Author: Team Marine

Screen shot of Kcal 9 news clip of press conference

On Tuesday morning Team Marine met at the Santa Monica Pier for a press conference to show our support for AB1998. If passed AB1998 would ban all single-use plastic bags in grocery stores, convenience stores and pharmacies and regulate paper bags. Team Marine Captain Megan Kilroy and Coach Benjamin Kay spoke. Team Marine was joined by representatives of several environmental organizations such as Heal The Bay, Environment California, and The Plastic Pollution Coalition.

Follow this link to watch the video
http://cbs2.com/video/?id=136201%40kcbs.dayport.com

As a reward for winning first place in the Edison Challenge and second place in the QuickScience Challenge Team Marine spent four days at the USC Marine Wrigley Institute on Catalina island. While on the island Team Marine had a lot of fun snorkling, kyacking, hiking, stargazing and studying the unique marine ecosystem. Even on such a remote beautiful island Team Marine still spent a lot of time picking up single-use plastic from the beaches and in the waves.

This past weekend, Santa Monica High School students sponsored by the City of Santa Monica, competed for their second year in the Solar Cup, the nation’s largest solar boat competition put on by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. 36 high schools teams built a 16’ wooden hull, attended technical workshops at Occidental College, wrote engineering reports, produced a video about water conservation, prepared and presented a lesson plan on a water-related topic, and overcame the arduous tasks of purchasing materials under a restricted budget and outfitting their boats with solar, steering, electrical, and drive-train systems. Based at Lake Skinner in Temecula Valley, schools raced in two sprint and two endurance competitions. Samohi’s solar boat team composed of ten Marine Biology and Team Marine students finished 11th overall, improving from last year’s 16th place finish.

Team Marine wins Ocean Hero Award

On April 5th Team Marine traveled by van to Sacramento to be part of Ocean Day at the California State Capitol Building on March 6. Representing the youth, the students met with various assembly members, senators, and staff to support bills AB1998 and AB925 that would reduce plastic marine debris and curb carbon dioxide emissions. They also encouraged state officials to establish a comprehensive network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that follow the scientific guidelines and draft new legislation that would make environmental sustainability a core subject in k-12 grade levels. The students also had a chance to lobby alongside various environmental organizations, including Heal the Bay. That evening, Team Marine attended a formal reception and sustainable seafood banquet with numerous state officials and ocean advocates and was given an Ocean Hero Award by a California steering committee composed of CalCoast, Environment California, Heal the Bay, the NRDC, Ocean Conservancy, San Diego Coastkeeper, and Surfrider Foundation. Lester Snow, Secretary for Natural Resources welcomed the students that evening, and Mike Chrisman, a director for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and former Secretary for Natural Resources presented the award to the students for their many contributions toward protecting the marine environment. Returning home along the coast, Team Marine visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium and camped in beautiful Big Sur.

Team Marine with Senator Julia Brownly who authored AB1998 which would ban all single-use paper and plastic bags in California