A Welcome Transition into September |
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It's September, the warmth of summer begins to fade, and the crisp autumn air slowly takes its place. As we transition into this season, let it inspire you to take action for a greener future!
Seaside Sustainability is delighted to share new insights, innovative projects, and upcoming events to get involved in a community near you.
Enjoy our latest content and discover ways to make sustainable choices throughout these seasonal changes. Together, we can create a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow!
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Keep scrolling to learn about our newest projects, cutting-edge information in the world of environmental science, and ways to get involved at Seaside Sustainability and in your community!
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Company Community Service Cleanups |
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Are you a business owner? Do you want to make a positive impact on your community while fostering team-building and empowerment? Seaside Sustainability's Company Community Service Cleanups may be exactly what you and your business are looking for!
Click the link below to learn more about Seaside's Company Community Service Cleanups and get your business involved!
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Mudflat Acidification Testing |
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Seaside Sustainability's Bella Levine and Anna Kate Armstrong continue our efforts in the field to conduct mudflat acidification testing at Masconomo Park in Manchester, Massachusetts. With low tide expected to occur at 10:33 am, the interns arrived at the park early to ensure easy access to the mudflats. After determining the water temperature and pH of the nearby body of water, they set up quadrants to test acidification and recorded an average neutral pH of 7.0 within each quadrant.
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Intern Spotlight🌟
Meet our Marine Science and Technology Fellow: Bridgid O'Connell
Bridgid O'Connell is a recent graduate of Massachusetts Maritime Academy where she majored in Marine Science, Safety, and Environmental Protection. At Seaside Sustainability, she coordinates coastal cleanups and in-person internships. Bridgid is passionate about the health of aquatic ecosystems and human interactions with the environment. In the future, she hopes to work at a wastewater facility.
Thank you so much for all that you do!
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We enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day during our recent Company Community Service Cleanup at Lynch Park in Beverly, Massachusetts! Together, our volunteers from Sensitech Inc. teamed up to remove 14 pounds of trash from the beach. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us for a morning of sun and service.
Check out pictures from the events on our social media pages!
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Sustainable Sunscreen Dispensers |
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Seaside Sustainability is partnering with Raw Elements, a company that produces natural and reef-safe sunscreen products, in order to ensure that sustainable sun protection is accessible to the public. Our in-person team recently checked on the status of the sunscreen dispensers, taking pictures and videos of the dispensers and ensuring they remained stocked and operational. We hope to conduct interviews with beach visitors in the near future, receiving feedback on the dispensers themselves and educating the public about the importance of utilizing reef-safe sunscreen. Ultimately, we aim to expand the presence of these dispensers across Gloucester and Cape Ann beaches.
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What's on Your Plate? The Impact of the Seafood Industry on Our Oceans
Anyone who’s been to New England knows how iconic (and delicious!) our local seafood is. But with 93% of global fisheries at capacity or overexploited, it’s important to start thinking about where our seafood comes from. It’s a good thing you don’t need to give up your clam chowder and lobster rolls to eat sustainably!
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Read this blog post to learn about overfishing and the seafood industry!
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Beyond Survival: How Marine Life is Adapting to a Warming World
Forget what you thought you knew about evolution; as climate change pushes marine life to the brink, it has no choice but to adapt or face extinction; and while some species are struggling to survive, others have managed to adapt and evolve under this environmental pressure in ways we’ve never seen before.
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Read this blog post to explore how marine organisms demonstrate resilience in response to warming waters and environmental degradation.
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Request for Local Offseason Boat and Gear Storage |
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At Seaside, many of our projects and activities require tools and equipment. We are looking for a place to store our gear during the offseason, including our motor boat!
We humbly ask that you consider donating any available storage space so that we can continue serving our community and environment. We can provide you with a tax deductible 501c(3) letter for your support!
If you are based in the Gloucester area and have extra space to offer, please reach out to our Executive Director, Eric Magers, at magerse@seasidesustainability.org.
We are grateful for your understanding and generosity!
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From the Field: Nurdle Patrol! |
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Our team recently visited Good Harbor Beach and Lighthouse Marina, conducting trash cleanup and searching for nurdles. Nurdle Patrol is a citizen science project that can be done anywhere in the world. It takes 10 minutes a day to collect nurdles and upload the data online to contribute to a global dataset on plastic pollution. There is an abundance of nurdles in the area around Lighthouse Marina. With the help of Bella Levine, Anna Kate Armstrong, and Peter Mamakos, we spent a half an hour collecting nurdles around the seawall next to Lighthouse Marina and filled 8 vials with nurdles ranging in different sizes and colors.
