August 2022 E-Letter

In this E-Letter:
• Santa Barbara Gets a Fiesta Cleanup from HTO & the Magic Earthcomb Team
• Visit Deep Blue Sea on Stearns Wharf for a Free HTO bracelet
• Cheers for Beer at Figueroa Mountain Brewing
• State Street Turns Blue Again - HTO Flags are Going up!

SANTA BARBARA GETS A FIESTA CLEAN-UP FROM HTO & THE MAGIC EARTHCOMB TEAM

**Andrew Velikanje (right) & Co-Worker Joe Pennisi (left) Tackle Fiesta. (Photo by Jasmin Tupy)**

Andrew Velikanje is Heal the Ocean’s Miracle Worker. In July 2021, we bumped into him cleaning up a homeless encampment at Haskells Beach out by the Bacara.

We then found out he had been cleaning up beaches, highways, lakefronts and every place else for a long time. Andrew started an official business, Earthcomb “For a Cleaner California,” and Earthcomb’s website lists how many pounds of trash have been removed from local areas such as East Beach, Rincon Beach, Montecito, etc. Collectively he has removed 112,600 pounds of litter. HTO has worked with Andrew, and his Earthcomb crew, and we have collaborated on major cleanups since then.

When Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days rolled around, HTO contacted the City’s Downtown Organization and volunteered Andrew and his crew – and only a few days after Fiesta and after lots of confetti and other offal, you couldn't find a spec of litter anywhere.

Andrew has some advice & observations:

There was still lots of confetti, however there wasn’t so much plastic, mylar and other nasties;
Even though COVID has encouraged the use of plastic (cups, utensils, etc.) can businesses please use paper products (or bamboo utensils?)
Downtown businesses, please mind your dumpsters: overflowing bins spill into the street, which invites birds and animals to spread it around, etc.

Always the optimist, Andrew signed off his report to HTO with “Tons of gratitude, love and light from Earthcomb :-)”

**Trash and plastic before Earthcomb’s Fiesta Cleanup (Photo by Andrew Velikanje)**

MEANWHILE, Eric Krueger of the Downtown Organization, who worked with Jasmin Tupy of HTO on the Fiesta storm drain covering plan, gave Jasmin the following debrief:

Last year (2021) Fiesta could not operate to its full capacity due to Covid-19 precautions, therefore this year’s (2022) trash output was much worse than the previous few years. Specifically, the Mercado in De La Guerra Plaza was hit hard due to all of the foot traffic to patronize food vendors. The take-out food was the origin of a large percentage of the waste due to the single-use of the plates, plastic cups, and plastic utensils. Due to this, most trash bins were packed to the max.

On the bright side, almost all cascarones (with a few exceptions) were filled with biodegradable confetti material instead of plastic or mylar.

Erik reported Earthcomb hard at work, and commented, “As always, Andrew and his team are killing it and the crew wearing HTO Shirts puts out a good message. Andrew, great job! HTO, great job!”

In summation, Erik stated that the Fiesta trash wasn’t as bad as previous pre-Covid years. There was fewer plastic confetti trash than usual, “which is a good sign.” "We are never going to get away from the confetti," Erik commented, "We are never going to get away from the waste that it produces. The best thing we can do is mitigate the harmful materials and waste from the eggs each year.”

Viva la Earthcomb!

VISIT DEEP BLUE SEA ON STEARNS WHARF FOR A FREE “I HELP HEAL THE OCEAN” BRACELET

**Show this flyer to receive a free bracelet!**

We love our innovative artists, businesses and everybody who thinks of way to help HTO! During all of August, Deep Blue Sea, a great gift shop on Stearns Wharf, is giving out free “I Help Heal the Ocean” bracelets for each person who shows the above ad AND $5 gets donated to HTO. SO, print out the above ad and go down to the Wharf to see what they’re doing there! The ocean-friendly bracelets are made out of recycled rubber flip flops.

Heal the Ocean thanks Lynn Adams of Santa Barbara Arts and Suzanne Cloutier of SB Independent for organizing this fun Ocean campaign!

CHEERS FOR BEER! HEAD FOR FIGUEROA MOUNTAIN!

**Print out & Present this Flyer when Purchasing a Beer!**

Figueroa Mountain Brewing, Santa Barbara is getting into the festivities of raising a glass for Heal the Ocean! On August 17, $1 from each beer purchased will be donated to Heal the Ocean when you present this flyer (print out the image above)! Bring your friends and family to Figueroa on 137 Anacapa Street, in the Funk Zone, enjoy a good craft beer and a fun time!

Thank you, Figueroa Mountain Brewing, we will see you August 17 – with our coupon!

HTO FLAGS ARE GOING UP ON STATE STREET – AS WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 24TH BIRTHDAY!!

**Celebrating Our 24th Birthday – HTO Flags Will Be Flying on State Street!**

On August 24, State Street will once again be a sea of blue, as HTO flags are put up August 24 and will be flying through August 31. We love this time a lot, because Heal the Ocean’s 24th Anniversary is Sunday, August 28. Heal the Ocean has accomplished much in these 24 years, and we are excited to celebrate! Thank you, Downtown Santa Barbara for choosing us to be in your State Street Flag Program. We love it when State Street turns into a sea of blue – HTO’s Blue!

From all of us at Heal the Ocean to all of you, thank you, and please stay safe.