September 3: Bite of History: Coronado Connection to Scripps and Our Coastal Community

A Bite of History is back! Make your own lunch or order in from any local restaurant and enjoy our Facebook Live lecture! We are partnering with Emerald Keepers to encourage you to support local community restaurants who have taken the Emerald Green, Ocean Blue pledge! Check out the participating restaurants on the Emerald Keepers website here: https://www.emeraldkeepers.org/about-emerald-keepers.

Enjoy your lunch while watching this free lecture from CHA, Thursday, September 3, at 1 p.m. CHA Historians Vickie Stone and Christine Stokes will tell the story of the early beginnings of Scripps Institute of Oceanography right here in Coronado. They will be joined by Amy Steward of Emerald Keepers, who will share about Coronado’s coastal life and the work that Emerald Keepers does to protect our oceans.

Join us on CHA's Facebook Live! To watch on Facebook Live, go to https://www.facebook.com/CoronadoMuseum/. The recording will also be made available on CHA's website after the program at coronadohistory.org.

Ann and Rick Wilcoxon – Emerald Keepers of the Month!

Five or six times a week, Coronado residents and Emerald Keepers Anne and Rick Wilcoxon can be found along Ocean Boulevard or on either end of the beach collecting trash.  They have owned a home in Coronado since 2001, but didn’t make Coronado their permanent home until four years ago when they moved from Napa County in Northern California. and Las Vegas. 

It’s little wonder that they both are passionate about keeping their hometown beach clean. Rick first became involved with picking up trash four years ago when he joined the Coronado Rotary Club and participated in their monthly beachcombing cleanup. Anne’s legacy is all about Coronado.  Both sets of her grandparents lived here. Her maternal grandmother first came to the island in 1912 to Tent City, and along with Anne’s great-grandparents, owned the first dry goods store in town. Her paternal grandfather was the architect who designed the Spreckels Park bandstand. Anne’s mother and aunt were born here, and Anne lived here until the early 70s. 

According the to Wilcoxons, chip bags, cigarette butts, and plastic water bottle tops are the most frequently found items. “Anybody can do it,” said Anne. Their best and most surprising find was two rolled up $20 bills.

Congratulations to Rick and Anne Wilcoxon for being Emerald Keepers of the Month!

Stan Kirkpatrick: Emerald Keeper of the Month

Lifeguard Captain Sean Carey was pleased to have Stan Kirkpatrick named as the Emerald Keeper of the Month. Carey said, “We call him “The Stanimal” because he is out here every morning cleaning the beach. I asked him if he wanted a pick-up stick, but he told me he gets more exercise without one.”  

Stan Kirkpatrick has made an impact on both the cleanliness of the beach and the beach lifeguards. Carey explained, “Stan is an inspiration.” 

According to Stan, he has cleaned the beach for the past six years. “I usually go out every morning around 8 o’clock. I carry a reusable bag and clean the beach.”

Over the years, Stan has seen improvements on the beach. “Since the City got the green sweeper, the beach is much cleaner. It does a great job, so there isn’t as much trash as there once was.” 

Stan has developed friendships with the lifeguards and the drivers of the green sweeper. People who walk the beach regularly in the morning know him as the “guy who cleans the beach.”  

“I pick up trash on the beach because I think it is the thing to do,” explained Stan. “While I am out here walking, why not pick up trash?”  

WHY NOT? Thank you, Stan Kirkpatrick, for inspiring us all and congratulations on being the Emerald Keeper of the Month. 

Dr. Stephen Palumbi, Director of Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station to Speak Thursday

Emerald Keepers is pleased to present an evening with author and Director of Stanford University”s Hopkins Marine Station on Thursday evening (July 16) at 7:00pm. Dr. Palumbi will discuss his book, The Death and Life of Monterey Bay – A Story of Revival. You do not have to have read the book to join the webinar. Co-authored with Carolyn Sotka, the book has something for everyone: history, ecology, activism, hope, and change. Palumbi and Sotka tell the story of the recovery of Monterey Bay. Parallels can be drawn between the individuals and small groups who worked to save Monterey Bay and our Emerald Keepers who work to make our community more sustainable and care for our marine environments. His book is available at the Coronado Public Library and for pur­chase at Bay Books. 

