Ocean Trash & Treasures

Hey there, ocean lover, are you on Flickr? Then check out the Ocean Trash & Treasures Flickr group:

About Ocean Trash & Treasures

Whether trash or treasures, natural objects or man-made castaways, things that wash up on the shoreline can be fascinating. These objects are a window into what's happening beneath the waves, and in some cases, they give us important clues about things like currents, wildlife distribution and migrations, and human impacts on the ocean.

What interesting objects have you seen on the beach? Post pictures of your finds here, and browse images of other interesting flotsam and jetsam. Please geo-tag your photos before sharing with the group (don't worry, it's easy, and it may help in identifiying mysterious objects and species.) And please use the tags "ocean trash" or "ocean treasure" to help identify your finds.

When it comes to marine life and other natural objects, we encourage members of this group to practice the old adage: take only pictures, leave only footprints.

http://ocean.si.edu

I know there are near weekly beach cleanups taking place on Saipan. What are you guys finding? Upload it to Flickr and share it on the Ocean Trash & Treasures Flickr group to share it with the world. Visit the Smithsonian Ocean Portal for more.

Draft Meeting Minutes for May 13, 2010

MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, May 13, 2010 – 6:00PM
CIC Conference Room - JP Bldg, Beach Road, Garapan

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO CENTURY INSURANCE (TAN HOLDINGS) FOR HOSTING THIS MONTH'S MEETING!

Sign In – please make sure you get your name on the sign in sheet
I. Introductions – around the table (3-mins)
1) Cinta Kaipat – founder, volunteer
2) Noriko Watanabe – representing Hard Rock Café
3) Marites Castillo – representing FMI
4) Lina Dimaano– representing iServeiGive (Tan Holdings)
5) Steve Woodruff - volunteer
6) Laurie Peterka – volunteer PR Coordinator
7) N. Horiguchi – volunteer
8) Kathy Yuknavage – Marine Debris PM, MINA
II. Adopt agenda and last meeting’s minutes (2-mins)
1) Cinta motioned to adopt agenda – none opposed
2) Kathy motioned to adopt minutes – none opposed
III. Committee reports (20-mins or 2-3 mins each)
1) DEQ – tabled; Joe is off island
2) PDM Promoters – Laurie reported based on website submission
i. May 8th Clean up reported on website
ii. 780 lbs of trash collected
iii. 15 volunteers
3) TSL - iServe-iGive back - Lina
i. In April - 6 groups participated in IWC
ii. Total 235 people
iii. Booth at Environmental Expo – shared what the company is focused on for projects; the 3-Rs for the kids
4) Neighborhood Watch – tabled; Frank/Eric didn’t make it
5) Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) – Kathy
i. Marine Debris project is moving smoothly
ii. As school comes to a close, things will slow down a little
iii. Kagman high school is looking for a corporate partner to help with marine debris project ….maybe Hard Rock Café?
iv. Additional funding is available to do more bins
1. PauPau
2. Aquarius Beach
3. Chalan Pio (behind CKBC)
4. Marine Beach
5. Schools are a possibility
6. Bins don’t have to be “on the beach” – all of the island qualifies
v. Need to invite Karen Cabrera – ckalena@gmail.com or Fran Castro to represent MINA at regular meetings
6) Friends of the Marianas Islands (FMI) - Marites
i. Monthly clean ups at LauLau Beach South to Picnic area
ii. $2,000 Mobil donation for equipment to cut the grass away from the road (5th year)
7) Graffiti – Cinta, Laurie, Marites
i. $2,500 NMC grant is available
ii. Project is ready to go to next steps, but needs a project leader
iii. Cinta/FMI going to take over lead of the committee
8) Junk Cars – Laurie reported update per news
i. Zoning announced last month that it would begin tagging cars
ii. Zoning reported that they will be working with mayor’s office
iii. Cinta mentioned that Zoning would like a BCNMI volunteers to inform them via a survey or report of some kind to help identify junk cars for removal
9) Hard Rock Café is interested in forming a group or finding a way to be involved with some type of environmental projects
IV. Coalition Initiatives (15 mins)
1) Signature Events
i. Laurie suggested that coalition partners share their calendar for the remainder of the year
ii. Laurie observed that several groups all have their cleanup on the first Saturday of the month –
iii. Discussion about possibly encouraging groups to spread out their regularly monthly cleanup plans so that something is going on every weekend
2) Identify a “calendar” person
i. Laurie suggested that each coalition member/partner should make the effort to join the BCNMI calendar and add their events
ii. Laurie suggested that someone could take responsibility for sending out weekly reminders on calendar items with an invitation to the public to join
V. Announcements (2-mins) - none
VI. Next monthly meeting - 2nd Thursday of the Month (2-mins)
1) June 10th - Time: 5:30pm
2) Location: CIC Conference Room (or other if volunteered)
3) Discussion and decision to keep the CIC Conference as the regular meeting place for the remainder of this year
i. Everyone agreed that consistency could help attendance
ii. Lina indicated that keeping the meetings at CIC is acceptable

