Los Angeles : High Five: Ocean Activists
High Five: Ocean Activists

Two Wrongs Don't Make a Ride

04.22.2009

Submitted by mroemer on Tue, 04/21/2009 - 11:00pm.
The Bite:
…but two riders can make a right. If you see Marcus Eriksen and Anna Cummins of Algalita Marine Research Foundation wheeling by, give 'em a big high five. They're in the throes of Junk Ride, a 3-month 2,000-mile bicycle ride/lecture tour from Vancouver to Tijuana (hitting LA on June 19), to spread awareness about keeping plastic trash outta the ocean. Here's the scoop on this righteous duo.
What drove you to get involved with the environment?
ME: In 2001, I traveled to Midway Atoll and witnessed hundreds of birds with plastic trash in their stomachs. Then in 2003, I rafted the entire 2,000-mile Mississippi River and saw probably millions of plastic bags and bottles…washing into the sea…I could not ignore [it].

What's next for you?
AC: We have plans to start creating our dream school - a school/sustainability resource center, combined with a museum, to house Marcus's dinosaur collection. And hopefully, the future also holds more biking. 

What's your eco-confession?
ME: I love to take long hot showers.
AC: Long hot showers on a cold morning.

What's your eco pet peeve?
AC: Hearing other people leave the water running. How's that for hypocritical?
Wanna Try: 
When they're not on a Junk Ride, you can find Marcus and Anna hanging out at the Sunday farmers market, 2600 Main St., Santa Monica.

Map It >>

Cocktail Fact

The impetus for this Junk Ride was a turtle called Mae West, who crawled inside of a plastic milk-bottle ring when she was a baby; she grew, but the plastic ring around her waist didn't, leaving her deformed.

Small Changes Add Up

Working to keep plastic out of the sea, we’ll help out many of the 1 million sea birds, 100,000 sea mammals, and countless fish that die from contact with plastic waste annually.

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