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    <title><![CDATA[Surfrider Foundation Coastal Blog]]></title>
    <link>http://www.surfrider.org/</link>
    <description></description>
    <dc:language>en</dc:language>
    <dc:rights>Copyright 2012</dc:rights>
    <dc:date>2012-01-18T15:32:20+00:00</dc:date>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Obama to end beach water quality monitoring?]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/obama-to-end-water-quality-monitoring</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/obama-to-end-water-quality-monitoring</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[By defunding the Beach Grant Program, the Obama Administration is about to put you and your kids at risk next time you swim in the ocean.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Blue Water Task Force, Water Quality, Illness,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-02-15T17:20:39+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[OFG Launch in Florida and North Carolina]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/ofg-launch-in-florida-and-north-carolina</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/ofg-launch-in-florida-and-north-carolina</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Florida's First Coast Chapter and North Carolina's Cape Fear Chapter launch their Ocean Friendly Gardens Programs. They have quickly found common ground with local design professionals, government agencies, non-profits and universities.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Ocean Friendly Gardens,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-02-16T21:21:22+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Surf &#8216;n ORGANIC Turf]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/surf-and-organic-turf</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/surf-and-organic-turf</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[The author of the book, The Organic Lawn Care Manual, gives a thumbs-up for Surfrider's Ocean Friendly Gardens Program and sign criteria.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-02-11T01:45:31+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[California Coast Protected by Largest No-Discharge Zone in the Nation!]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/california-coast-protected-by-largest-no-discharge-zone-in-the-nation</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/california-coast-protected-by-largest-no-discharge-zone-in-the-nation</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[The federal Environmental Protection Agency approved a California Sewage Ban and Created the Largest Coastal No-Discharge Zone in the Nation on February 9, 2012.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Legal, Water Quality,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-02-10T23:32:21+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Do you need a bulldozer to cleanup your beach?]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/do-you-need-a-bulldozer-to-cleanup-your-beach</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/do-you-need-a-bulldozer-to-cleanup-your-beach</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[I sure hope not.  I have seen photos of large equipment scooping litter out of Ballona Creek in LA, insane plastic pollution in the Tijuana River Valley near the Mexican border at the Pacific Ocean and large beach raking machines are common in many tourist areas but these photos from Lebanon were still eye opening.  As we do our best to stop the flow of plastic pollution entering the oceans domestically, many foreign countries struggle with waste disposal and basic recycling.  While it's tempting to branch out everywhere we see plastic pollution, a good first step is to stop plastic pollution at home.  Remember the four R's of plastic: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle along with supporting plastic source reductions such as bag bans, expanded polystyrene foam bans and bottle bills. ]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Rise Above Plastics,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-02-08T19:54:19+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Safer to Play in the Sand? Maybe Not]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/safer-to-play-in-the-sand-maybe-not</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/safer-to-play-in-the-sand-maybe-not</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Some parents concerned about exposing their children to polluted water at the beach may advise their kids to stay on the beach and play in the sand.  According to a new EPA study, that may not always protect them from getting sick. Testing at beaches in Alabama and Rhode Island, EPA researchers observed a positive relationship between sand exposure and gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses as a function of fecal microbial pollution in beach sand. It should be noted, however, that both of these beaches were located less than two miles from a sewage treatment plant outfall pipe. ]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Water Quality, Illness,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-02-06T23:43:25+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Beachapedia Named &#8216;Wiki of the Month&#8217;]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/beachapedia-named-wiki-of-the-month</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/beachapedia-named-wiki-of-the-month</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[We are pleased to announce that our Beachapedia website has been named 'Wiki of the Month' by the folks at Semantic MediaWiki.  From their announcement: "Beachapedia is a wiki that captures decades of experience and knowledge gained by Surfrider Foundation activists, scientists and staff through hundreds of environmental and educational campaigns on our coasts. By sharing this resource with the public we hope to provide tools and information to help communities make a positive impact on their local beaches." ]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Beachapedia,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-02-02T18:53:36+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Plastic In The Food Chain]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/plastic-in-the-food-chain</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/plastic-in-the-food-chain</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Remember the plastic bag sushi ad we posted last week?  