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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Ocean Water Group

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ocean water group







Our group purpose is to engage community interest for clean ocean water, through education and action, focusing on the areas of prevention, cleanups, future legislation and government funding.

We will strive to increase public support for, and expand upon the local "no plastics in laguna beach campaign" through further education to include not only the "refuse-reuse-recycle" aspects of prevention, but also to encourage "re-purposing" and to specifically focus on educating youth to these sustainable ways of life.

Through enlightenment of community to
our very unique and sacred estuary, where both blue-belt and greenbelt join forming a potential stakeholder land area for laguna beach, we can move positively towards a goal of receiving government funding to support our local restoration and preservation efforts.

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22 comments:

  1. Thanks Suri for drafting the mission statement.

    Perhaps we can add a reference "to promote a healthy ocean ecosystem and sustainable management of all coastal resources for present and future generations."

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  2. Great job, Suri. We also talked about water conservation, specifically in the form of learning about and promoting water catchment systems.

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  3. Both comments are great - lets keep refining the mission. We can always keep editing the post here. What do you think about using the blog or would we prefer a facebook discussion page ??? Personally I like the blog. Plz go to Twitter if you tweet to @transitionlag follow us and tell your Laguna Tweets.

    Aloha for now -

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  4. This is a beautiful mission statement. I love it. I am interested in seeing some discussion about Laguna's water source 50 years from now, say 2010. How might we find sustainability through local water?

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  5. Brad do you and Suri know about the June 1st meeting at Chris's. Can one of you be there?

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  6. Thanks Suri. Hey, World Oceans Day is June 8th- maybe we could all go out with Billy in kayaks and do a cleanup?

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  7. YES - JUNE 8th - Great Idea -
    Anyone have a water proof camera?
    This would be a great way to kick off the group.

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  8. yes to both meeting and kayak cleanup for me- count me in!

    also would like to suggest we offer "thanks and gratitude" for ocean...maybe during kayak cleanup? keeps coming to mind what blessings could do for the ocean on a daily basis- both personal prayers and group consciousness hold transformative energy! -suri

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  9. Yes, I have a waterproof camera, so I can document it. I will contact Billy to see if we can do this on June 8th.
    It's also the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Seuss classic One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish- anyone have a copy?

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  10. I have a copy - what do you think about playing on it - could be fun .

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  11. Hello Everyone

    We would like to set up the groups' first meeting that will work with everyone's schedule. So lets start discussing which day of the week works best for you....I'm free Wednesdays and Thursdays after 6pm.

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  12. Thanks Michelle for helping us set up the blog. After 6 Pm works for me as well. Let's get the group's input and start sneaking up on a good time to meet. Perhaps downtown at the Water District or Treasure Island Park or the back area of Aliso Beach (Estuary)?

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  13. hi michelle

    group meeting wed or thurs evenings works for me.

    perhaps meet next at estuary as mike mentioned so whole group can gain more insight into the estuary's uniqueness? tonight everyone??? :-) ha ha but seriously

    kayak cleanup on 8th- just checking in -
    is this date set up with billy? any idea how many people from our group on board so far? (i have a few friends who can join in cleanup efforts if space allows) --- thanks, suri

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  14. Billy has confirmed kayaks available for ocean cleanup Tuesday 8th.
    We can go out from 11 am to 1 pm, wrapping up by 2pm!

    There are seats for 20 people, please give a shout and sign up in advance as it's first come, first served for the boats... :)

    Billy is providing boats, paddles & life jackets. Suggest bringing water & sunscreen/hat. Hope you can come! ---PLEASE RSVP to Suri -Thanks! (those with own kayaks are also welcome!)

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  15. Tuesday it is - I'm in save me a KayaK -
    I will have a child with me as well - This is great - We need to contact the paper and get some coverage for both Billy and our lil' Transition Laguna Grp. We need a proper blurb to put on the website can someone write one up plz. and send it to woodhana@yahoo.com - I will post it on the site -

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  16. Re: GROUP MEETINGS - As we have discussed, It would be great to set our next meeting date.

