Bag Monster ACTION!

Your local Bag Monster is on tour...just looking for a friendly home. The world is demonstrating that it dislikes single-use plastic shopping bags, so the monster is crossing the USA to find love where it can (not an easy task).

So sad - keep up with the Monster's quest and other Monster doin's (public art, activist marches, etc, etc!!) at the entertaining Bag Monster blog.

[Meanwhile...Californians: contact your state senators and tell them to pass AB 1998 - the state-wide single-use plastic shopping bag ban bill. More info here.]



Have a reusable weekend!

California Bag Ban - HAMMER TIME!

OK – hammer time is upon us. I’m told that this week is THE week for action on the California Bag Ban, AB 1998 – your mission (f you choose to accept it) is to call your senator [list below] and tell them that you want them, NEED them to pass AB 1998 and PASS IT NOW.

Why? China, Mexico, Ireland (tax), Bangladesh, Zimbabwe (just did it!), Israel (tax), UAE have already banned these environmental scourges and the list of places that have goes on. California, #7 on the world GDP list (ahead of all but one of those listed above), sets progressive trends for the world and sports a stunning array of environmental jewels that need protection from the now-ubiquitous “urban tumbleweed” – not least of which is its famous, unmatched coastline. Single-use plastics are nothing more than INSTANT TRASH – we don’t need that cr*p!

Take a look around your world – how many discarded plastic shopping bags do you see strewn about? LOTS! Did you put them there? H***, NO! Do you think anyone did it on purpose? NOT LIKELY! In a nutshell, that’s the whole enchilada…pretty easy to understand – per their basic design flaw, these bags are genetically predisposed to a life of being unsightly, sea-animal-choking weapons against an innocent, unknowing environment. We’re all guilty for letting it get this bad – now is the time for us all to act!

OK Californians, if you’ve been on the sidelines (or if you’ve already made the calls), this is THE time to dial up your senator and tell them how you feel. Easier than you think – you won’t get a 20-question grilling, your taxes won’t go up and you can knock the call out on the walk between your car/bus/bike/skateboard and your office…and you can do it up to once a day. Tomorrow is a new (call) day!

So check the list below for your jurisdiction - these are the Senators that need to hear your voice – so, please, GIT ON IT! You’ll be glad you did (as will your neighborhoods and your oceans). ☺

Los Angeles Area:
1. Azuza, Baldwin Park, Covina, Duarte, El Monte, Irwindale, La Puente, LA, Monterey Park, Rosemead, West Covina - Gloria Romero 916-651-4024
2. Montebello, Huntington Park - Ron Calderon 916-651-4030
3. Santa Ana/Fullerton - Lou Correa 916-651-4034
4. Huntington Beach/Costa Mesa - Tom Harman 916-651-4035
5. Laguna Niguel - Mimi Walters 916-651-4033
6. Compton, Gardena, Hawthorn, Inglewood, Lawndale, Long Beach, LA, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro - Roderick Wright 916-651-4025
7. Alhambra, LA, Maywood, San Marino, South Pasadena and Vernon) - Gilbert Cedillo 916-651-4022
8. Bakersfield, Coalinga, Delano, Dinuba, Fresno, Hanford, Lemoore) - Dean Florez 916-651-4016
9. Chino, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona) - Gloria Negrete McLeod 916-651-4032
10. Canoga Park, North Hills, North Hollywood, Northridge, Pacoima, San Fernando, Sun Valley, Sylmar, Van Nuys, Winneka) - Alex Padilla 916-651-4020
11. Culver City, Hancock Park, Hollywood, LA) - Curren Price 916-651-4026

San Diego Area:
1. Brawley, Calexico, Cathedral City, Chula Vista, Coachella, Coronado, El Centro, IB, Indio, National City, SD, San Ysidro - Denise Ducheny 916-651-4040

San Francisco Area:
1. Leland Yee 916-651-4008

Sacramento Area:
1. Davis, Fairfield, Manteca, Stockton, Tracy, Vacaville, West Sacramento - Lois Wolk 916-651-4005

Jack Johnson's "All At Once" Network

All At Once, Jack Johnson's social action network, encourages you to become active in your local and world community. All At Once connects you with local non-profit groups creating change through Your Actions, Your Voices and Your Choices.

This year's All At Once campaign features over 150 non-profit groups and focuses on supporting Sustainable Local Food Systems and Plastic Free Initiatives. Jack Johnson's To The Sea tour proceeds will go to these groups to support their projects.

All At Once introduces you to Plastic Free Initiatives. Plastic waste is harmful to the environment because it doesn't break down. Almost every bit of plastic that has ever been created still exists. The plastic pollution threatens our wildlife, oceans, and our health. Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour-every HOUR! Recycling isn't always the answer; most of the plastic waste ends up in landfills. Do your part to minimize single use plastic.

Here is what you can do to Strive to be Plastic Free!

Your Actions

Here are three actions you can take to support a vision for a plastic free environment. Your individual ACTIONS make a difference!

• Pledge to reduce your plastic waste. Take Surfrider Foundation's Rise Above Plastics pledge and the Plastic Pollution Coalition's S.U.P.E.R. Hero Pledge and learn more about what you can do to be plastic free.

• Bring your own reusable bag for purchases and use reusable beverage and food containers. Nearly every plastic bottle ever made still exists today. Do your part and reuse!

• Get involved with projects that are raising awareness about plastic free alternatives. Check out what others are doing to make a statement- Follow the Plastiki Voyage across the South Pacific and see what the Algalita Marine Research Foundation has discovered in the North Pacific Gyre.

Your Voice

Here are three more things you can do to support a vision for a plastic free environment. Let your VOICE be heard!

• Join the Take Back the Tap Campaign. Ditch single-use bottled water, support local water infrastructure, and refill at the tap.