While it's a bit extreme, it does show the underlying truth that the ocean is turning into a plastic soup and plastic is entering the food chain through the fish we eat.  While most people are concerned with larger types of plastic that often break into small pieces over time, there's a relatively new player: microplastics.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Rise Above Plastics,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-31T13:13:55+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Being an Effective Voice for the Environment]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/being-an-effective-voice-for-the-environment</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/being-an-effective-voice-for-the-environment</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[On January 26, 2012, the Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of California presented a public workshop entitled “Your Voice: The Public’s Role in Environmental Decision-Making.” This blog outlines some of the take-home messages from that workshop.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Legal,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-29T01:11:45+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Leatherback Sea Turtles Get Protection Along West Coast]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/leatherback-sea-turtles-get-protection-along-west-coast</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/leatherback-sea-turtles-get-protection-along-west-coast</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Regulators designated nearly 42,000 square miles of ocean on the West Coast as critical habitat for endangered leatherback sea turtles, protecting them from ocean-related development projects and pollution.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Coastal Preservation, Know Your H20, Desalination, Ocean Ecosystems, Rise Above Plastics,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-27T22:57:26+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Surfing Access in Chicago]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/surfing-access-in-chicago</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/surfing-access-in-chicago</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[By now much of the surfing world has heard the story about Rex Flodstrom getting arresting for surfing in Lake Michigan at Oak Beach in Chicago. The story of his arrest and the outrage that surfing is illegal that ensued, including the likes of Kelly Slater, was heavily covered in the media. Read on to see what can be done about it.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Beach Access,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-27T17:47:30+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[OFG Taking Root in Pacific Northwest With Soil &amp; Water Conservation Districts]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/teaming-up-with-soil-water-conservation-districts-in-the-pacific-northwest</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/teaming-up-with-soil-water-conservation-districts-in-the-pacific-northwest</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Surfrider chapters in Oregon and Washington are working with watershed restoration agencies, expanding on the traditional "rain garden" design model and putting on hands-on trainings. ]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Ocean Friendly Gardens, Basic Class, GAP, HOW,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-26T20:26:14+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[New Rise Above Plastics Print PSA&#8217;s from Pollinate]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/new-rise-above-plastics-print-psas-from-pollinate</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/new-rise-above-plastics-print-psas-from-pollinate</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Check out these great new print PSA's that Pollinate Agency in Portland, OR created for Surfrider's Rise Above Plastics program!  ]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Rise Above Plastics,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-24T20:50:43+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Sewer Mining - Weird Term but an Idea That Makes Sense]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/sewer-mining-weird-term-but-an-idea-that-makes-sense</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/sewer-mining-weird-term-but-an-idea-that-makes-sense</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[In the area around Sydney, Australia, several private organizations have found a new dependable source of water for irrigation and other non-potable uses - the sewer. The idea is to tap into sewer lines, treat the water to make it suitable for irrigation, and thereby save drinking water for - drinking.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Know Your H20, Wastewater, Water Recycling,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-24T18:09:14+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Stiv on Bag Ban Campaign Planning]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/stiv-on-bag-ban-campaign-planning</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/stiv-on-bag-ban-campaign-planning</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[I recently caught up with 5 Gyres Communications and Policy Director / Surfrider activist Stiv Wilson to get some of his insight on planning for a successful plastic reduction campaign.  Stiv has a wealth of knowledge from sailing in three of the five gyres to being one of the many influential activists leading the Portland OR 'Ban The Bag' campaign.  Watch and listen as Stiv covers some of the most important things to consider when pursuing a bag ban or other plastics reduction in your town, city, region or state.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Rise Above Plastics, Bag Bans,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-23T22:43:53+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[White House Releases Draft Ocean Plan - Time to Speak Out!]