Make a difference
for our coast and ocean! If you care
about the coast, become a Coastal Steward by pledging to improve our
environment. We’ve compiled a list of ideas—there’s something for
everyone, whether you’re 10 or 100 years old! This list includes
ideas for reducing waste and pollution, conserving water and other
resources, and becoming active in your community—all of which can
help to protect and preserve our coastal and marine resources.
Individuals, families, classes, businesses, scout troops, and all
Californians are encouraged to become Coastal Stewards. If you'd
like more information after reading the instructions below, please
email coast4u@coastal.ca.gov or
call (800)Coast-4U.
For inspiration, read stories from people who
have taken action to protect our coast and ocean. You can submit your stories
and photos of coastal stewardship to us and have them featured on our website.
Select at least 5 actions from the list below. The
actions are organized into categories, and you can select from one
or several of the categories. There is a number after each
action. You will be committing to take the action at least that
many times, and to attempt to make it a habit in the future.
When you've finished, fill out your information and submit
your list. You may print out your list yourself or request that it
be mailed to you.
Once you’ve taken action, you’re a Coastal Steward! Send your completed "to-do" list back to us and we’ll send you
a "Coastal Steward" tote
bag and a certificate of participation. (Organizations and
groups are encouraged to take the pledge, but a group pledge will
receive only one tote bag gift.)
Seek out products
with minimal packaging and avoid products with excessive
packaging. (x5)
Buy products in bulk
when appropriate. (x5)
When packing food for
lunch or a picnic, put food in reusable containers rather than
disposable plastic and paper bags. (x5)
Use cloth napkins and
towels instead of paper napkins and paper towels. Use a sponge
or towel for cleanup jobs in the kitchen. (x5)
Clean and reuse glass
jars for storage. (x5)
Refill a water bottle
instead of buying a new one. (x5)
Use pens that can be
refilled, rather than disposable pens. (x1)
Instead of disposable
razors, purchase a razor with blades that can be replaced.
(x1)
Use the backsides of
paper for scratch paper, grocery lists, and phone messages.
(x5)
Reuse gift bags,
ribbons, and wrapping paper. (x2)
Donate unwanted
clothes, furniture, and other items to thrift stores or
charities, and when possible, purchase needed items at thrift
stores and garage sales. (x1)
If you receive a
package containing foam peanuts, reuse them yourself or take
them to a shipping store that will reuse them. (x1)
Use old newspapers
instead of foam peanuts to cushion fragile items in packages.
(x2)
When mailing a
package or moving to a new home, reuse old boxes. Ask a market
or other store if they have old cardboard boxes that you can
have. (x1)
Recycle all glass,
aluminum cans and foil, glass bottles, paper, and all plastic
that is accepted by your recycling facility (usually recycle
codes #1 and #2). (x5)
Buy recycled products
whenever possible. Buy products with the highest percentage of
“post-consumer” content that you can find. (x5)
When given the choice
between a recyclable glass container and a disposable plastic
container, choose glass. (x5)
If you find a
six-pack ring, break or cut the loops of plastic before
disposing of it. (x5)
Share magazine or
newspaper subscriptions with a friend. (x1)
Use the library to
borrow books and magazines. (x3)
Turn off the water
while you hand wash dishes. (x5)
Run your dishwasher
only when you have a full load. (x5)
Turn off the faucet
when you brush your teeth or shave. (x5)
Instead of running
the faucet for a cold drink of water, keep a pitcher of water
in the refrigerator. (x5)
Reduce the time of
your showers. Shoot for five minutes or less. You could also
try a "navy" shower: Get yourself wet in the shower, then turn
the water off while you lather up. Turn it back on to rinse
off. (x5)
If you have an old
showerhead, purchase a new, low-flow showerhead. Any new
showerhead made in the U.S. will use a maximum of 2.5
gallons/minute. (x1)
If you take baths,
don’t fill the tub up all the way. Only use as much water as
necessary. (x5)
Purchase an
inexpensive, low-flow faucet aerator for the sinks in your
kitchen and bathroom. These can use as little as 1 gallon of
water per minute. (x1)
Repair any faucet
leaks as soon as possible. (x1)
Place a bottle of
water in the tank of your toilet to reduce the amount of water
used for flushing. (x1)
If you have an old
toilet, replace it with a new one. If your toilet was made
after 1992, it uses an average of only 1.6 gallons/flush.
(x1)
Run your clothes
washer only when you have a full load. (x5)
Purchase a new, high
efficiency clothes washer, which can reduce the water used by
40%. (x1)
Keep a bucket in the
bathroom and kitchen for when you’re waiting for the water to
warm up. Collect the cold water and use it to water plants,
wash the floor, or flush your toilet. (x5)
Replace water-loving
plants (like conventional lawn) with native and
drought-tolerant plants. (x1)
Water outdoor plants
early in the morning or late in the day to reduce the amount
of water lost to evaporation. (x5)
Adjust sprinklers so
water doesn’t run off onto the sidewalk or street. (x1)
Set your lawn mower
to a high setting. Taller grass needs less watering. (x1)
Make sure that your
hose has a nozzle that can be turned off when not in use.
