June Eco-Bulletin
Hello Summer
Each year we love to welcome in summer and some sunshine! It is hard not to love the season, when SLO County has so many wonderful beaches, trails and places to explore. Here at ECOSLO we have some fun events and updates to share with you this month! We are continuing to educate, advocate, and act in San Luis Obispo County with the hopes of preserving and protecting all the places we cherish!
We hope you can get involved and thank you for continuing to support and stay connected with your local environmental center - ECOSLO!
In This Issue:
ECOSLO's First Ever Open House
Trees Planted at the Local Throop Park
Watch our Curb to Compost Virtual Event
Join Docent Dale on a Hike Tour
Green Businesses Spotlight - Atascadero
Advocacy at the Dunes
Take Part In No New Plastic Week
Creeks to Coast Updates & Call for Artists
Eco-Tip of the Month: Shopping Bags
Help Support ECOSLO this Summer
Open House Coming this July!
Curious what ECOSLO is up to? Join us for our first virtual open house this July. We will host two separate open house days, one that highlights our programs on Tuesday, July 13th, and another that highlights our partners around San Luis Obispo County on Thursday, July 15th. We are looking forward to sharing with the public all that ECOSLO is involved in and who we work with closely. Attendees will learn more about programs and who we partner with at ECOSLO through informational virtual sessions.
Ten Trees Planted at Throop Park
With the help of ECOSLO volunteers and the California Conservation Corps, we were able to get 10 trees in the ground at the local Throop Park. We are so glad to be able to provide more shade and environmental benefits to this area. We will continue tree plantings this Fall as the warm weather comes and passes. If you have a place you would like to see trees planted at, you can fill out our tree proposal form on our website below!
Did You Miss Our Curb to Compost Virtual Event?
Don't worry, we recorded the event! Learn about our local anaerobic digester, hosted by SLO County I.W.M.A. Education Program Coordinator Mike di Milo. From your curb to the finished product, you’ll learn about the exciting process of converting our green waste and food waste into compost and electricity. The program will also detail California’s goals to improve organics from landfills and what is being done locally to help in this effort.
Explore City of SLO Open Space Trail: Felsman Loop
Join SLO Steward's docent, Dale, on a Hike Tour of the Felsman Loop trail located on Bishop Peak Open Space. Dale has a wonderful knowledge of the area, botanical species and wildlife you may encounter! If you would like to view this Hike Tour and other tours led by more of our awesome volunteer docents, check out ECOSLO's accounts on: Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Celebrating Two New Green Businesses!
Not only was Solarponics voted best solar value and highest-rated solar company, they were also the FIRST solar company to become a Green Business in SLO County! Their mission to help Central Coast residents achieve energy independence, save money, and promote sustainability is inspiring and we are so proud of all the hard work they put into becoming a Certified Green Business. Some sustainable changes they made as a result of the SLO County Green Business Program include installing drip irrigation, switching to LED light fixtures, and purchasing eco-friendly cleaning supplies. Their building and water heater is also solar powered and they even send old solar panels to be recycled properly in order to mitigate waste! Thank you Solarponics for your dedication to the protection of our natural environment.
Another shoutout we have is for Gatherings Thrift. Did you know that Gatherings Thrift was our first Certified Green Business in Atascadero? Buying second hand and donating unwanted clothes is one of the easiest ways to reduce the amount of clothing that ends up in the landfill, but Gatherings Thrift takes sustainability to the next level! By incorporating the use of recycled products, energy-efficient practices and eliminating toxic chemicals, Gatherings Thrift is a leader in their community and we are so grateful that they are a part of our growing Green Business Network!
Advocacy at the Dunes
The window for filing a lawsuit in opposition to the California Coastal Commission’s (CCC) March decision to ban off-highway vehicles at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (ODSVRA) by 2024 has come and gone without State Parks taking action.
As it currently stands, 4 lawsuits have been filed, with 3 coming from the Friends of Oceano Dunes and 1 filed by EcoLogic Partners, a consortium consisting of the American Sand Association, the American Motorcyclists Association District 37, and the Off-Road Business Association. We do not anticipate that any of these lawsuits will be successful and that the CCC’s decision was well within their authority to make under the California Coastal Act. While we have strong concerns about the current level of enforcement at the ODSVRA, we hope that the decision by State Parks to not file a lawsuit reflects their acceptance of the CCC’s ruling, and that the transition to a vehicle-free dunes can begin in earnest.
Keep Up With No New Plastic Week!
For No New Plastic Week in May we focused on bathroom and hygiene products! A lot of those items are packaged in plastic or made up of plastic themselves, but there are many reusable and plastic free alternatives. Ditch the plastic in your bathroom by switching to shampoo and conditioner bars, fabric shower curtains, washable make up pads, and bamboo-based products. Join us the last week of every month to find out new ways to minimize your waste!
Creeks to Coast Updates & Call for Artists
With our cleanup kits, ECOSLO is in need of local artists to help decorate them! If you're interested in dedicating your time and talents, we are looking for 12 artists to paint 50 boxes each with a small, nature themed graphic. Your contribution will help add color to our cleanup kits and our volunteers' days! Email Maddie at programs@ecoslo.org if you are interested.
ECOSLO's 2021 Creeks to Coast Cleanup is just three short months away! This year we will be distributing cleanup kits made for up to five people in a group. You will have the flexibility to choose where and when you would like to do a cleanup between September 16th and 30th. We'll be sending the sign up form to you all next month, so keep a look out for July's newsletter. We are so excited to cleanup our natural areas with all of you soon!
Eco-Tip of the Month: Shopping Bags
We all know that plastic is not created equal when it comes to recycling. Some plastics like rigid plastics, plastic bottles, and plastics #1 and #2 can be recycled in your blue bins, but other plastics like plastic bags cannot. Even the thicker plastic shopping bags must go into the trash. The best way to reduce the amount of plastic from shopping bags that ends up in our landfills is to stop using them!
This summer, make the commitment to switch to reusable bags! Cloth, canvas, and hemp bags are great alternatives and are durable enough to be used over and over again.
Don’t want to buy more reusable bags? You can make them! Visit your local thrift store to gather the materials you need. Gathering’s Thrift, a Certified Green Business in Atascadero, has an excellent selection of extra fabric and pillow cases to sew into your own unique and trendy shopping bag.
Looking for a Way to Support ECOSLO?
You can become a monthly donor! Your help will go directly into our projects and programs. We are committed to educating, advocating and acting on behalf of San Luis Obispo County community. If you are able to and would like to begin a one-time or on-going donation to ECOSLO, we would greatly appreciate it! Thank you to those who have given their time and support to ECOSLO throughout our organization's history.
