On Valentine's Day, please love the ocean and use less plastic!
OceanHealth.Org has been promoting a campaign on Facebook for about a month to encourage Valentine's Day shoppers to bring their reusable bags on this major consumer holiday. Please click to "attend" and RSVP to show your support http://tinyurl.com/lovetheocean.
OceanHealth.Org encourages you to show your love for that special someone in your life and the ocean on this Valentine's Day.
Seven Suggestions on How You Can Love the Ocean and Use Less Plastic on Valentine's Day:
1. Bring your reusable bag when you go shopping and/or say "no" when offered a plastic bag.
2. Pick a non-plastic gift to show your love. Really, is plastic the way to say, "I love you"?
3. How about wrapping your gift in a reusable shopping bag? OceanHealth.Org has a lovely bag with the logo for this campaign if you'd like one.
4. If you live near the ocean, take the time to visit and have a romantic walk on the beach, go surfing, go wildlife watching, or just to watch the sun set. Maybe even take a couple of minutes to pick up some marine debris while you're there or to even join a beach cleanup that weekend (check your local Surfrider for info: www.surfrider.org).
5. If you go out to dinner, remember to order only sustainable seafood (if you order it at all) and bring your own container for leftovers. You can save a plastic bag and other waste if you have your reusable bag and containers with you.
6. Consider donating on behalf of your love to the ocean charity of your choice. OceanHealth.Org would love you dearly for a donation to help our organization grow.
7. Share this event with your friends all over the world to spread the word.
The ocean thanks you and loves you back. ;-)
So if you're inspired (and we hope that you are), please keep up the spirit all year long and learn more about your oceans and how plastics are impacting our environment.
If you're here in the San Francisco area, the San Francisco Chapter of Surfrider Foundation is hosting a beach cleanup on Ocean Beach on Sunday, February 15, at 10 AM. Please check their website for details and upcoming beach cleanups.
If you'd like to learn more about how you can reduce plastics in your life, please check out one of my favorite blogs, Fake Plastic Fish.
Be sure to check out Surfrider's Rise Above Plastics campaign and sign up for their Plastics Pledge.
If you are looking for other ways to show your love for the oceans, then visit ThankYouOcean.Org. You can find lots of information, as well as link with ocean groups.
Oh, and if you're looking for a last minute Valentine's Day gift and you're in the Bay Area. Go online and buy a ticket for next week's San Francisco Ocean Film Festival.
* If you like the artwork for this campaign, please visit Karen Roze at Sacred Rose Tattoo in Berkeley, CA. Digital rendering by Giotto at Babyfaced Productions.
