Nestled between between Vancouver Island and Southeast Alaska, there is a region rich in life and beauty called the Great Bear Rainforest. Tipping Barrels a unique short documentary that combines surfing and environmental journalism to explore serious environmental issues.
The movie follows Arran and Reid Jackson on a trip into the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, where they learn more about the region and the issues confronting it.
Directed by Ben Gulliver
Produced by Rene Gauthier and Michael Reid
Filmed by:
Ben Gulliver
Ian McAllister
Cineflex Provided by Sherpas Cinema:
Dave Mossop
Eric Crosland
John Trapman
Malcolm Sangster
The Ecology Center, in San Juan Capistrano, is an exciting new educational center, whose purpose is to engage the entire family in fun, hands-on activities that teach practical, environmental solutions at the household and community level. Check out there featured blog of the week:
For the third year, Santa Monica Seafood is donating their fresh, quality seafood for Green Feast. Chef Shachi Mehra of Tamarind of London was chosen to prepare this year’s fish course. With her experience in some of the country’s most notable kitchens, we are certain she’ll serve up something divine.
Green Feast 2010
Founder Jack Deluca always had a passion for the sea. From the age of nine he was at the docks pulling lines, scaling and gutting fish, and filleting the fish – all the elements of bringing seafood to market. By the age of 16 he was the proud owner of his own fishing vessel and at 21 he was the co-owner of his own wholesale company.
In 1939, Jack and his brother Frank set up shop at the end of the Santa Monica Pier selling fresh fish to restaurants and tourists alike under the company banner of Santa Monica Seafood. For the next 42 years Jack and Frank worked to build Santa Monica Seafood into one of the top distributors of seafood in Southern California. In 1985, the second Santa Monica Seafood retail/wholesale facility was opened in Orange County and in 1997 a retail-only store was opened in Costa Mesa. Today, his great-nephews are carrying on the family business.
Jack Deluca founded Santa Monica Seafood with the philosophy, “Provide the highest quality product at a fair and reasonable price.” The philosophy of providing the highest quality product now demands ethical and sustainable sourcing of fish and education of both customers and the public at large.
Santa Monica Seafood relies on a number of wild and farmed certifying agencies, along with a group of science advisers and an assortment of professional affiliations to guide their ethical and sustainable fishing practices. The Company is currently certified to sell over 15 species of Marine Stewardship Council certified wild species. They recently joined with the Monterey Bay Aquarium to promote and develop new and better ways to source seafood that conforms to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sustainable Seafood Initiative. As active supporters of the Seafood Choices Alliance, Santa Monica Seafood can count on the SCA and the Monterey Bay Aquarium for their global perspectives and ability to bring scientists together with environmentalists. Finally, their Master of Science degreed, former governmental fishery biologist does validation visits on fishing boats, farms and processing plants around the world qualifying our vendors and sources.
Posted by Kacee ON August 25, 2011 • Causes • Comment
The Ecology Center, in San Juan Capistrano, is an exciting new educational center, whose purpose is to engage the entire family in fun, hands-on activities that teach practical, environmental solutions at the household and community level. Check out there featured blog of the week:
We are so excited about this year’s first-ever Eco App Off, a competition among 12 of the County’s finest chefs using only ingredients sourced within 200 miles of The Ecology Center. Among those vying for the opportunity to be next year’s main course chef is Cathy McKnight of What a Dish, who will be preparing mussels from Carlsbad Aqua Farm. We can’t wait to see (or rather, taste) what she’ll create!
Buy your Green Feast tickets today. Tickets are $180 for members, and $225 for non-members. Not a member yet? For just $5 more, you can join us as an Advocate Member and receive the Eco Center tote bag and a bevy of other benefits all year long.
Chef Cathy McKnight started her career in 1993 after graduating from UC Davis and completed course work at the prestigious California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Her first professional catering job was for her friends’ sisters wedding. Cathy enjoyed every minute of it and the feedback from the guests was overwhelming, thus What A Dish catering company was born.
What A Dish grew into one of the premiere catering companies in Southern California. After 15 years of success, Cathy sold the company with the intention of retiring, but BeachFire Bar and Grill caught her attention and she could not resist the opportunity to work with their creative menu and exceptional management team. From 2006 to 2010, Beachfire Extreme Catering flourished under her guidance. As both Executive Chef and Catering Sales Manager for BeachFire San Clemente, BeachFire Ladera Ranch and Irons in The Fire, Cathy developed and executed each specific dish for its particular venue, while catering to their clientele’s needs. In 2010 Cathy followed her heart and left BeachFire to return to the kitchen full time with What A Dish. Chef Cathy prefers the title “celebration artist” and has over 20 years of celebrations to her credit.
