Thursday, July 02, 2009
Operation OUTREACH Takes off!
Operation O.U.T.R.E.A.C.H., this month hosted by the Portland Chapter of Surfrider Foundation was a smashing success! 196 Ban the Bag reusable bags were hand delivered in the Sullivan's Gulch neighborhood with door to door outreach. Nine volunteers met on Saturday at Gretchen's house, the Co Chair of Sullivan's Gulch Neighborhood Association. There, we went over the slogan of grassroots door knocking: Power Kiss, which equals Prepare, Organize, Work together, Empower. Encourage, and Respond by Keeping It Short and Simple. Staj Pace presented Portland's Surfrider Information and the goals of the Ban the Bag Campaign.
DISTRIBUTION TOTALS: 215 NECN/SGNA info flyers, 104 Ban the Bag bags were distributed along with 111 Ban the Bag half-sheet info flyer, and 16 Get Involved Cards were gathered from the volunteers!
The rest of the bags were split: 30 went to the same cause: SGNA, for distribution on Tuesday, June 30, on 25th and 26th Street in the Sullivan's Gultch Neighborhood. 30 were given to Lauren for distribution during Good In The Neighborhood/King Farmers Market (NE Portland). 30 were given away at the Diversity Fest (SE Portland) where the Host Danny Bell from Our Beloved Community Editor and Chief gave the plug for NECN and Surfrider's partnership to Ban the Bag!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
United Nation Officials Urge Ban on Plastic Bags
Even the UN gets it Portland...Click on the image at right and help us Ban the Bag in Portland today!
BY: GRACE CHUNG, McClatchy Newspapers, WASHINGTON -
"Single-use plastic bags, a staple of American life, have got to go, the United Nations' top environmental official said Monday. Although recycling bags is on the rise in the United States, an estimated 90 billion thin bags a year, most used to handle produce and groceries, go unrecycled. "Single use plastic bags, which choke marine life, should be banned or phased out rapidly everywhere. There is simply zero justification for manufacturing them anymore, anywhere," said Achim Steiner, executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme. Steiner's declaration accompanied a UNEP report that identifies plastic as the most pervasive form of ocean litter. According to the report, "Plastic, the most prevalent component of marine debris, poses hazards because it persists so long in the ocean, degrading into tinier and tinier bits that can be consumed by the smallest marine life at the base of the food web...Click Here to Read Full Story.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Portland Chapter Meeting - Common Ground Screening
Lucky Lab Brewery- 1945 NW Quimby - 7:30pm - 9:00pm. - Common Ground III
Get the latest updates on the marine reserve process and watch a screening of Common Ground 3 with a panel discussion and Q & A afterwards.
The third program in the Common Ground series offers the latest science and information about Oregon's ocean, beautiful underwater footage and 3D graphics of marine reserves and marine protected areas as well as comments from coastal leaders and business owners who were actively involved in developing marine reserve proposals last year. Take a deep dive into Oregon's rich coastal waters, enjoy some spectacular underwater footage and hear from leading Oregon scientists who describe marine protected areas and reserves.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Art of Surfing kicks off June 4
Mark your calendars for this month for some great art...all for the awareness of the Ban the Bag Campaign. The Portland Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, Wend Magazine, Widmer Brothers and the Lizard Lounge are putting on a benefit art show for Surfrider's ongoing programs to benefit our oceans and the Ban the Bag campaign. The show will feature various regional surf artists, music by the very talented, Jay Nash and libations courtesy of Widmer Brothers Brewery. Come on down, grab a drink, peep some art, check out the live band, and show your support for Mother Ocean. Be there!
When: Thursday June 4th, 7pm
What: Surfrider benefit art show with music by Jay Nash
Where: Lizard Lounge, 1323 NW Irving St, PDX
When: Thursday June 4th, 7pm
What: Surfrider benefit art show with music by Jay Nash
Where: Lizard Lounge, 1323 NW Irving St, PDX
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Banning the Bag...one signature at a time
The Portland Chapter of Surfrider Foundation continues the tireless grassroots efforts of the Ban the Bag Campaign...hitting the streets yesterday for an awesome canvassing event, ramping up the facebook cause, building the coalition of support, neighborhood associations, group presentations, tabling, events, cleanup efforts and going door to door to raise awareness and build support for the campaign. Don't be left behind, join us in supporting the Ban the Bag Campaign today by clicking the link above or on the picture at right.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
TGR "OUT THERE" Portland Screening May 28
Join us on May 28th at the Laurelhurst Theatre, 6 pm for Out There! (Doors at 6p film to start at 7p). Teton Gravity Research (TGR) presents OUT THERE, a 16mm and HiDef film taking a progressive, fresh look at what faces the surf world today. Humankind threatens many pristine and favorite surf breaks and surfers need totake action. In partnership with the Portland Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, TGR's OUT THERE takes viewers to a variety of breaks around the world, showcasing the cutting edge surfing of today. Tickets are $8 with all proceeds benefiting the Portland Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. Interested in volunteering or helping out?? Contact Joecylyn at garyjoclelyn@gmail.com to get involved! Locally sponsored by the Laurelhurst Theatre and libations by Ninkasi Brewery!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Catchbasin and Storm Drain Marking Season Begins!
