June 2024 E-Letter
Happy Summer! HTO Celebrated Solstice at Sharkeez
HTO Executive Director Honored at EDC’s Green & Blue Ball
Hillary Receives Carpinteria Sanitary District Recognition
HTO Director Charles Vinick Leads Whale Sanctuary Project
Plastic Free July Expo at the CEC Environmental Hub – June 27
A Kick-off to the Summer with an HTO Fundraiser!
Photos by Jasmin Tupy.
On the longest day of the year, Summer Solstice on June 21st, HTO partnered with Baja Sharkeez, a popular restaurant on State St., to host a fundraiser to support HTO’s work. The event was great fun, featuring raffle items, as well as Sharkeez’s contribution of $3 per attendee. HTO is grateful for the generous in-kind donations from local businesses such as Surf N Wear's Beach House, Santa Barbara Landing, Handlebar Coffee, Riviera Towel Company, La Lieff Wine, and many others! Happy Summer to all!
HTO Executive Director Honored as Environmental Hero at EDC’s Green & Blue Ball
Left to Right: HTO Executive Director Hillary Hauser, EDC Executive Director Alex Katz, and EDC Chief Counsel Linda Krop. Photo by Gail Arnold.
At its annual Green & Blue fundraiser, on June 9, 2024, the Environmental Defense Center (EDC) celebrated its achievements over the past year and honored Heal the Ocean Co-Founder and Executive Director Hillary Hauser. The event was attended by nearly 600 enthusiastic nonprofit and community leaders, who gathered on the scenic grounds of Rancho La Patera, Goleta for the festivities.
Chief Counsel Linda Krop presented Hillary with the EDC Environmental Hero Award, highlighting her many talents and accomplishments as a writer, photographer, diver, environmental activist, and classical pianist. In 1998, Hauser co-founded Heal the Ocean (HTO), which immediately focused on the impacts of septic and sewage systems on the ocean, creeks, bays, and beaches. Joining Hillary on the EDC stage to accept the award was HTO Co-Founder Jeff Young.
Link to the full Santa Barbara Independent Article Here.
Hillary Hauser Receives Carpinteria Sanitary District Recognition
Left to Right: CSD Director Michael Damron, Hillary Hauser, HTO Director Charles Vinick.
Photo by Jasmin Tupy.
On Tuesday, June 18, the Carpinteria Sanitary District (CSD) Board of Directors commended Hillary Hauser, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Heal the Ocean, for her role as a leader of the Rincon Septic to Sewer project, which HTO worked on for 15 years with the Carpinteria Sanitary District. After a long and arduous process, the project successfully removed 7 miles of septic systems from the South Santa Barbara coastline, including Rincon. Read about the Rincon Project saga HERE.
HTO Director Vinick Leads Whale Sanctuary Project
HTO Board Director Charles Vinick has played a pivotal role in HTO’s history, actively guiding us through the years. While supporting HTO, he is also dedicated to his work as the Executive Director of the Whale Sanctuary Project, an organization committed to ending whale and dolphin exploitation by creating sanctuaries. Currently, the group is developing a gold-standard coastal sanctuary in Port Hilford Bay, Nova Scotia. The sanctuary aims to provide cetaceans (whales and dolphins) with an environment that maximizes well-being and autonomy, while closely resembling their natural habitat.
Learn more about how you can get involved with the Whale Sanctuary Project here.
Plastic-Free July Expo at CEC June 27
Click the flyer for more information.
Do you want to learn simple ways to collectively reduce your dependence on plastics? Join Heal the Ocean, Community Environmental Council (CEC), Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, and dozens of other organizations at the Plastic-Free July Expo on June 27 at 6:30 pm, at the CEC Environmental Hub, on, 1219 State St.
Get practical tips and learn about the latest local efforts to minimize single-use plastic in our daily lives. This event will help you minimize plastic in your life, and give you an opportunity to make a difference!
From all of us at HTO to all of you, thank you. Please stay safe.
Hillary Hauser, Executive Director
HTO thanks the Poehler-Stremel Charitable Trust
for providing funds to publish our newsletters and e-letters!