Carlsbad Aquafarm is Southern California’s only shellfish aquafarm. Since 1990, co-owners John Davis and Acacia Pacific Investments have been growing eco-friendly Carlsbad Mediterranean Mussel, Carlsbad Luna Oyster – petite, Carlsbad Blonde Oyster – small, Carlsbad Del Sol Oyster – small and fresh water immersed, Carlsbad Green Abalone, and Carlsbad Red Ogo Seaweed, in the unspoiled Pacific Ocean waters of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad, California. In addition, Speckled Scallops, Bay Scallops, and Manila Clams will join the product portfolio in 2012. The farm has also developed a secondary line of products for the marine aquarium trade known as “live-feed” that includes micro and macro algae, copepods, amphipods, and brine shrimp.
Both product lines allow the farm efficient use of its facilities, marine biologists, harvest crew, and growout systems. Suspended long-line cultivation and shore-based recirculating seawater tanks have minimal impact on marine habitats, wild fish populations, water quality, and the community. Rigorous laboratory testing and purification systems keep products safe while close proximity to the Los Angeles and San Diego metropolitan areas and major airports allow the farm a quick turn-around from harvest to shipping and delivery. The result is fresh, high quality local products with a small carbon footprint. Products to chefs are purchased through wholesalers and to the public at farmer’s markets in Santa Monica and Hollywood in Los Angeles; Old Towne Orange in Orange County; Hillcrest, Little Italy, and Carlsbad in San Diego; Santa Monica Seafood Market and Café in Santa Monica and Costa Mesa; Whole Foods and Henry’s Markets, on-line via Catalina Offshore Products, and many restaurants throughout California.
Carlsbad Aquafarm is committed to sustainable mariculture and pursuing a necessary balance between the demand for responsible seafood production and the preservation of our oceans’ resources.
The Ecology Center
32701 Alipaz St.
San Juan Capistrano, 92675
949.443.4223
The Ecology Center, in San Juan Capistrano, is an exciting new educational center, whose purpose is to engage the entire family in fun, hands-on activities that teach practical, environmental solutions at the household and community level. Check out there featured blog of the week:
Tonight, August 18th, is our final Basic Needs Speaker of the Summer and we are so excited to welcome Christian Beamish to The Ecology Center. 6:30pm
Christian Beamish, Senior Writer at Surfer Magazine, former Associate Editor at The Surfer’s Journal, and author of an upcoming book from Patagonia,”By Sail and Oar—the Cormorant Journeys”, on his adventures in his self-built, 18-foot, Shetland Isle beach boat, looks for connections to his essential humanity in “full wilderness immersion surf travel.” With an M.A. from SFSU in Creative Writing, Beamish has practiced his craft for the past decade in numerous print publications internationally.
Join us as we discuss how the choices we make to satisfy our basic needs impact the health of our community and our environment.
Registration for this unique event is $10 for members/$25 for non-members, includes conversation, wine, beer and light fare. Guests can purchase tickets online or by calling 949.443.4223
The Ecology Center, in San Juan Capistrano, is an exciting new educational center, whose purpose is to engage the entire family in fun, hands-on activities that teach practical, environmental solutions at the household and community level. Check out there featured blog of the week:
As summer gets going and the days get warmer, you may notice your garden looking a little nutrient deprived. Though there are numerous ways to deal with this, we are focusing on just a couple for July’s Backyard Skills workshop – seedballs and compost teas! In this garden fertility workshop you will learn two hands-on DIY skills to keep your soil in tip top shape.
Seedballs are fun guerilla gardening accessories but also work great teamed up with cover crop seed to help bring fertility to your organic garden soils. Compost teas might be the cheapest and easiest way to fabricate your own homemade garden fertilizers! Join us on July 9th at 1pm to learn about improving the health of your soil. Though there are no material fees for this workshop, attendees will go home with their own hand-crafted, cover crop seedballs as well as the skills and know-how to brew up some nutritious compost tea.
