Thinking Beyond Plastic

A panel of experts, brought together by the Estuary Program, gathered at the Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History in November to discuss plastics in the marine environment. Bill Worrel, director of the SLO Integrated Waste Management Authority, and Noah Smukler, business owner and MB City Council member, presented information. They were joined by the Monterey based Think Beyond Plastics Tour which included former mayor of Pacific Grove Dan Cort, and Dave Robinson from Sealife Conservation, a marine education and research organization based aboard the Derek M. Baylis, a 65-ft sailing research vessel.

In addition to the panel discussion, the evening included a screening of Dirty  Secrets, a series airing on PBS which is the result of a collaboration between Sea Studios Foundation and National Geographic. Wendy Goldman of Sea Studios Foundation was on hand to present the clip and answer questions.

The program was preceded by an on-water program aboard the Derek M. Baylis, focused on the marine debris research they have been conducting in northern California.

Morro Bay was the first stop on the tour, which also included Santa Barbara, Long Beach and San Diego. A second north-bound tour will occur in 2010.

For more information, visit ThinkBeyondPlastics.com
Below: crew of the Derek M. Baylis remove plastic debris from Morro Bay during the sail.