Hot In North County - Home
Entertainment

Advertise | Contact Us

Music, Dance & Theater Fairs & Festivals Exhibits & Galleries Sports & Gaming Attractions Resorts, Hotels & Casinos Restaurants Calendar of Events

You Can Help Save Our Oceans

By: Serena Lee

The devastating British Petroleum (BP) oil spill in the deep waters off the U.S. Gulf Coast is a wake up call about how fragile our ocean's ecosystem is, and how it affects all of us. From this disaster we must learn to be more responsible and proactive human beings.

There are always two sides to every issue. Federal and local governments focus on growth, prosperity, and security for the masses, which may often have a negative effect on our environment. It will take many years to become less dependent on energy from fossil fuel resources. We cannot keep quiet and merely watch what’s happening on the news and point accusing fingers at others. The responsibility for change lies on the shoulders of each and every one of us.

There is an abundance of environmental issues along our own coast that the general public needs to be more aware of. We have many more oceanic environmental issues we need to work on and become more proactive about. For example, there is the matter of non-biodegradable plastics, street runoff, sewage wastewater, agricultural poisons, over fishing, cigarette butts, coastal power plants, and soon-to-be coastal desalination plants.

Here are some ways to save our oceans:

1) Limit off-shore oil-drilling.

2) Limit construction of desalination plants.

3) Discontinue the use of plastic supermarket shopping bags or restaurant carry-out Styrofoam containers.

4) Avoid using pesticides on lawns and gardens.

5) Go to a carwash instead of wasting water and using soap to wash your car.

6) Use biodegradable soap for washing dishes and doing laundry.

7) Teach our children about the ocean’s sensitive ecosystem.

8) Pressure our politicians to implement stricter oceanic environmental guidelines.

9) Use social media as a forum to disseminate these messages.

There are many organizations, such as the Surfrider Foundation, that help to keep things in check. They are a very accessible and powerful group. People don’t have to agree with every one of their many causes to protect the ocean. The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education. Please visit their local chapter website at www.surfridersd.org to learn more about how to become more involved. They hold open meetings on the third Wednesday of every month at 7:00 pm at the Forum Hall above the Wells Fargo Branch in UTC. Their homepage lists all of their upcoming events and forums.

Here are some of the upcoming Surfrider events you are invited to attend:

8/4: Hold On To Your Butt (Cigarette butts on our beaches) 6:30pm-8:00pm

E Street Café, Encinitas

8/10: Rise Above Plastics 6:30pm-7:30pm Encinitas location TBD

8/14: Beach Cleanup 9:00am-11:00am Tamarack Beach in Carlsbad

8/18: Surfrider Chapter Meeting 7:00pm-9:00pm

8/21: Beach Cleanup at Moonlight Beach 9:00am-11:00am

9/1: Hold On To Your Butt (forum regarding cigarette buts on our beaches) 6:30 pm-8:00pm E Street Café, Encinitas

9/4: Beach Cleanup at La Jolla Shores 9:00am–11:00am

9/12: Paddle for Clean Water at Ocean Beach Pier 9:00am–12:00pm - TBA

9/14: Rise Above Plastics 6:30pm–7:30pm Encinitas location TBA

Congratulations to our Verizon/Dreamline Wireless and ACE Hardware Father/Son Photo Look-A-Like Contest Winners

The North County Sun along with Verizon/Dreamline Wireless - Aviara, and Ace Hardware – Carlsbad are pleased to announce the winners of the North County Sun’s 2nd Annual Father’s Day Father/Son Photo Look-A-Like Contest! This years father and son winners are: 1st Place: Steve and Jake Briton, 2nd Place: Mark and Owen Solomon, 3rd Place: Roderick Jr. and Roderick Singleton III, 4th Place: Matt and Jacob Good.

2nd Place:

3rd Place:

4th Place:

Winning photo entries won either a new Motorola RAZR flip phone from Verizon/Dreamline Wireless in Aviara, or a new cordless Black & Decker VPX Drill/Driver from ACE Hardware in Carlsbad. This year, because it was so difficult to choose three winners, we ended up selecting four lucky (and handsome) father/son look- a- like winners. The four winners were awarded their prizes on Father’s Day, June 20, 2010.

Visit the new Verizon Dreamline Wireless Store at 6949 El Camino Real, Carlsbad 92009. Call (760) 931-1450 for all your wireless needs!

ACE Hardware is located at 7188 Avenida Encinas, Carlsbad 92011. Call (760) 602-0400 for hardware, camping, plumbing, electrical, gardening, and household supplies.

SUN on Local Kid’s Fun Zone: PlayWerx

How’s the weather outside today? Cloudy? Overcast? Too hot? Raining?

Looking for an inexpensive and fun place to take the kids to release some energy?

How about a place for YOU too?

If the answer to any of the above questions is “YES” then we have a place for you!

PlayWerx, located near Palomar Airport Road and the I-5 Freeway, is a mega indoor play structure for your kids, with a gourmet coffee shop lounge for you!

PlayWerx is packed with fun for the kids. You just sit and lounge in a comfortable air-conditioned building, while your kids climb, run, jump, and crawl through their mega play structure. It’s so reasonably priced that it’s the perfect place to take the little ones for a half hour or multiple hours. Kids 3 and under are only $5 and kids 4 and older are only $10. It’s the same price whether you’re there for an hour or three hours! What a deal!

PlayWerx is also a great place for birthday parties, team parties, or camp outings. If you have a large group it’s recommended that you call ahead. Just you? Then dropping-in is just fine! Check out their discount coupons on our Double Coupon pages. PlayWerx is located at 6060 Avenida Encinas, Carlsbad CA 92011. Call (760) 804-1600 or visit www.playwerx.com.