Fellow Surfriders and Friends of Clean Water... The first Catch Basin Marking Event of the 2009 season is Tuesday evening (May 19th) in Southeast Portland. We will meet at SE 22nd Ave & SE Clinton St. at 6:30 ... Please plan to arrive a few minutes early to sign the necessary waivers and get a short course in Catch Basin marking. I have all the supplies and all we need are volunteers. The weather may be a factor on Tuesday so if the weather looks questionable, feel free to give me a call. If it is raining I will cancel the event. But fear not, you get a second chance to come out to volunteer the following Saturday morning (May 23rd) at 10:00. This is an open event ... invite a friend. If you have general questions concerning catch basin marking or questions about the weather, please feel free to call me. For the Oceans ...John Thompson Storm Drain Coordinator 503-936-8052
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Plastic Failed this Osprey Nest
Do you see plastic failing our enviornment...snap a photo and send us your story at: Surfriderpdx and we'll post on our Plastic Fail site! If there ever was a Portland poster child for Ban The Bag, this may be it. How many of you have ridden the Springwater Bike Trail...the one that goes past Oaks Park up the east side of the Willamette River? If you have, you may have seen the electrical power towers along side the railroad tracks. A couple of these towers about 1/4 mile north of Oaks Park have nesting platforms for Osprey. Over the years I have seen a few young osprey come from these nests. I week or so ago I was riding the trail and noticed an osprey on the northerly platform. Today as I was riding by I checked on it... I didn't see osprey but I was astonished to see a plastic bag hanging from the branches of the nest. I cannot say how it got there... but there it was. I turned around and snapped this photo with my cell phone. You will have to forgive my knuckle in the frame and the grainy nature but if you can zoom in, you will see a reddish plastic bag blowing in the afternoon breeze. For the Oceans...John Thompson, Portland Chapter of Surfrider Foundation
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Sam Says No to Plastic!
Special thanks to the over 300 people who showed up Tuesday night to support the Ban the Bag Campaign and celebrate the arrival of Junkride! Pictured at right is mayor Sam Adams, accepting a sample from the North Pacific Gyre from Anna Cummins and Marcus Eriksen of Algalita Marine Research Foundation and Junkride. The event was beyond a success as Mayor Adams took the stage in the end to pledge a ban or policy in reduction of single use plastic bags in the City of Portland by the end of the year. Thanks to Megan Ponder from the mayor's office, Mayor Sam Adams, Jessica Hamilton from the governor's office, Anna Cummins and Dr. Marcus Eriksen from Junkride, Portland Chapter of Surfrider Foundation, Wend Magazine, Micah Wolf, Alaskan Brewing Co., Barefoot Wine, Brian Lee, Linda Tom, James Curleigh and Chris Enlow from Keen, and Leave No Plastic Behind...great work pulling this event together and making it such a success...read more!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Junkride Synthetic Sea: Tues, April 21
Tues, April 21 at 6:30 pm Keen HQ (926 NW 13th Ave. #210). The Portland Chapter of Surfrider welcomes Anna Cummins from Algalita Marine Research Foundation and Dr. Marcus Erikson of Junkride, an educational tour by bike from Vancouver B.C. to Tijuana, Mexico. The duo will highlight the voyage of Junkraft, a recently completed voyage from California to Hawaii on a raft made of garbage built to raise awareness about the growing problem of plastic in our marine ecosystem. In addition to Junkride, Jessica Hamilton, Natural Resources Policy Advisor to Governor Ted Kulongoski, will present on the West Coast Governors' Agreement on Ocean Health, including efforts to address marine debris. Entertainment by singer/songwriter Micah Wolf. Alaskan Brewery Beer and Barefoot Wines will be available for purchase, with all proceeds going to benefit Surfrider's BAN THE BAG campaign to ban single-use plastic shopping bags in the greater Portland area in hopes of reducing our city's impact on the ocean. Sponsored by Keen Footwear, Wend Magazine, Alaskan Brewery and Barefoot Wines. See you there!