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/white-house-releases-draft-ocean-plan-time-to-speak-out</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/white-house-releases-draft-ocean-plan-time-to-speak-out</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[The Obama Administration has released its draft National Ocean Policy action plan, outlining more than 50 actions the U.S. will take to protect our nation’s oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. ]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Ocean Ecosystems,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-20T08:07:27+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[New Beach Water Quality Standards?]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/new-beach-water-quality-standards</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/new-beach-water-quality-standards</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[As surfers, swimmers and beach goers we rely on water quality monitoring to know if it is safe to go into the ocean. That monitoring relies on water quality standards to determine your risk of getting sick.  EPA has reassessed those standards, and Surfrider is weighing in on them.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Blue Water Task Force, Water Quality, Illness,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-18T15:32:20+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Surfrider Comments on 5 Year Offshore Drilling Plan]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/surfrider-comments-on-5-year-offshore-drilling-plan</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/surfrider-comments-on-5-year-offshore-drilling-plan</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Surfrider recently submitted comments to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on the Draft 2012-2017 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Programmatic EIS]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Ocean Ecosystems, Ocean Energy,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-13T05:02:37+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Don&#8217;t Waste Water: Recycle Wastewater]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/dont-waste-water-recycle-wastewater</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/dont-waste-water-recycle-wastewater</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[The National Research Council has just released a report that clarifies what we already knew, using marginally more energy in the treatment process can purify our wastewater so that it’s safe to drink, and do it at a fraction of the cost of ocean desalination or importing freshwater long distances. ]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Know Your H20, Wastewater, Water Recycling,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-12T17:44:14+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Another One Bites The Dust - SLO Bag Ban Passes!]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/another-one-bites-the-dust-slo-bag-ban-passes</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/another-one-bites-the-dust-slo-bag-ban-passes</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[San Luis Obispo County County Integrated Waste Management Authority had a 'super vote' for the first time in their history and a super majority of board members passed one of the first countywide plastic bag bans in the U.S.  This one covers both the unincorporated areas and all incorporated cities in the county.  The ordinance bans 'single-use/disposable checkout bags' and puts a 10 cent fee on paper bags, which is a great way to help people remember their reusable bags.  There was a wide variety of support from environmental groups such as Surfrider Foundation, SLO Coastkeeper and Sierra Club along with business interests such as the California Grocers Association, SLO Chamber of Commerce and the local waste hauler.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Rise Above Plastics, Bag Bans,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-12T03:04:00+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Ban The Bag on Portlandia]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/ban-the-bag-on-portlandia</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/ban-the-bag-on-portlandia</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Cheers to the Surfrider Foundation Portland Chapter for making such an impact with their successful Ban The Bag campaign that it landed on the Independent Film Channel's hit series Portlandia!  It's a funny show and this is a great parody on petitioning.  New episodes Fridays at 10, check your cable or satellite listings for the channel.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Rise Above Plastics, Bag Bans,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-09T19:44:20+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Florida&#8217;s Coastal and Ocean Future: An Updated Blueprint for Economic and Environmental Leadership]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/floridas-updated-blueprint-for-economic-and-env</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/floridas-updated-blueprint-for-economic-and-env</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[This updated report is the latest from the Florida Coastal and Ocean Coalition, which Surfrider Foundation is a member,  and addresses Florida's most challenging coastal and marine topics and recommends actions for protecting and preserving the future of Florida's coasts and oceans.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Beachapedia, Coastal Preservation, Ocean Ecosystems, Water Quality,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-06T14:27:05+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Public Meetings on San Onofre Ocean Energy Project: Jan 24 in Dana Point]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/public-meetings-on-san-onofre-ocean-energy-project-january-24-in-dana-point</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/public-meetings-on-san-onofre-ocean-energy-project-january-24-in-dana-point</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Public meetings on the San Onofre Ocean Energy Project are scheduled for January 24 in Dana Point. The proposed project would utilize Ocean Wave Electricity Generation (OWEG) units to convert the energy from ocean waves into electrical power. ]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Ocean Ecosystems, Ocean Energy,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-05T18:53:07+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[South Coast Region Marine Protected Areas]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/south-coast-region-marine-protected-areas</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/south-coast-region-marine-protected-areas</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[After a multi-year process with dozens of hearings and meetings to establish the boundaries and rules for a new network of marine protected areas (MPAs), the South Coast Region MLPA went into effect on January 1, 2012. The law created MPAs along about 10% of the Southern California coast. Read about Surfrider's involvement.