Tag: Seaside Sustainability

CONGRATULATIONS TO SEASIDE SUSTAINABILITY!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Seaside Sustainability Inc. Celebrates the Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary’s Award and Massachusetts Marine Educators Certificate of Appreciation Award

Boston, MA: ​This past week, Seaside Sustainability Inc. went to receive the EEA Secretary’s award and the MME Certificate of Appreciation, two awards acknowledging recent successes in their overall performance. Seaside Sustainability is an organization built to educate and raise awareness about conservation using STEM projects to teach the community about their cause. After the company took off in early 2017, Seaside Sustainability and its projects have gained serious momentum and are now looking at expansion and regional change.

Seaside is thrilled to have been honored with these awards due to the fact that the Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary’s Award specifically acknowledges organizations that teach and foster communal knowledge about the environment and sustainability, while the Massachusetts Marine Educators Certificate of Appreciation acknowledges services and commitment to the advancement of marine science. Receiving these awards not only brings attention and prestige to the company, it also shows that Seaside is achieving its main goal and mission of educating the community about the cause of helping our environment. As a response to the awards, Eric Magers, the cofounder of Seaside Sustainability, claims that it “is one thing to receive both awards, but another to accomplish the main goal of the organization.”

Retrieval of the Secretary’s Award and the MME Certificate of Appreciation means that Seaside will work even harder to expand regional initiatives for the upcoming summer of 2018 as well as branch out as far as possible in order to spread its mission of saving local shorelines and, ultimately, the ocean itself.

About Seaside: ​Seaside Sustainability is a non-profit organization aimed at using STEM opportunities for communal youth to teach the importance of conservation and sustainability utilizing hands-on, meaningful experience. Seaside has thus far given an insurmountable amount of knowledge to its participants and hopes to expand its initiatives to other towns in the North Shore, and beyond.

SUPER EXCITING NEWS: SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS BANNED!!!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Ainsley Smith from Clean Gloucester writes, “We’ve got some great news! Gloucester is now Massachusetts’ 57th municipality to reduce our reliance on plastic bags! Thank you to everyone who came out and spoke in support or sent in emails. We look forward to working with our City Council on successfully rolling out this ordinance and related education to all of Gloucester’s residents.” The vote was passed seven to one.Gloucester Clean City Commissioners Nick Lilades, Ainsley Smith, Eric Magers, Councilor Melissa Cox, and Bev Low

EAST GLOUCESTER KID’S CLUB DONATES $540.00 TO HELP PURCHASE CLEAN HARBOR TECHNOLOGIES

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Over the summer, our East Gloucester neighborhood kids Atticus, Meadow, Pilar, Frieda, Lucas, and Sabine formed the club Plastic: Pick it Up!, a kid’s campaign for getting plastic off roadways and beaches so it doesn’t end up in our oceans. Through their lemonade stand, the club raised a whopping 540.00!! On Wednesday evening they, along with Jackson, visiting cousin from North Carolina, met with members of Cape Ann Maritime Partnership (CAMP) to donate the money raised to help purchase a Seabin and Marine Skimmer, marine technologies designed to clean up oil and plastic garbage.

Learning about the effect of plastic pollution with marine biologist Julie Hurley and CAMP leaders. 

Plastic: Pick it Up! club members Frieda, Atticus, Jackson, Lucas, Pilar, Meadow, and Sabine

Love this logo for CAMP designed by Jamie Mathison!

CAMP is a relatively newly formed  partnership between NOAA’s Marine Debris Program, Gloucester’s Clean City Commission, One Ocean One Love, Seaside Sustainability, Maritime Gloucester, and Gloucester’s Coast Guard Station.

The event took place at the beautiful printing headquarters and shop of Jamie Mathison and sister Sarah Steward, One Ocean One Love. Jamie is the owner and artist, and sister Sarah is the general manager. From the shop’s website: “One Ocean One Love shop is a hand-printed, surf-inspired clothing brand, offering one of a kind ocean related products in stores and online. We’re a small eco-friendly business made up of forward-thinkers, with a passion to conserve and protect marine life. 5% of all One Ocean apparel net profits are donated toward keeping the oceans clean.” 

Ainsley Smith from Gloucester’s Clean City Commission wearing tank top designed by Jamie with the CAMP logo. 