CONTEST ENDS June 1, 2010!

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program would like to know how marine debris impacts you and what you are doing about it. The winning artwork will be showcased in a 2011 planner that will help in raising awareness about the global problem of marine debris. Additionally, the winners will be featured on the Program’s website and in their newsletter, reaching over 200,000 people each month!

About the NOAA Marine Debris Program - Established in 2005, the NOAA Marine Debris Program supports national and international efforts to research, prevent, and reduce the impacts of marine debris. The Program’s goal is to protect and conserve our nation’s natural resources, oceans, and coastal waterways from the impacts of marine debris.

Eligibility - All students in grades K-4 and 5-8 from all U.S. states and territories–recognized public, private, and home schools are eligible to participate. Schools, including home schools, must be in compliance with federal and state civil rights and nondiscrimination statutes. Students must work individually.

Criteria for Art & Description - Each entry must be composed of a piece of artwork and a description (on entry form). All must meet the requirements below. Students are highly encouraged to check out the rest of the NOAA Marine Debris Program website for information about marine debris.

ARTWORK & DESCRIPTION:

1. The entries must be on 8.5” x 11” paper.
2. Use white, non-glossy paper; do not laminate.
3. Any art medium may be used (e.g., colored pencils, crayons, paint); however computer graphics will not be accepted. Artwork must be hand-drawn by the student.
4. Artwork must be flat (e.g., no glued pieces) and able to be scanned.
5. A description of no more than 50 words must accompany the artwork (space provided on the entry form).
6. Teachers may send in as many entries as they would like to; however selective screening would be greatly appreciated.
7. Label each entry (artwork) on the back with student’s name, age and grade, along with the teacher’s name, school name, address, and telephone number.
8. Entry Form - There should be one entry form filled out per student. Please ensure that the entry form is filled out completely and legibly. All entries (entry form + artwork) must be submitted via mail (postmarked) no later than Tuesday, June 1, 2010.

Download entry form here.

Competition Process - A NOAA awards panel will collect all entries and select six from each grade category (K-4 and 5-8) and one overall winner. Entries (artwork and description) will be judged on the creativity, artistic presentation, and relevancy to the theme.

Time Frame
June 1, 2010 - Deadline for postmark of completed entry form + artwork.
July 1, 2010 - Winners will be notified.

Entries (entry form + artwork) should be mailed to:Art Contest
ATTN: Megan Forbes
NOAA Marine Debris Program
1305 East-West Highway
SSMC4, 10th Floor
Silver Spring, MD 20910

*Please note that entries will not be returned.

If you have any questions, please contact Carey Morishige at Carey.Morishige@noaa.gov or (808)397-2651 x256.

MINA public bins unveiled

So far eight organizations and families have adopted bins, pledging to pay for regular waste collection services for one year and to conduct at least two beach clean ups at their site. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan was on hand with his partnering organization, the Susupe Hi-5 basketball team, to receive certificates of appreciation for adopting the bins to be installed at Kilili Beach next week.

MINA’s Chair, Fran Castro said, “Partnerships such as these are the keystone to environmental stewardship. We deeply appreciate the commitment that the Congressman and these organizations and businesses have demonstrated towards protecting our islands’ natural resources”.

