Blog – Page 15 – Team Marine

February 13, 2012February 15, 2012

Wake Up Los Angeles!

http://youtu.be/QSR4BR3AgeI

We made a video to show what happens every year on the first rain of the season (usually in October or November). We call this storm the “First Flush”. The First Flush pushes the massive amounts of pollutants that accumulates over the year in storm drains, into the Santa Monica Bay. Trash from all across Los Angeles County gathers and sits for months just waiting for the first big storm to push it out into sea and effect the safety of marine life and citizens. This video from October 2012 documents the different types of trash and “mystery foam” we have found during the First Flush.

February 13, 2012March 24, 2012

Bag Team Quikscience Project!

Team Marine’s Bag Team competed in 2012’s Quikscience Challenge hosted by Quiksilver and USC. Bag Team worked for over a year to collect data on how a single-use plastic bag ban has been effective in Santa Monica. The project proves that a nationwide bag ban is possible and can make immense positive change in the environment. Check out our project summary!

February 12, 2012March 24, 2012

Car Team’s on a Roll!

Car Team’s Overview video has finally been completed! This video gives a short summary of what the past few weeks have been like for the team. We have been active in the community from teaching students at Lincoln and JAMS to expanding our knowledge of the electric car conversion process.

If the video isn’t working you can see it here:

February 12, 2012February 13, 2012

Team Marine in the Newspaper!

Team Marine’s Car Team has been featured in the February 11-12 issue of the Santa Monica Daily Press. This is a great feat as it means that our work is being informed to the community. The Daily Press highlights the motivation that encouraged Team Marine in taking up the electric car conversion; the health effects of gas powered cars. However, the environmental impacts tailpipe pollution also acted as a catalyst. Ocean acidification, climate change, smog, and black carbon. These matters directly affect global ecosystems and become more pronounced with increasing population size and the need for transportation. The world’s living conditions and health are in rapid decline due to a reliance on fossil fuels. The electric car is one solution to these issues as it produces zero emissions. While it is not a perfect remedy, since the electricity used to power the car has some power plant emissions, EVs greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions due to the higher efficiency of power plants. The paper also mentions the team’s urgent need for batteries, the most important component of the car, in order to complete the project. The purpose behind selecting lithium ion batteries to power the car is due to their large energy density and convenient size – meaning they can pack a lot of punch in a small space.

Written by Angelina Hwang

February 11, 2012February 12, 2012

Sustainability Bill of Rights Resolution

Santa Monica has continuously been a leader in environmental sustainability. The Santa Monica City Sustainability Plan was first adopted in 1994. Now, in 2012, the council is taking under consideration the Sustainability Bill of Rights Resolution. The passing of the SBR ordinance means the rights of people will be protected and people will have access to clean air, land, and water. On January 24th, Team Marine went to the Santa Monica City Hall to support the Sustainability Bill of Rights. Prior to the City Council Meeting, the supporters gathered on the steps of City Hall for a rally. Team Marine signed the SBR Student Support Poster, showing that the youth care about the environment and the future of Santa Monica. As a unified group, we entered the council chambers and our members spoke in front of the council explaining that people are entitled to constitutional rights, not corporations. We made our opinions heard about our vision of a future where renewable energy sources are used to generate energy, clean water is affordable and accessible, and wastes are disposed of in a way that does not harm the environment. This event was an important movement in mitigating environmental crises such as climate change, pollution, and ocean acidification, bringing us one step closer to our goal of a sustainable future.

Written by Angelina Hwang

January 26, 2012February 12, 2012

Car Committee Lesson Plan

As of late, the car committee’s top priority has b

een to complete its lesson plan. Developments in the interactive portion of this project have increased drastically in the past few days. We have undertaken the construction of three educational display boards that each break down the implications, cycles, and benefits of contemporary fuel Continue reading

January 24, 2012May 1, 2012

Beach Clean Up

On January 12th,Team Marine, with help from Heal the Bay, organized and hosted a beach cleanup and invited all of SAMOHI’s Marine Biology students as well as other members of the community. We collected trash all along the shore and especially around the mouth of the storm drain. Continue reading “Beach Clean Up”

December 29, 2011February 12, 2012

In Defense of Humanity

In the past week, there has been a heated call and response between Marc Gunther and Stiv Wilson over a topic very close to Team Marine, plastic and plastic pollution in the environment. The plastic industry has always fought against environmentalists and their goal to ban plastic bags. Gunther continued the fight by representing the large plastic companies in his article. Continue reading “In Defense of Humanity”

December 13, 2011February 12, 2012

Support the LA City Bag Ban!!

This Wednesday, at Los Angeles City Hall from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., city representatives are having a hearing to determine if the single-use carry out plastic bag should be banned throughout all of the City of Los Angeles. This a monumental occasion for the city and we need bodies there to rally support for the cause. If you truly are sustainable and have the time to make it, come down to city hall and promote positive change in your city!

ALSO: Come hear Team Marine Member Annie Wiesenfeld SPEAK at this event! She needs your support to truly be heard.

Here is the info about the event:

What: City of Los Angeles single-use carryout bag ban
When: Wednesday, December 14 at 9:30am
Where: Los Angeles City Hall, John Ferraro Council Chamber Room 340,
200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
***Wear GREEN to show your support for the environment and holiday spirit***

Check the Heal the Bay Website to make sure everything is up and running for Wednesday the night before

http://www.healthebay.org/event/la-city-council-votes-ban-single-use-bags

December 12, 2011February 12, 2012

Want to know about the future of Climate Change?

As the effects of the Kyoto Protocol expired this year, new UN climate debates, The Durban Talks, are being held to determine the new course of action. This debate has been going on for years and plays a large role in the fate of the environment as many know it. Many nation’s representatives are pushing for a much more strict environmental policy, a path closer to that of the original intentions of the Kyoto Protocol. Ideally, it would establish strict emission plans for nations which are becoming industrialized, and would also use new “legal instruments” to regulate the carbon emissions of already industrialized nations. These are all just ideas though, the debates are still underway. You can read more about the talks here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/un-climate-talks-real-world-outcome-will-be-determined-in-asia/2011/12/11/gIQAzpMDoO_story.html

Make sure to keep up on all the latest climate news and the Durban Talks