Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
KarleySchrey
Dr.Buckelew
WRT20502
22November2016
MalibusMostWanted:UnforeseenKnowledgeofWaterPollutionatIconicSurfriderBeach
MemorialDay,IndependenceDay,LaborDay:Primetimevacationweeksforbeaches
onaglobalscale.HereinAmerica,itseemsasifeverytimeawarmholidayhitsourtowns,our
sandyshoresareleftcoveredintrash.AccordingtoNationalGeographic,thereare5.25trillion
piecesofplasticdebrisintheoceanwith269,000tonsfloatingonthesurface.Whilethese
numbersarestaggering,therepercussionsofourhabitsareoftenunseeinglyirrelevanttous.
Almosteverytimeweventuretowardsthecoast,wehavethegreatprivilegeofenjoyingaswim,
waveafterwave.Wehearnewsofoilsspillsorplaguedwaters,yetunlessourbeachvisitis
matchedwithawarningsign,wedonotsecondguessthequalityofwater.Sustainability,the
abilitytocontinueadefinedbehaviorindefinitelybyproducingonlylow,nonaccumulating
levelsofpollution,(Weizscker,1991), ofouroceansareindeeptroubleifthesehabits
continue.
Onamicrolevel,weunderstandthatleavingtrashinthesandwillhaveaneffectonthe
ocean,despitewalkingonlyseveralfeettothenearesttrashbin.Weunderstandthattheoceanis
atimecapsuleforwhatwasoncealivebutnowextinct,yetwestillcreateeffortsforfurther
extinction.Onamacrolevel,ifsocietycannotevenmakeittothenearestgarbagecan,howdo
weexpecttomaintainclean,safe,andsustainablebeachesforourfuturegenerations?
Ihaveneverblinkedtwiceattheseideas.Despitehearingtalesofsodacanholderrings
entrappingdolphins,ormarinelifeswallowingplasticbags,Icarelesslytossthemaround.Itwas
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notuntilIstumbleduponaTedTalkbyJeremyJackson,amarineecologist,entitledHowWe
WreckedtheOcean,thatIfoundwordsthatspoketome.Heconcludesaftertalkingaboutkey
issuestheoceanfacessuchaspollution,overfishing,andclimatechange:
Sothequestionis:Howarewegoingtorespondtothis?Andwecandoallsortsof
thingstofixit,butinthefinalanalysis,thethingwereallyneedtofixisourselves.Its
notaboutthefish;itsnotaboutthepollution;itsnotabouttheclimatechange.Itsabout
usandourgreedandourneedforgrowthandourinabilitytoimagineaworldthatis
differentfromtheselfishworldweliveintoday.Sothequestionis:Willwerespondto
thisornot?Iwouldsaythatthefutureoflifeandthedignityofhumanbeingsdependson
ourdoingthat.(TED,2010,18:12)
Hefocusesonthesustainabilityofouroceansandourcivicdutyandsocialjusticetopreserve
them.Tofindchangewithinourselves,wemustfirstseektolearnaboutplaceswemaynever
thinktolook.Forexample,letusseekunderstandingthemostfamousbeachspotinthenation.
Malibu:ASensationalizedbeachtowncoveringthebigscreens,portrayinggreatsurf
territory,andstealingtheheartsofnonwestcoastbeachgoersfromafar.Thecityloomsasa
favoritevacationspotorpotentialdreamhome.Malibuisafictionalhometosomepraisedworks
ofartinthefilmindustrysuchasthemotionpictureGidget(1959)whichinfamouslypromoted
SurfriderBeach,PlanetoftheApes(1968),andscenesfromtelevisionseriesrangingincontent
suchasCharliesAngels(1976),Baywatch(1991),toNickelodeonsZoey101(2005).The
coastlinecontinuallyappearsinmoviesandtelevisionasabeautifulandsoughtoutlocationto
experience.