Saturday, July 9th at 1pm
$15 (MEMBERS)
$25 (NON-MEMBERS)
The Ecology Center
32701 Alipaz St.
San Juan Capistrano, 92675
949.443.4223
Across 900 beaches and coastlines all over the planet, people joined for the first global Hands Across the Sand event. That was one year ago tomorrow.
On June 25, 2011, the people of the world will join hands to champion clean energy solutions to our filthy fuels problem. Embracing a clean energy future now is the path to a sustainable planet. Go to HandsAcrossTheSand.com to find a group near you… or just start one yourself with your friends. Be sure to take pictures and send them in!
Hands Across the Sand is a movement made of people of all walks of life and crosses political affiliations and the borders of the world. This movement is not about politics — it is about the protection of our coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife and fisheries. The accidents that continue to happen in offshore oil drilling are a threat to all of the above. Expanding offshore oil drilling is not the answer; embracing Clean Energy is.
What are they trying to accomplish? On a local, national and global level, Joining Hands sends a powerful visual message of human solidarity to our nation’s leaders. They are unified in the defense of the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we consume from dangerous, dirty energy sources. Every time people join hands that message is reinforced. It’s simple and logical: embrace clean energy. A line in the sand is a powerful thing.
The Movement Started In Florida
In Florida on Saturday, February 13, 2010, a statewide gathering against near and offshore oil drilling occurred. 10,000 Floridians representing 60 towns and cities and over 90 beaches joined hands to protest the efforts by the Florida Legislature and the US Congress to lift the ban on oil drilling in the near and off shores of Florida. Florida’s Hands Across The Sand event was the largest gathering in the history of Florida united against expanding oil drilling into Florida’s waters. Events were held from Jacksonville to Miami Beach and Key West to Pensacola Beach.
On June 26, 2010, in response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Hands Across the Sand went National and Global. The event was announced and the website went live allowing event organizers sign up only four weeks prior to June 26th. It became the largest gathering of people in the history of the world united against expanding offshore oil drilling and championing clean energy and renewables. Over 1000 events were held worldwide. Events took place in all 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Events were held in 42 countries outside the U.S. including Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Belize, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Greenland, Greece, Croatia, Ireland, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, Tanzania, and South Africa.
Mission Statement:
1. To bring together like-minded individuals and organizations with the conviction to organize a Global movement to promote a clean energy future for our earth and end our dependence on dirty fuel sources. These gatherings will bring thousands of American and Global citizens to our beaches and cities and will draw metaphorical and actual lines in the sand; human lines in the sand against the threats Fossil Fuels and offshore oil drilling pose to our present and future planet.
2. To convince our State Legislators, Governors, Congress and President Obama and world leaders to adopt policies encouraging the growth of clean and renewable energy sources in place of oil and
The Ecology Center, in San Juan Capistrano, is an exciting new educational center, whose purpose is to engage the entire family in fun, hands-on activities that teach practical, environmental solutions at the household and community level. Check out there featured blog of the week:
This Summer The Ecology Center is proud to offer our first ever Eco-Camp series. Join us as we launch two different eco-educational camps centered around our outdoor, interactive Eco-Labs. Our Elemental Awareness Camp, July 18th-21st, is a 4-day camp for kids aged 9-12 ($160). Participants will learn important survival skills and positive ways to interact with the natural environment. Activities include gourd canteen making, fire safety and construction, cooking with fire, harvesting wild edibles and fort design and building. The Eco-Labs Camp, August 1st-5th, is a 5-day camp for kids aged 6-9 ($185). This hands-on camp engages participants in a series of outdoor, ecological solutions around food, water, energy, waste and shelter. On the last day of camp participants will take part in our Farm to Fork experience where they will harvest and prepare a garden lunch. Each camp includes a take-home Eco-Kit.
The Ecology Center
32701 Alipaz St.
San Juan Capistrano, 92675
949.443.4223
Billabong’s 5th annual Design For Humanity benefit, will be held on Wednesday, June 15, 2011! The event is heading back to the set of last years event in the heart of legendary NY streets on the back lot of Paramount Studios in Hollywood. If you’re going to attend one fun event a year… this would be the one to go to. No joke, and no exaggeration.
It has something for everyone: runway fashion show, food trucks galore, art show, music block party, live concert, DJ’s spinning, and did I mention thousands of beautiful bodies? Just go and if you don’t have a fun time I’ll mail you a card with a sad face on it.