Dr. Palumbi has been featured on Today, TED Talks, BBC series The Future is Wild and the History Channel's World Without People. Other recent films appearances include The End of the Line, and the Canadian Broadcasting series One Ocean. Major work continues on the microdocumentary project, the Short Attention Span Science Theater. Steve's band, Sustainable Soul, has several songs out, including Crab Love and The Last Fish Left. 

Topic: Dr. Stephen Palumbi Webinar for Emerald Keepers
Time: Jul 16, 2020 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Via Zoom

Nicole Tallent, April Emerald Keep of the Month

Nicole Tallent is someone who views cleaning the small beaches along the Ferry Landing as an obligation. I have seen Nicole cleaning the beaches in the past, but never knew her name until I stopped her in April to thank her when others were too fearful to pick up a single piece of trash. 

Since the pandemic began, it seems Coronado is drowning in litter. Just look at the gutters, parking lots, medians, and beaches. There are gloves, masks, and wipes strewn across our town. People drop their take-out waste in the gutter rather than taking it home or disposing of it in a trash can. In a word, it is disgusting; but when you see a person cleaning the beach day after day, it is nothing less than inspiring. This is why Nicole Tallent is our April Emerald Keeper of the Month. 

When I stopped Nicole to let her know she was our Emerald Keeper of the Month, she was humble about her actions. She said, “We may have a pandemic but the trash is still rolling in.  It is important to be an Emerald Keeper because we need to recycle and take care of nature. I am all about the environment—with a group or without a group. It is easy to wash my hands after picking up the trash. It is what I do.”

Since I met Nicole in April, she has expanded her daily trash pick-up to the Silver Strand State Beach. “Once the beaches were opened,” Nicole explained, “I started biking down there. It’s a great ride. The beach has a never-ending supply of garbage.” 

Nicole noted the litter has significantly increased since COVID 19 arrived. She said, “I really enjoy doing this for the environment and the sea life. I grew up going to the beach and never saw trash; and I hope someday in the future, the beaches will be like that again.”

Thank you, Nicole Tallent, for being our April Emerald Keeper of the Month. May your actions inspire others to take care of their own trash and step up to help clean our beaches. 

Emerald City Surf Shop is Emerald Green, Ocean Blue

“It is important to take care of the environment because that is what we are all about — being in the ocean. It won’t be here if we don’t take care of it.” — Bryan Guter, Manger, Emerald City

Congratulations, Drawing Winner, Rob Taylor!

Congratulations, Emerald Keeper, Rob Taylor! Rob is the winner of Michael Ives' signed painting of Coronado's Fourth of July Parade! Thank you to all Emerald Keepers — those who care for our planet! Happy Fourth of July, Coronado!

POKE´ 1-2-3 is Emerald Green, Ocean Blue!

“POKÉ 1•2•3 is proud to be an Emerald Green-Ocean Blue restaurant! Our philosophy is simple:  provide a deliciously fresh, fast, and healthy poké experience for our patrons.  In doing so, we strive to make decisions that respect the environment, the bounty of our oceans, and the character of our coastal communities.” - Kevin Shaeffer, Owner

Nearly 500 View Emerald Keepers' Screening of The Story of Plastic

This enlightening film was viewed by almost 500 people! Watch our panel discussion following the film on our website under SCREENINGS.

THE STORY OF PLASTIC takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people who inhabit it. Spanning three continents, the film illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields full of garbage, veritable mountains of trash, rivers and seas clogged with waste, and skies choked with the poisonous emissions from plastic production and processing. With engaging original animation, archival industry footage beginning in the 1930s, and first-person accounts of the unfolding emergency, the film distills a complex problem that is increasingly affecting the planet’s and its residents’ well-being.

Emerald Keepers of the Month

Jacob and Nich Alcock

What began as a father-son boat ride and to get coffee and hot chocolate, turned into more than just another morning on the bay. Nick Alcock and his son, Jacob, were puttering by the golf course when 100 yards away they spotted a horrific mess on the beach along the Coronado Municipal Golf Course. Seeing the garbage piled on the beach, Nick’s first thought was a big event must have just taken place. 

