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes mapping and observation, regional ecosystem protection and restoration, resiliency and adaptation to climate change and improving water quality.

The entire plan can be found on The White House website, here.

The draft lays the groundwork for increasing obligation on the Federal Government’s part in protecting our oceans. And while much can be done on a grassroots level, it’s imperative for our elected officials to work on our ocean’s behalf and direct the resources ($$) to do so.

In addition to reading the plan and accompanying FAQ, the public is encouraged to share their input and suggestions, which can be done here.

The public comment period ends on February 27th at midnight EST. Get your voice heard before it’s too late!