Sunday, February 26, 2012

Recycling Tally up to February 24th 2012

The first tally is in!  Between both MASIS in Anasco and Jorge Seda Crespo in Rincon the schools have combined to recycle 20 (95 gallon) full containers of plastic and 2.5 (95 gallon) full containers of aluminum.  Check out the leader board below the image!



MASIS                                                                             Jorge Seda Crespo

Best All Around: Class #6                                             Best All Around: Class #8


Most Plastic: Class #12                                                    Most Plastic:  Class #6

Most Aluminum:  Class #3                                                Most Aluminum:   Class #7 & #14

Most Plastic Counted:  Class #6                                       Most Plastic Counted:  Class #14

Most Aluminum Counted:   Class #2                                 Most Aluminum Counted:  Class #8


If we were to assume that single-use plastics were the only material being recycled in the schools, and the fact that a single-use plastic bottle measures ~8.5", and that 350 single-use plastic bottles fill a 95 gallon container then MASIS has recycled (13.5 x 350 = 4725 bottles) and JSC has recycled (6.5 x 350 = 2275 bottles).  When we take the amount of bottles recycled for each school and multiple it by the length of a single bottle we get the length of the "bottle-string" the school is compiling and heading on an adventure around the island!  The MASIS bottle-string = 1.02 km and the JSC bottle-string = .49 km.  See the progress of each bottle-string in the image below.  Click on the image for a larger view.


Detailed counts per class are seen below. 















Contact Wessley Merten at 787-436-8300 or wessley.merten@upr.edu for more information on helping out in this coral reef restoration and marine debris removal effort.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Thanks to our participating Surf Companies!




The chapter would like to thank all of the surf companies participating in the chapter's coral reef restoration program.  The companies in the image above have donated backpacks, clothing, stickers, surf gear, and more to be given to the participating students throughout the semester at various events.  It is with their help that the chapter can encourage local students, community stakeholders, and businesses to come together to decrease the amount of plastic and other debris in and entering our world's oceans.  Below are two short clips of some students saying thanks to Roxy and Oneway Boardshop during recent events at their schools.  

Thanks Roxy!!

Thanks Oneway Boardshop!


In the links above, students participating in the Surfrider Foundation Rincon chapter's coral reef restoration program say thanks to project partners, Roxy and Oneway Boardshop, for providing some great gear given out as prizes at a recent event promoting the protection of our waves, oceans, reefs, and beaches in Puerto Rico.  The students are participating with the chapter in beginning efficient marine debris prevention programs within their schools to reduce the amount of  plastic and other debris that make it to the ocean along the west coast of Puerto Rico.  Aside from recycling and become eco-ambassadors for their communities, the students are also helping the chapter by installing recycling bins along area beaches, doing beach cleanups, and removing tires and other debris off of the reef.  The chapter would like to thank, Roxy, Oneway boardshop, Creatures of Leisure, FCS, Gorilla, and Headhunter for their donation of all of their great products to this program to be used as an incentive to encourage participating students to help out more.  Thanks!  


Contact Wessley Merten at 787-436-8300 or wessley.merten@upr.edu for more information on helping out in this coral reef restoration and marine debris removal effort.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Enhancing Jorge Seda Crespo's School-wide Recycling Program


This past weekend, the outreach and education component of the Surfrider Foundation Rincon's coral reef restoration project continued at Jorge Seda Crespo in Rincon, PR. On Saturday, approximately 45 students, teachers, parents, and community volunteers joined the SF Rincon chapter to enhance their school-wide recycling program.  The chapter would like to thank the school director Miriam Perez and her faculty for helping out with everything on Saturday in addition to all the preparation leading up to the event.  The chapter would also like to thank Amy Murphree from Roxy for coming and helping out in the event and hooking up the students with some great Roxy gear.  Many thanks to the community group known as Reduciendo la Huella Plastico for coming out to help, too!        





Contact Wessley Merten at 787-436-8300 or wessley.merten@upr.edu for more information on helping out in this coral reef restoration and marine debris removal effort.