Nick described his approach to the beach: “I felt like I was watching a video on YouTube describing some deserted South Pacific island covered with plastic. It blew my mind. I felt this incredible sense of disgust. I was just worried thinking if you can’t pick up garbage on one of the riches islands in the world, then it is just hopeless. Someone has to do something about this.” That’s when Nick and Jacob—the Coronado Beach Defenders as they call themselves—sprang into action. 

Nick and his family grew up in Cape Cod, picking up trash. He told a story of visiting Tern Island near Chatham that was covered in trash. He and his family spent the better part of two weeks picking up garbage. He said, “What we noticed after we picked up all the trash, was that the island largely remained clean after that. People who frequented the island stopped leaving their trash there. It demonstrated how the power of doing something like that can change behavior.”

Fast forward to last December. After seeing the piles of trash, Nick and Jacob removed about 1,000 pounds of trash from the Coronado Municipal Golf Course beach. After 10 days of cleaning the beach, Nick and Jacob loaded the trash on the dingy and took it to the municipal area where they could dispose of it. 

Jacob, a fourth grader, said, “Even though it was hard work and it was pretty stinky, I like to see the work that we did and how it affected the beach.”  

The Alcocks have a family home at the Shores and visit frequently from Sedona. Nick often takes Jacob and daughter, Abigail, for a ride in their dingy. One day following a rainstorm, there was a lot of marine debris. With small fishing nets in hand, they scooped trash from the water. “They received a lot of positive feedback from the people on shore,” Nick recalled. “My children felt like they were doing something that people thought was important.”

Congratulations, Nick and Jacob–Abigail too, for being Emerald Keepers of the Month for March when we discovered your work on our bays and beaches. Thank you for keeping Coronado clean. 

Emerald Keepers Challenge: What 30 things would you commit to doing for a yard sign?

50 Sustainable Practices for the 50th Earth Day Anniversary! Emerald Keepers challenges you to commit to 30 of the 50 best practices today to receive your yard sign.

Emerald Keepers Partners with the Eagle Journal to Produce Educational Pages for Families

While people are sheltering in place due to the COVID- 19 pandemic, Emerald Keepers continues to educate the community and provide actives for families at home.

Environmental Stewardship Naval Base Coronado

Captain Timothy Slentz spoke at the Winn Room this past Tuesday. Thank you for being an Emerald Keeper!

Captain Slentz, Commanding Officer of Naval Base Coronado, spoke at the Coronado Public Library on behalf of Emerald Keepers last Tuesday.. The big take-away from Captain Timothy Slentz’s presentation include: 1) Naval Base Coronado addresses sustainability every day on all eight of its bases under its command – from Imperial Beach to San Clemente to the desert. 2) The Navy cares for indigenous species unique to their locations – many of which are endangered and works with archeologists when adding new construction to care for culturally sensitive sites. 3) The Navy continues to improve energy through installation of solar and elimination of the outdated old steam heating system and addition of electric and hybrid vehicles. The extent to which the Navy has made changes to cut emissions of fossil fuel and reduce their carbon footprint are to be commended. 

Naval Base Coronado partners with many Federal, state, local, and academic organizations to address environmental compliance, stewardship, and natural resources management in order to ensure continued access of its sea, air, and land spaces for training and mission accomplishment.  NBC’s natural resources management program was recognized as the best in the Navy by receiving the 2019 Secretary of the Navy Environmental Award.

For plastics, the base has taken steps to reduce our single use plastics, as well as investing in more environmentally friendly utensils at its food services sites.  NEX and Commissary fall under a national leadership program.  Captain Slentz said, “I was not able to ‘force’ change on them, but we have started the conversation!”

Robert Half -- Newest Emerald Keepers

Emerald Keepers’ very own Marla Steel convinced Robert Half to become Emerald Keepers! Read all about it below.

Thank you to our wonderful partner, Robert Half, for generously donating the printing and mailing of our mailer. Robert Has ranks Number 1 on Forbes’ 2019 list of American’s Best Professional Recruiting Firms.

Emerald Keepers Kids!

Meet Westin! Westin is one of our Emerald Keepers Kids! He loves to clean Spreckels Park and dispose of trash properly. His grandpa, Gary Franza, encourages him to be a good steward of Coronado. Thank you Gary and Westin!