This massive fashion-music-art block party will feature two concert stages, three DJ stations, a runway fashion show showcasing one of a kind Billabong bikinis, and an art auction. Buy your tickets now!
This year the event will be benifiting The VH1 Save The Music Foundation which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education programs in America’s public schools,and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child’s complete education. To date, VH1 Save The Music has provided more than $47 million in new musical instruments to 1,750 public schools in more than 100 cities around the country, impacting the lives of over 1.6 million children.
With the support of people across the country and the 2010-2011 Ambassador Class including: John Legend, Sara Bareilles, Lifehouse, Ciara, John Mayer, Kristin Chenoweth, Jewel and Amber Riley, it is The Foundation’s renewed commitment to donate one hundred million dollars worth of new musical instruments to ensure that an even greater number of students receive a comprehensive music education in the coming decade. Get involved and learn more at vh1savethemusic.com
The Peaks For Peace Crew: Brennan Metzler, Matt Lovas and Amber Hanely
Peaks For Peace is a grass-roots project started by a snowboarder, a surfer, and a skier. The goal is to climb mountains to raise money for charities or foundations. Brennan, Matt and Amber joined to create this effort because they all share a passion for the mountains and wanted to combine that passion with a good cause. Peaks For Peace was started in April of 2011 and is off to a great start snagging peaks all over Colorado. Brennan plans on climbing and snowboarding close to 40 peaks in less than ten weeks for the first fundraiser.
I was able to catch up with Brennan in between peaks. Check out some quick Q&A:
What is your first fundraiser?
This Spring, Peaks for Peace is partnering with the Children’s Hospital Burn Camps Program. People are pledging a monetary amount for every peak that Brennan summits and snowboards between April 11th and June 21st. 100% of donated funds go to getting burn-injured children to camp.
Can you tell us a more about the Burn Camp Program?
The Children’s Hospital partners with Cheley Colorado Camps in Estes Park, Colorado. By providing an enriched camp experience, anchored in the Cheley philosophy of fostering genuine character and belief in the ability of young men and women to act spontaneously in the right, the program creates the opportunity for survivors to share their stories and push themselves beyond what they thought was possible through activities like hiking, mountain biking, camping, challenge courses, horseback riding, mountain climbing, fishing, crafts, archery, riflery, and swimming.
How can someone contribute to the cause?
We have a website up called PeaksForPeace.com where interested people can find a donation form and information about the powerful work of the Children’s Hospital. The form has all the details of our fundraiser and where to email it as well.
Can we follow your progress?
Absolutely! We have started a blog called Peak Reports where people can follow and support Brennan’s mountaineering and snowboarding adventures.
What has been your favorite peak so far? Buffalo Mountain (12,777 ft) provided us with a spectacular day. Andy Dimmen and I (Brennan) were able to link together three classic Colorado lines…in powder! Buffalo Mountain is the most physically demanding day that I have experienced in the hills to date – with incredible rewards!
Every Monday we like to hook you up with free stickers! This week we wanted to showcase our friends over at Surfaid International.
To win free Surfaid stickers please leave a comment below for our friends at Surfaid and we’ll pass it along to them. 15 comments will be picked at random to win free stickers. Contest ends May 16th 2011. Please use valid email.
It is six months since a relatively small earthquake in the Indian Ocean generated the tsunami wave that swept across the Mentawai Islands, destroying villages and killing more than 500 people on 25 October last year. SurfAid launched an immediate emergency response, and within 24 hours had started to dispatch aid to the islands. Over the course of the next two weeks we sent more than 14,000 non-food items, six tonnes of rice and tens of thousands of packs of noodles and cans of fish. Our marine capabilities, and knowledge of the Mentawai Islands, were the key to our ability to access stricken communities.
Within two weeks of the tsunami we had finished the emergency response and started the first round of the subsequent Emergency Recovery Program, and we have been working on that ever since. Since December we have been engaged in the second phase of the Emergency Recovery Program, the long-term recovery that will take many years to implement. We continue to focus on community health, and have extended our ability to cover affected communities by engaging a respected local NGO as a formal implementation partner. This is a major step up for YRSM (Yayasan Reimar Schefold Mentawai), it represents a partnership that is good for both parties. We can cover many more communities and YRSM can access our implementation model, training and support. Together we will do much more than either party could do individually. The community health project (called P4B, Proyek Pencegahan Penyakit Pasca Bencana) has just commenced.
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