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Alewife Brook Cleanup Success |
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Alewife Brook in Essex, MA is a migratory run for river herring that links the saltwater marshes to the freshwater spawning area of the Chebacco Lake watershed.
With the support of our sponsors, a coalition of organizations, and hard-working volunteers we opened up a problematic stretch of Alewife Brook in advance of the fall outbound river herring migration. This was last done in 2021, but aquatic plants had again impeded the channel. We scheduled four days of volunteers but were able to complete the work in just two. Many thanks to all the terrific volunteers, our sponsors - the Building Center, Carpenter and MacNeille, and Jungle Stuff. Thank you to the partnering organizations - MA Division of Marine Fisheries, Ipswich River Watershed Association, PIE Rivers Association, Chebacco Lake & Watershed Association, Town of Essex and Essex DPW and the Essex County Sheriff's Department. A coalition of outstanding people and organizations working together to protect and preserve the Alewife Brook herring run.
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Science and Outreach Initiative |
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Seaside Sustainability partnered up with Clean Coast Coalition and Keep Massachusetts Beautiful in New Bedford to demonstrate using our Pixie Drone. The Pixie Drone is a controlled floating device that skims the surface of the water to collect waste. Interns deployed the Pixie Drone near the U.S. Harbor on Gifford Street. During the demonstration, interns collected floating driftwood as well as multiple plastic bottles. Volunteers from Clean Coast Coalition and Keep Massachusetts Beautiful were able to take turns controlling the drone through a hand-held remote control.
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Marine Citizen Science Volunteer Program |
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Do you have any availability each week this fall to help our team with tasks and data collection, such as mudflat acidification testing, FIFISH, Marine Debris Trawls, and many other activities? If so, please consider volunteering with us! Currently we are looking for consistent volunteers to complete around 1-5 hours a week from up to the end of October and possibly beyond!
As a Marine Citizen Science volunteer, you will have the ability to help with a variety of projects.
If you are interested, please fill out the 2024 In-Person Volunteer Sign-Up Form before your participation and we will be in contact with you.
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Don't Miss Our Latest Podcast with Environmental Activist, Esperance Han! |
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In the latest episode, we interview Esperance Han, an environmental activist and student at Yale University. Tune in for a lively conversation about youth advocacy, grassroots activism, and using the media to create change.
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Seaside Sustainability's Sustainability Consulting Program is a comprehensive program that works on a local, regional, and national level to guide any organization in their journey to sustainability!
Our consulting department will work closely with school administrators, students, and community partners, to provide guidance on how to implement sustainable practices through different comprehensive services.
At Seaside, we believe in protecting the environment through education and action. Our goal is to encourage the development of environmentally conscious global citizens and have these actions extend outside the school into the community.
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Special Event at Annisquam Village Church! |
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On October 6 at 3 PM at Annisquam Village Church, Andrew Brousseau, the Black Earth Compost Partner and Compost Manager, will be presenting a special seminar! He will explain how compost helps sequester CO2 from the atmosphere by nourishing our soil and plants. Everyone is welcomed to come!
The seminar will be held at: Annisquam Village Church 820 Washington Street, Gloucester
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Seaside Sustainability Pigment Dyed-Cap |
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$25
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Seaside Sustainability Long Sleeve Youth and Adult Tees |
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$35.00 - $41.00
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Don't Buy More Plastic: Just Refill! |
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Essex Soap Refill's products are plant-based, bio-degradable, scented with essential oils, and are sourced from companies that are committed to sustainability. Refill on Laundry Soap, OxyBoost, Dish Soap, and more.
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Seaside Sustainability is incredibly grateful to Essex Soap Refill for their support of our organization and commitment to sustainable business practices.
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NEW: Visit our Newsletter Archive! |
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Are you interested in sustainability? Do you want to stay up to date with the latest news in the field of environmental science?
Look no further - we have your reading material covered!
For the first time ever, Seaside Sustainability has made our entire newsletter archive available for free on our website. This brand new page features both the Seaside Sustainability Newsletter, like the one you're reading right now, and our research-focused C-Change Newsletter.
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Thank you, Cape Ann Marina! |
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Seaside Sustainability extends our sincerest thanks to Cape Ann Marina for their continued support of our organization and its mission. Their generosity helps make our organization's critical initiatives possible, from coastal cleanups to educational programs.
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Partners and Sponsors |
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Please visit our new Seaside Sponsors and Partners pages to see which organizations support our work from around the country.
Without their generosity, many of our most important programs would not be possible.
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Collective Action Adds Up |
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As a non-profit, Seaside Sustainability relies on the help we receive from community members like you. Whether you choose to donate, volunteer, or purchase from our store, any and all contributions are vital to our mission. Any way you choose to participate directly contributes to the protection of our oceans and the conservation of our planet.
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