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Ocean Ecosystems, Marine Protected Areas,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-04T19:31:52+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[What was the first plastic item that you touched this year?]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/what-was-the-first-plastic-item-that-you-touched-this-year</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/what-was-the-first-plastic-item-that-you-touched-this-year</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Maybe it was a cheap champagne glass at midnight or the tv remote control after watching some of the celebrations.  Maybe you slept through the turn of the calendar and it was your alarm clock or toilet seat first thing in the morning.  For me, it was the case on my phone - a plastic item with the sole purpose of protecting a more expensive plastic/metal/glass item.  Plastic is all around us and it's become tough for some to go through a waking hour without using or touching something plastic.  Can one of your new year's resolutions be to lower your plastic footprint?  ]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Rise Above Plastics,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2012-01-01T14:41:25+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Surfrider Foundation Briefs the Appellate Court for Marine Life Protection]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/surfrider-foundation-briefs-the-appellate-court-for-marine-life-protection</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/surfrider-foundation-briefs-the-appellate-court-for-marine-life-protection</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[On December 28, 2011, Surfrider Foundation filed an appellate brief articulating our opposition to the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board’s approval of the Carlsbad Desalination Plant without proper analyses of the appropriate site, design, and technology that would minimize harm to coastal resources.  Additionally, the project approval allowed for after-the-fact mitigation of marine life mortality instead of before-the-fact minimization of such harm, as called for by the state’s water protection law, the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Know Your H20, Desalination, Legal,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2011-12-23T18:54:19+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Rincón Chapter Marine Debris Removal &amp; Education Program]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/rincon-chapter-marine-debris-removal-education-program</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/rincon-chapter-marine-debris-removal-education-program</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[With funding provided by NOAA, the Surfrider Foundation Rincón chapter is working on their third marine debris removal and prevention project along the west coast of Puerto Rico. Check out this video update on the project.

]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Ocean Ecosystems, Marine Protected Areas,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2011-12-21T16:52:23+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Flotsam Clusters - Nothing New]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/flotsam-clusters-nothing-new</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/flotsam-clusters-nothing-new</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Check out this rad artwork!  I'm usually hesitant to glorify trash and marine debris but I love this work from Lowell Nickel and wanted to pass it along.  Plastic trash and litter is easily ignored by most people but these works highlight how durable and everlasting it can be.  Next time you pass some plastic litter on the beach or sidewalk, pick it up.  It belongs in a recycle bin or trash can.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Rise Above Plastics,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2011-12-20T20:37:49+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[What does a 3% increase in violent crimes have to do with a plastic bag ban?]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/what-does-a-3-increase-in-violent-crimes-have-to-do-with-a-plastic-bag-ban</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/what-does-a-3-increase-in-violent-crimes-have-to-do-with-a-plastic-bag-ban</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[Nothing, it's just a scare tactic.  In advance of the Seattle City Council vote on a plastic bag ban for the city that passed 9-0(!), a major plastic bag manufacturer started running an opposition ad in Seattle newspapers that could be described as scare tactics.  Why else would they include and image of police tape and a stat regarding violent crime?  Regarding plastic bags they make some questionable claims that I feel compelled to respond to.]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Rise Above Plastics, Bag Bans,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2011-12-20T00:43:11+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Santa Monica, CA:&nbsp; Ocean Park Boulevard Green Street Project]]></title>
      <link>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/santa-monica-ca-ocean-park-boulevard-green-street-project</link>
      <guid>http://www.surfrider.org/coastal-blog/entry/santa-monica-ca-ocean-park-boulevard-green-street-project</guid>
      <description><![CDATA[The Ocean Park community and City of Santa Monica celebrate the groundbreaking of the Ocean Park Boulevard Green Street Project.  A community member expresses perfectly the long term vision that the KYH2O program is trying to grow in coastal communities.  ]]></description>
      <dc:subject><![CDATA[Know Your H20, Low Impact Development,]]></dc:subject>
      <dc:date>2011-12-19T19:34:43+00:00</dc:date>
      <dc:creator>Surfrider Foundation</dc:creator>
    </item>

    
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