April 2024 E-Letter

Come say Hi at HTO’s Earth Day Festival (Booth 349)

5 Local Resources to be a Greener & Cleaner Consumer
Positive Eco-News: Ship Speed Reduction Benefits Air Quality and Whales in the SB Channel
Please Volunteer for the Earth!

Join HTO at the 2024 Earth Day Festival!

Once again HTO will be participating at the annual Earth Day Festival staged by the Community Environmental Center (CEC) on Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28 at Alameda Park, Santa Barbara. HTO will be at Booth 349 both days and we invite you to check out our T-shirts, grab a bumper sticker, and learn about HTO action and activities. Come by our booth and say hi!

Want to be Greener?
Check out these 5 Local Resources

At Heal the Ocean, Earth Day is every day. Here are a few of our favorite ways to practice sustainable habits throughout the year:

Instead of buying new products, try refilling laundry detergent, dry foods, olive oil, spices, and other products at Sunkissed Pantry located at 31 E. Canon Perdido Street in Santa Barbara. You can bring your own containers and fill up on the items you need. At HTO, we bring our office hand soap and dish detergent bottles to refill, instead of buying more plastic containers.
REMINDER: only plastics labeled #1, #2, and #5 can go in MarBorg blue bins. Planet Protectors has a program where you can bring plastics #4 (film plastics, bread bags, etc.) to be recycled at their collecting headquarters on 14 W. Gutierrez St., Santa Barbara.
Styrofoam cannot go in blue bins either. Instead, you can drop-off all clean and dry Styrofoam at the MarBorg locations at 132 Nopalitos Way, Santa Barbara, or 20 David Love Place, Goleta. This is a HTO program that has kept over 50,000 tons out of the landfill since the program began in 2021. Learn more here!
Everyone needs clothes, but instead of buying new garments opt for consignment and second-hand stores (which is actually becoming all the rage)! It saves money, keeps clothing from entering the landfills or shipped to countries overseas. Here are our favorite Santa Barbara stores for thrifty shopping: Crossroads (1025 State St.), Westward General (160 W Alamar Ave), Renaissance Fine Consignment (1118 State St.), Goodwill (302 W Carrillo St.), Alpha (700 N Milpas St.), and Unity Shop (1209 State St.).
A FINAL TIP: eating local and seasonal produce reduces emissions that are produced by transporting food. In addition, most produce can lose 30 percent of nutrients three days after harvest, so eating local fresh produce can be more beneficial for your health. One great source is the Santa Barbara County Farmer’s Market (schedule here). Local produce can also be purchased at stores such as: Mesa Produce (2036 Cliff Drive), Fairview Gardens (598 N Fairview Ave, Goleta), and more.

Reduced Ship Speeds Lower California Coastal Air Pollution and Benefits Whales

**Container ship at sea. Photo by Robert Schwemmer/NOAA**

The Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies vessel speed reduction (VSR) program showcased positive outcomes, including reduced coastal California air pollution, minimized whale risk, and lessened ocean noise. The program, initiated in 2014 by the Air Pollution Control Districts (APCDs) of Santa Barbara & Ventura County together with the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, was given a boost in February 2024 by Assemblyman Gregg Hart’s introduction of AB 2298, which made the program statewide.

With participation from 33 global shipping companies, the voluntary initiative saw ships transiting at speeds of 10 knots or less resulting in a 58% decline in the risk of whale strikes. In 2023, there was a 27% decrease of nitrogen oxide and greenhouse gases emitted compared to shipping emissions in 2016. The program's success underscores its vital role in environmental conservation, with plans already underway for the 2024 season.

Read the full article here!

Volunteer for the Earth!

HTO thanks our dedicated supporters for volunteering their time to clean up trash that hits our beautiful beaches. Keep your eyes peeled for our next beach cleanup event in June in collaboration with Baja Sharkeez, a popular restaurant on State St. If you're interested in conducting a cleanup independently, HTO is happy to provide you with gloves and bags. For more details, please contact jasmin@healtheocean.org

In honor of Earth Month, explore ways to volunteer in the community using Heal the Ocean’s Santa Barbara Resource Guide! The guide, posted on HTO’s website, is a compendium of resources from local organizations, ranging from volunteer opportunities, wildlife rescue centers, compost facilities, or environmental home improvement. HTO encourages all Santa Barbara residents to bookmark the webpage guide for easy access to a wealth of available resources.