#GivingTuesday was started in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation as a response to commercialization and consumerism in the post-Thanksgiving season (Black Friday and Cyber Monday). Heal the Ocean’s response to the commercialization of #GivingTuesday is to GIVE TO YOU instead.
STYROFOAM RECYCLING – REPURPOSING
HTO #IsGiving the community our collaboration with MarBorg Industries to collect all Styrofoam in south Santa Barbara County, where it is baled and sent to a repurposing facility for transformation into new products (mirror & picture frames, molding, etc.). This is probably one of the biggest environmental successes ever…to severely reduce Styrofoam drifting into the ocean from landfills.
CAPPING SUMMERLAND OIL WELLS
HTO #IsGiving the technological work of HTO Advisory Board member Harry Rabin to help State Lands Commission (SLC) engineers to pinpoint the next wells to be capped at Summerland Beach. At the end of this month, December, excavation will begin on two beach wells to prepare for capping in 2020. Underwater studies are finishing on the notorious Treadwell leak for capping in 2020, too.
CONFETTI CLEANUP OF STATE STREET PARADES
HTO #IsGiving a break to our storm drains by initiating work with the City of Santa Barbara to sharply reduce confetti pollution from State Street parades by mapping and reviewing storm drains, getting covers installed, and instigating widespread public education.
PROJECT CLEAN SWEEP
HTO #IsGiving reduction of troublesome beach trash by nearly 100% at a popular beach by hiring monthly street sweeping of a coastal road adjacent to this beach.
BEACH CLEANUPS ALL YEAR ROUND
HTO #IsGiving free beach cleanup gear - sturdy gloves, horse feed bags (instead of plastic!) for collection of trash, plus free T-Shirts to volunteers, who clean up our coastline all year round.
DOG BAG PROGRAM
HTO #IsGiving nearly $30,000 to the County and City of Santa Barbara this year for dog bags. Our popular HTO dog bag sponsorship program continues to grow, now into Jalama Beach County Park and into City Parks.
HTO #IsGiving this and more, and we could not be doing this without the help of each and every one of you. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and all of us at Heal the Ocean wish you a good and peaceful holiday season.
Hillary Hauser
