June 2022 E-Letter – Part 2
In this E-Letter:
Alison is Going to Yale!
Jasmin Tupy joins HTO as Operations Manager
Hillary Hauser’s New Book Dancing on Waves is here!
HTO Removes 6.81 Tons of Trash from Homeless Encampment in Los Padres National Forest
One Week Left to Try the 'Great Wave' Cocktail at Finch & Fork!
HTO’s Operations & Policy Coordinator, Alison Thompson, is Off to Yale!
Alison at Yale during her recent visit.
Alison Thompson has been Heal the Ocean’s Operations & Policy Coordinator since 2018. Alison took on her role as Operations Coordinator (which means running the organization) managing the office operations, assisting with events, and coordinating public outreach. But, right away, Alison jumped into policy work, helping HTO Executive Director Hillary Hauser on issues like sea level rise adaptation, septic to sewer projects, groundwater contamination, plastic pollution prevention, and she helped coordinate HTO’s Styrofoam recycling partnership with MarBorg Industries.
On June 30, (next week!) Alison is leaving for Yale University, for graduate school, in New Haven, Connecticut! She will be earning her Master's degree in Environmental Management, with a focus on coastal climate adaptation and policy, community driven sea-level rise adaptation and sustainable water management. Heal the Ocean is proud to announce that while she is off to high ground, she will remain connected to us as a consultant. This is huge to us, because Alison has significantly strengthened Heal the Ocean during her years with us. We will miss her cheery (funny!) presence in the office, but are infinitely glad she is still connected to us.
Jasmin joins Heal the Ocean as Operations Manager
Jasmin Tupy celebrating her June graduation from UCSB
Jasmin Tupy is joining the Heal the Ocean staff as our new Operations Manager to take on the responsibilities that keep Heal the Ocean up and running. Jasmin graduated recently from the University of California Santa Barbara and earned her BA in both Communication and Art. While at UCSB, Jasmin served as president of Isla Vista Trading Post, an organization on campus which recirculates clothing throughout Isla Vista in order to create a circular economy and to keep textile waste out of landfills. In her free time, Jasmin is either surfing, hiking in the backcountry, or pursuing her artistic talents by painting at her home. Welcome aboard, Jasmin – we're excited to have you!
If you would like to get in touch with Jasmin or the HTO office, please send her an email at jasmin@healtheocean.org.
Hillary Hauser's New Book Dancing on Waves is HERE!
Hillary Hauser, Heal the Ocean’s Executive Director, has just released her newest book, Dancing on Waves: A True Story of Finding Love & Redemption in the Ocean.
The book is now available to order and focuses on Hillary’s diving adventures – she has explored sinkholes in South Australia for National Geographic, slid into a flooded cavern underneath a mountain in Death Valley, and dived Jaws and Mavericks for The Surfers Journal.
"Dancing on Waves" tells of these and other adventures, and of her profound love of the ocean. It tells of personal anguish and triumph that led her to co-found Heal the Ocean, which has become an immensely successful environmental advocacy group that has earned prestigious accolades for the removal of septic systems from 7 miles of south Santa Barbara County beaches, including the world-famous Rincon surf break.
Dancing on Waves reminds us all of the beauty and comfort the ocean brings us. Congratulations Hillary - Heal the Ocean is so proud of the book and we are excited for you all to get to know Hillary on an entirely different level from politics!
Dancing on Waves: A True Story of Finding Love & Redemption in the Ocean can be ordered from the publisher by clicking on the above image.
HTO Leads Campaign to clear 6.81 Tons of Trash from Abandoned Homeless Encampment in Los Padres National Forest
Before: Trash in the Los Padres National Forest
After: The site after 6.81 tons of trash was removed.
Photos by Harry Rabin, On the Wave Production
HTO Field Advisor Harry Rabin coordinated a massive cleanup of an abandoned homeless encampment in Los Padres National Forest that took place on two days, June 13 and 23, 2022. A group of community volunteers who live in the surrounding area worked with Harry and Andrew Velikanje of Earthcomb to remove 6.81 tons of trash within the forest. Trash collected included everything from mattresses, appliances, and furniture to large amounts of cardboard, plastics, and wood pieces. Volunteers filled two large trash roll-off dumpsters in just two days. Thank you, MarBorg Industries, for quickly delivering the roll-offs to the site to help us clean up this source of environmental harm. And big thanks to Harry and Andrew - and the Los Padres community members for working so hard to keep our environment clean and safe!
One Week Left to Try the 'Great Wave' Cocktail at Finch & Fork!
The 'Great Wave' Cocktail
Quick! Time is running out to try Finch and Fork’s ”Great Wave" Cocktail. In recognition of World Oceans Day, during the month of June, $1 from the purchase of the “Great Wave” cocktail has been donated to Heal the Ocean. Thank you, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants!
From all of us at Heal the Ocean to all of you, thank you, and please stay safe.
Hillary Hauser, Executive Director
HTO thanks the Poehler-Stremel Charitable Trust
for providing funds to publish our newsletters and e-letters!