(x1)
Prevent
Pollution
Purchase organic and
locally grown food whenever possible. (x5)
Divert rainspouts
from paved areas to areas with lawn or other vegetation, in
order to increase the infiltration of water into the soil and
reduce run-off into storm drains. (x1)
To clean the driveway
or patio, use a broom instead of the hose; this reduces the
dirty water flowing into storm drains as well as conserves
water. (x5)
Cover outdoor trash
cans securely. (x5)
Keep storm drains
clean and clear of debris. (x3)
Use low-phosphate or
phosphate-free detergents. (x5)
Use less toxic
cleaning products such as baking soda and vinegar. Download
the Clean It! brochure for ideas. (x5)
Properly dispose of
household paints, chemicals, batteries and electronics. Never
dump paint or chemicals down the sink or in gutters or storm
drains. To find a hazardous waste collection facility near
you, visit http://www.earth911.org/. (x2)
Get Active
Support companies
that practice responsible environmental policies. (x3)
Run a neighborhood
cleanup campaign. (x1)
Talk with your
friends, family, neighbors, etc. about the marine debris problem, especially the
problems associated with plastic debris. (x3)
If you don’t like the
practices of a company, write them a letter to express your
dissatisfaction and to encourage them to change. Choose
another company to give your business to. (x1)
Educate yourself
about local and state environmental and coastal initiatives.
Share your views with others and encourage them to go to the
polls with you on Election Day. (x1)
Assist in the
campaign to pass an environmental initiative that you believe
in. Canvass your neighborhood, make phone calls, or put up
signs. (x1)
Write a letter to the
editor of your newspaper about a coastal issue. (x1)
Write a letter to an
elected official to encourage them to take positive action on
an environmental or coastal issue. (x1)
When packing food for
lunch, put food in reusable containers rather than disposable
plastic and paper bags. For tips, visit www.wastefreelunches.org. (x5)
Start a "waste-free"
lunch program at your school. Wastefreelunches.org can help. (x1)
Use pens that can be
refilled, rather than disposable pens. (x1)
Use the backsides of
paper for scratch paper, and for printing drafts. (x5)
Introduce your school
administrators to the Go
Green Initiative, which assists schools in reducing,
composting, and recycling their waste.(x1)
Demand environmental
education. Visit www.calepa.ca.gov/Education/AB1548 to learn
about the "Education and the Environment Initiative" in
California. Visit www.creec.org/ for the CREEC
Network's environmental education announcements and statewide
resource directory. Talk to teachers, principals, and school
boards about how environmental education can be incorporated
into local schools. (x1)
When packing food for
lunch, put food in reusable containers rather than disposable
plastic and paper bags. (x5)
Use routing slips to
circulate reading material, and use email and voice mail
whenever possible to reduce paper use. (x5)
Refill a water bottle
instead of buying a new one. (x5)
Use pens that can be
refilled, rather than disposable pens. (x1)
Use the backsides of
paper for scratch paper, phone messages and for printing
drafts. (x5)
Share magazine or
newspaper subscriptions with one or more people in your
office. (x1)
If you receive a
package containing foam peanuts, reuse them yourself, share
them with someone else in the office, or take them to a
shipping store that will reuse them. (x1)
Use old newspapers
instead of foam peanuts to cushion fragile items in packages.
(x2)
Buy recycled products
whenever possible. Buy products with the highest percentage of
“post-consumer” content that you can find. (x5)
Seek out products
with minimal packaging and avoid products with excessive
packaging. (x5)
Give your business to
companies that practice responsible environmental policies.
(x5)
If you don’t like the
practices of a company, write them a letter to express your
dissatisfaction and encourage them to improve. Choose another
company to give your business to. (x1)
Bring a bag with you
when you go to the store instead of accepting a paper or
plastic bag. If don’t have a bag with you, ask yourself if you
really need a bag for the item purchased. (x5)
If you find a
six-pack ring, break or cut the loops of plastic before
disposing of it. (x5)
When purchasing a
drink at a café or other take-out location, refill a reusable
mug instead of accepting a disposable cup. (x5)
At a take-out
restaurant, request that your food be packed in paper instead
of plastic. Seek out restaurants that routinely use paper
instead of plastic packaging. Take only the number of paper
napkins that you truly need, and if you don't need utensils
(e.g. if you're taking the food home) don't accept them. (x5)
When packing food for
lunch or a picnic, put food in reusable containers rather than
disposable plastic and paper bags. (x5)
When at the beach or
in town, look around for trashcans or recycling bins. If the
bins are inadequate, inform the responsible person or agency.
(x1)
Never place trash in
an overflowing trashcan. If you notice certain public
trashcans that are constantly overflowing, inform the
appropriate authorities. (x1)
If you fish, always
collect your used hooks, lines or nets when you leave. These
items can harm people and wildlife if left in the environment.
(x3)
When walking your
dog, always clean up its waste and dispose of it in a
trashcan. (x5)
If you smoke, dispose
of cigarette filters in ashtrays or garbage cans. Filters are
not biodegradable and should not be left on the ground. (x5)
Leave beaches and
parks cleaner than you found them—bring along a garbage bag
and pick up trash even if it’s not yours. (x1)
Volunteer for one of
the many non-profit groups that are working to protect our
coast, ocean, and waterways. You can find a list of these
groups on the Coastal Commission’s website, in the Marine, Coastal & Watershed Resource
Directory. (x1)
All done? Submit
your list, or continue to make your selections.
Thank you for choosing to become a Coastal Steward! When you've completed your selections, please provide us with the
information below. A printable version of your personalized to-do list
will then be created in a separate window. California residents only,
please.
We will not share your name,
address, or email with any other organization.
Name:
Address:
City:
Zip Code:
Email
Address:
I will print out my list myself.
If you do not check this box, a copy of your list will be mailed to you.
(Please fill in all of the blanks above, since
without this information, we won't be able to mail your "to-do" list
and gifts.)