Stop by One Ocean One Love and see their wonderful collection of tees, tanks, and totes, all hand-printed from linoleum block designs by Jamie. One Ocean One Love Gloucester shop is located at 47R Parker Street, in the lighthouse on the harbor. Their Rockport shop is located at 6 Bearskin Neck. 

 

Links to learn more about the Seabin, Marine Skimmer, CAMP,  One Ocean One Love, and plastic ocean pollution:

projectaware.org

www.plasticoceans.org

http://www.oneoceanoneloveshop.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CapeAnnMaritimePartnership/

http://www.marinatrashskimmer.com/

http://seabinproject.com/

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO BAN SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS AND POLYSTYRENE

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Please join the Gloucester Clean City Commission, Councilors Melissa Cox and Sean Nolan, and Seaside Sustainability, Inc. in supporting a ban in Gloucester on all single use plastic bags and polystyrene (Styrofoam) containers like coffee cups and takeout food containers.

PLEASE SIGN HERE

We believe this initiative is important in maintaining the beauty of our city and the health of our ocean and land. Given the availability of biodegradable and reusable alternatives and the economic benefits of the proposed ban, we anticipate support from Gloucester’s residents and businesses.

This proposed ban is similar to those already passed in dozens of cities and towns in Massachusetts (and counting) including our neighbors Ipswich, Manchester, Marblehead, and Newburyport. Cities and towns (and entire states – Hawaii) along the coast line of our country have been particularly vigilant in creating this ban.  Just between 2015 and 2016, bills similar to ours were proposed in 23 states regarding the regulation of single use plastic bags and/or polystyrene.  In a recent investigation of Gloucester Harbor using an ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle), observers reported an abundant amount of plastic bags and Styrofoam cups on the ocean floor.

There are economic and feasible alternatives to these products that all businesses, large and small can stand behind and support!

This petition will be delivered to:

  • City of Gloucester, MA Mayor’s Office
    Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken
  • City of Gloucester, Office
    Councilor Sean Nolan
  • City of Gloucester, Councilwoman
    Councilor Melissa Cox

 

SEASIDE SUSTAINABILITY AWARDED EXCELLENCE IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Congratulations to Eric Magers, so well deserved!! Seaside Sustainability was given the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs 2017 Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education. 

Learn more about Seaside Sustainability’s programs here.

And recent GMG podcast with Eric here.

Photo, left to right:
Mathew Beaton – Secretary of Energy and Environmental Education
Eric Magers – Executive Director
Kris Scopinich – Director of Education Mass Audubon
Don Siriani – Legislative and Communications Director Commonwealth of MA

State Officials Recognize 33 Programs for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education

From the office of Energy and Environmental Affairs:

BOSTON – At a State House ceremony, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Matthew Beaton today honored 33 energy and environmental education programs at Massachusetts schools and nonprofits as part of the 23rd Annual Secretary’s Awards for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education.

“Hands-on energy and environmental educational programs improve students’ problem-solving skills and create lifelong passions for science and the environment,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our administration is proud to recognize the students, teachers and nonprofits raising awareness and coming up with creative solutions to our pressing energy and environmental issues.”

“These educators are engaging students in real-world environmental and energy issues and bringing topics they learn in the classroom to life,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “The programs recognized today are developing students who will make a positive and lasting impact on their communities, schools and the environment.”

Winners competed for $5,000 in awards, funded by the Massachusetts Environmental Trust with the intention to fund further environmental education initiatives at the schools. EEA solicited Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education Award nominations in early 2017. Schools and organizations that voluntarily incorporate environmental education into public or private school curricula are given priority.

“The outstanding educational programs honored today immerse students in important issues like energy, recycling and wildlife conservation,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Beaton. “It is more important than ever that we teach the next generation the importance of preserving and protecting our natural resources.”

The project applications were scored by the Secretary’s Advisory Group on Energy and Environmental Education, a group of environmental educators from state agencies, non-profits, industry and academia.

“Not only are these schools teaching students important lessons about protecting the environment, they are also providing them with valuable knowledge and skills in STEM subjects that could spark their future career choices,” said Education Secretary James Peyser.

SEE ALL RECEIPIENTS AND READ MORE HERE Continue reading “SEASIDE SUSTAINABILITY AWARDED EXCELLENCE IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION” →