Other adopting organizations include: Brabu Pharmacy and Wellness Center – 13 Fishermen Monument; CTSI and Tan Holdings – Susupe Beach Park; Ericco Enterprises – Laolao Beach; Marianas Trekking – Wing Beach; The Rotary Club of Saipan – Garapan Fishing Basin; and the Marianas Visitor Authority (site not yet selected).

“CTSI Logistics-Saipan is among those companies who have continuously upheld rehabilitation projects to protect and preserve the beauty of the island”, said Saipan General Manager, Rene Magalong, who learned about the Adopt-a-Bin program through the Beautify CNMI network. CTSI Logistics-Saipan’s parent company, Tan Holdings, adopted Susupe Beach in 2008. The company encourages their team members to join in cleanups by scheduling regular birthday celebrations at the park each month.

“We were very pleased with the turn out, especially with the 20 cadets from the JROTC camp who took time to collect over 40 lbs of trash and recyclables from Obyan’s shoreline”, said MINA’s project manager. “That’s 40 lbs of trash that would otherwise have becoming marine debris. We welcome others to join in the program; only two sites remain un-adopted.”

Despite many activities to choose from Saturday morning, over 50 individuals from government agencies, public and private organizations and JROTC turned out to celebrate the installation of Mariana Islands Nature Alliance’s (MINA) first recycling and trash bins at the ribbon “untying” ceremony at Obyan Beach. The bins were made possible through a grant from the NOAA Marine Debris Prevention Program to “establish an island culture of recycling”.

If you or your company or organization would like to Adopt-a-Bin, please contact MINA by visiting their website at www.minapapcific.org or emailing Kathy Yuknavage at Kathy@minapacific.org.

Invitations to the Adopt-a-Bin Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

• MINA invites community members to the Adopt-a-Bin ribbon cutting ceremony this Saturday morning at Obyan Beach, 9:00 am.
  
  The first recycling and mixed waste bins will be installed to make proper trash disposal more convenient at area beaches, thus reducing the amount of litter left to become marine debris.
  
  We invite our many partners, members and friends to join in the celebration and recognize our many adopters (in alphabetical order):
  
  o Brabu Pharmacy and Wellness Center, LLC - 13 Fishermen Monument
  o Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan and the Susupe Hi-5 Basketball team - Kilili Beach
  o CTSI and Tan Holdings - Susupe Beach Park
  o Ericco Enterprises - Laolao Beach
  o Marianas Trekking - Wing Beach
  o Rotary Club of Saipan - Garapan Fishing Basin
  
  We thank our funders the NOAA Marine Debris Prevention Program for making this program possible.
  
  Visit MINA on the web at http://www.minapacific.org

Invitation to Adopt-A-Bin and be part of the solution to Marine Debris

Saipan’s reefs and marine habitats are at risk from litter washing into the surrounding waters and becoming marine debris. This debris is not only unsightly; it poses a risk to marine life from entanglement, and smothering from its ingestion. MINA has found that beach clean ups alone are not the answer. The barrier to proper waste disposal must be addressed as well. In response MINA proposed and was awarded a grant by the NOAA Marine Debris Prevention program to place conveniently located recycling and mixed waste bins for public use and provide trash collection services at seven beach sites.

Funding has paid for the fabrication of weather resistant recycling and mixed waste bins for Saipan’s most popular beach sites: Garapan Fishing Basin, 13 Fisherman monument, Kilili Park, Sugar Dock, and Wing, Laolao, and Obyan beaches. Ericco Enterprises has been contracted to install the bins on March 27th and provide regular trash hauling services. The grant funding will pay for the first few months of hauling service, but MINA is asking interested individuals, families, and businesses to join the program and be part of the solution by “Adopting-A-Bin”. In return, Adopters will have their logo placed on their bin, a link to your organization on the MINA website, and be internationally recognized as one of Saipan's eco-friendly and community-oriented businesses in a documentary to be shown at the US Coral Reef Task Force meeting next year in Washington, DC.

Three sites have already been adopted! So if you wish to Adopt-a-Bin go to MINA's website under Goals & Projects. Scroll down to the link where you can download the form and send it to P.O. Box 506645 with a check for $1,000 made out to MINA, which will pay for one year of weekly trash hauling services from your site. You may submit your electronic logo and questions to MINA’s project manager, Kathy Yuknavage, at Kathy@minapacific.org.