    I am suggesting the second Thursday evening of each month! Since we are all used to Artwalk the first Thurs... seems easy to remember this way. I think this works for Michelle & for Mike. Will this idea work for everyone else?? If so, we could begin this Thursday! If that's too soon, perhaps we can make the 1st meeting on the 17th to allow everyone to plan on attending! Regards--Suri

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  17. Great! Thursday, June 17th works for me...Where? and At what time?

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  18. Please add me to this group charlesalban49@gmail.com

    No newspaper coverage of our kelp paddy kayaking clean up. Pity...maybe next week.

    Suri...could you send me pix? thx Charles

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  19. Wish I could be there tonight. have a great meeting. I can offer our large living room for a future meeting if it is on a Friday, Sat or Sunday.

    Is there anyone in our group who can teach about household water catchment systems? A consultant on that would be a great addition.
    -Cheryl

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  20. Hi folks,

    Here are two graphics designed to educate about urban runoff pollution and solutions. The second link accesses an earlier coloring book about kelp habitat.

    http://www.coastcartoonstudio.com/watershed.html

    http://www.coastcartoonstudio.com/colorbook.html

    Do these help us form a picture of how to proceed forward?

    Also, here is the Aliso Creek Urban Runoff Recovery, Reuse and Conservation Project presently crawling through the permitting processes.


    PROJECT SUMMARY
    South Coast Water District (“District”) proposes to capture and reuse approximately 800,000 gallons per day (gpd) of urban runoff in Aliso Creek in Laguna Beach, California. The recovered urban runoff collected by the Project will be treated and reused by combining the water with recycled water produced at the Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) System at the Coastal Treatment Plant. There will be an improvement to the water quality of the combined supply, making the AWT recycled water lower in salinity as well as increasing the overall recycled water supply for South Laguna, Dana Point, and Capistrano Beach. Downstream improvements in water quality are expected at Aliso Beach County Park because a portion of the urban runoff will be removed from Aliso Creek and constituents removed from the runoff water will be discharged in the Coastal Treatment Plant outfall. Removal of a portion of the urban runoff will also help to reduce excessive stream flow from urbanized areas and return stream flows in lower Aliso Creek to more natural levels.

    http://www.scwd.org/ click on "Projects" for full details.


    We ,the locals, are the only ones seeking on the ground solutions to ocean pollution from Aliso Creek. Due to inland over irrigation, the creek has a flow rate twice the natural levels and floods the beach estuary before discharging onto the beach and into the ocean. High phosphorus feeds summer long algae blooms and red "dead" tides. Aliso Creek is listed by the Clean Water Act as a 303(d) impaired waterway for toxicity, phosphorus, etc.

    Still lots to do to make our creek, estuary and ocean healthy.

    Mike

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  21. A Call for Urgent Action :::

    Nine in 10 Californians say the quality of the
    beach and ocean is just as important to them
    personally as well as for the overall quality of
    life and economy in the state. California’s
    “ocean economy” is valued at $43 billion.

    As part of a statewide strategy to reduce marine debris and protect or valuable ocean
    economy, the California Ocean Protection
    Council in November 2008 adopted legislative
    recommendations to prohibit single-use products,
    including plastic bags, that pose significant
    ocean litter impacts. As a result AB1998 Passed the 1st round of voting on June 4th by a narrow margin. Now its on to the Senate - Plz. support this bill - Laguna Beach residents can engage themselves with http://transitionlaguna.org -

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  22. Hello Water Group

    As some of you know already, Laguna Beach County Water District is hosting its 1st SmartScape Info/Expo and will be having a booth set up for Transition Laguna to promote itself.
    Its 4 days until the Expo and I need to have some kind of confirmation on who will be attaining the TL booth 8am to 4pm. We love LOVE to have the Water and Garden install group be there to recruit and answer question about gardening vegetables.
    Please send me a quick email, text, or call me at 626) 367-6868 cell or MMadriz@lbcwd.org.
    Thank you....see you there!
    Michelle Madriz

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