• Support local or national policies and efforts to reduce or find alternatives to single use plastics. If you're in California, send a letter to your Assemblymember in support of Heal The Bay's Plastic Ban Policy to ban single use plastic bags, limit the distribution of paper bags, and require reusable bags for purchases.

• Sign up and stay informed on Plastic Free Initiatives. Check out RiseAbovePlastics.blogspot.com

Your Choice

Here are three choices you can make to support buying seasonal, locally grown, organic food. It's your CHOICE - make conscious purchasing decisions!

• Shop at your local farmers market or farm stand. Visit www.LocalHarvest.org for a farm or market near you.

• Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Become a shareholder of a local farm, support its operation, and receive fresh food throughout the growing season. Find your CSA here.

• Eat at restaurants that serve local organic produce. Check out Eat Well Guide's map for the To the Sea 2010 tour! Custom guides have been created for each city of the tour to help your find fresh, local and sustainable food.

Connect to the All At Once non-profit partners promoting sustainable local food systems.

At the Jack/All At Once Shows- Fill Up at Brita's FilterForGood Water Stations.

In an effort to be more plastic free, Jack Johnson's 2010 To The Sea Tour has partnered with Brita's FilterForGood Campaign to bring free water refill stations to every show on the U.S. Tour.

The FilterForGood campaign raises awareness of simple changes everyone can make to live eco-friendly lives. Help us improve the environment one bottle at a time by staying hydrated with filtered water and a reusable bottle instead of disposable bottled water. Come fill up your reusable bottle for free at the Brita Water Stations in the Village Green at the shows and take the FilterForGood Pledge to reduce plastic bottled water waste.

For more information on the Village Green, Brita Water Stations, and other To The Sea Tour Greening information, visit www.JackJohnsonMusic.com/greening

Learn more and become an All At Once member to explore, share, discuss, volunteer, and donate at www.AllAtOnce.org

[Thanks to Nicole Parisi-Smith of Surfrider San Fran, Head Count and MOP]

Jeremy Irons Plastic Bag Vid

Brought to us by our friends at Heal The Bay, and complete with helicopter shot and night-vision cams, this is a high-quality production about the lonely trials and tribulations of a discarded plastic grocery bag, just trying to get through the day. You see them everywhere, everyday, but have you ever pondered their difficult "life" path?

Similar to the Werner Herzog vid of a previous post on this blog, this one has a touch more humor and well, is quite a tear-jerker - wait 'till you see the "deadly" teacup yorkie open a can (cup?) of whoop-ass on our bag/friend...not sure whom to weep for in that scene, but pass the tissues, pleeeez.

In Heal The Bay's words: "Filmed in the style of a nature documentary and narrated by Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons, this 'mockumentary', though lighthearted in tone, hammers home the stark reality of California’s plastic bag pollution situation. View on YouTube and share to help get AB 1998 approved by the Senate!"

Aloha From Plastic Beach!

A quick shout-out to Surfrider Oahu. They took out a RAP advert (designed by dream team: Lora Lamm, Sheila Sarhangi, Rob Barecca, Ryo Kubota) in the new-ish local mag Green Magazine Hawaii - fulfilling the "A" in Surfrider's C.A.R.E., "awareness" (call your local chapter for the other 3 points of CARE). You can see the mag and the ad in the current issue (page 22).

While you're there, skip back an issue or so for a cover article (page 34) on 5Gyres' Dr. Marcus Eriksen (of JunkBoat & JunkRide fame), oceanic plastic trash and it's play in 'the islands' - written by Surfrider's Stuart Coleman (famous as author of island tomes, Eddie Would Go and Fierce Heart).

Hawaii catches the brunt of sea-going trash, being on the spin-out fringe of the North Pacific Garbage Patch - bizarre...paradise filtering the world's cast-off junk. Lono don't like dat mess.

Nice work by the Oahu Nalu Ohana! It may only be Thursday boyz, but take an early PAU HANA & catch the end of the swell...MUCHOS MAHALOS! :)

PS - Stuart Coleman wrote another article about Dr. Marcus Eriksen in the Honolulu Civil Beat, revealing some interesting points about this peace & environmental activist. Check it out to find out who he's calling a "fossil fool".

California Bag Ban Update: Slimy Lobbyists Steering YOUR Future!

The time for the big push is NOW. As the selfish, narrow-minded, non-local ACC (bag manufacturer LOBBYing assn based in Virginia & Washington DC) tries to convince YOUR California politicians (hmmm…money, meals, & “special services” anyone?) that their profits are more important than your neighborhoods and the earth’s environment, it is time for us to contact our representatives and let them know how we feel.



The vote on California Assembly Bill AB 1998 should finally come up in the next couple of weeks. The ACC has been able to toss extra hurdles in front of the bill by somehow (wink-wink) convincing our local reps to require the bill to pass thru yet another committee before coming to a general vote on the senate floor. The ACC lobbyists are trying to delay, delay, delay until it becomes difficult to move the bill forward, those selfish little @#$%&*s!

Californians, take this time to use Surfrider’s handy state senator letter-writing gizmo to punch a letter of AB 1998 support out to your senator – click this link to DO IT! Don’t let some out-of-state greaseballs dictate your state’s future. (better yet, CALL the representative – the Surfrider tool will display your local rep’s phone number – mine is: Rep Christine Kehoe, Phone:(916) 651-4039 Fax:(916) 327-2188)

Meanwhile…check out Ed Begley Jr & Kate Conner's little video about good reasons to GO REUSABLE on your bags (the scenario in the van should look and feel familiar).

Buried in Plastic PSA Plastic Pollution Coalition from Dianna Cohen on Vimeo.

It’s Hammer Time!