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LocatedintheSantaMonicaMountainsregionofLosAngelesCounty,thecityhas21
milesofcoastlineanddrawabout13millionvisitorsayear.Tocoincidewiththe13,000
residentsthatactuallycallithome,Malibuspansoverapproximately45,000acres.Thereare
overthreedozenbeaches,withSurfriderBeach,ZumaBeach,andLeoCarilloBeachreigningas
themostpopular.Offeringirresistibleviews,localspridethemselvesoffthevarietyofclimates
andterrainwhichcreatesauniqueenvironmentandruralatmospheretheyintendtopreserve
(CaliforniaBeaches,Malibu).
WhiletheentertainmentindustrycreatesaglorifiedperceptionofMalibu,thereisanother
sidetothewanderlustcoast.Malibubeachesfacerepetitiveissueswithwaterpollution,atruly
unforeseenreality.LosAngelesCountybeachesoftenmakeHealtheBaysannualBeach
BummerList,arankingofCalifornias10mostpollutedbeaches.Accordingtotheirofficial
website,HealtheBayorganizationisanenvironmentalnonprofitdedicatedtomakingthe
coastalwatersandwatershedsofGreaterLosAngelessafe,healthyandclean.
TheyassignagradeofAtoFtoeachbeachbasedontheirlevelsofbacterial
pollution.Apoorgrademeansbeachgoersfaceahigherriskofcontractingillnessessuchas
stomachflue,earinfections,upperrespiratoryinfections,andskinrashes,thanswimmersat
cleanerbeaches(SavetheBay,2007).TheyusetwodistinctsamplingsitesintheMalibuarea:
MalibuPierandnoneotherthanSurfriderBeach.MelissaCaskey,ajournalist,statesina
newspaperwriteupofoneBeachBummerListthatthesamplesitesaredeterminedbytheLos
AngelesCountyDepartmentofPublicHealth.Then,HealtheBaytakesthecountysdataand
compliesitforitsannualreportcard(MalibuTimes2013).
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In2007,sevenoutoftenworstbeacheswereinLACounty,withSurfriderBeachranked
asfifth.Thismarkedthesixthtimethebeachmadethelistinthepriorsevenyears.Waterquality
issuesattheinfamousbeachdocumentbackovertwodecadesago.InAugustof1990,theLA
Timespublishedanarticleentitled,SurfersStayAwayFromMalibuBeachRuinedby
Pollution.Thearticleentailsanavidsurfer,JohnVanHamersveld,whorecountstheexperience
ofgettingafacerashandearinfectionafterswimminginthelegendarywaves.Thelistderives
thequestionsofnotonlyhowthewestcoastwatersgetpolluted,butalsowhyitcontinuesto
occur.
TherearevariouscausesofwaterpollutioninMalibu,bothnatureandmaninduced.A
naturalprocessthatcontributestopollutioninvolveskelponthebeach,whichaccumulateshigh
levelsofbacteria.However,theleadingcauseofpollutionintheareaisurbanrunoff;storm
waterbecomescontaminatedwhilerunningdowntheroad,beforeenteringdrains.Thiscontent
carriessoilfromconstructionsites,automobileoilandexhaust,gardenfertilizers,overflowfrom
faultyseptictanks,andtrashfromstreetsafteritstorms(TheAtlasofCalifornia,2013).The
substancemakesitwaytotheoceanthroughdirectimpact,drainagesystems,rivers,orestuaries
(semienclosedcoastalbodiesofwaterthathaveafreeconnectiontothesea).LACounty
containsthousandsofindustrialfactories,oilfields,andwastefacilities,whichallcontributeto
thepollutionofstormwater.Although,pollutiondoesnotseizeatindirecthumanefforts.
Averagebeachgoersdirectlyaidpollutionwithmarinedebris.Marinedebrisisanyaccumulation
ofitemsbroughttoandleftonbeaches.Debriscanincludematerialscarriedinurbanrunoff,but
humansalsopollutewaterwithtrash,plasticitemsasmentioned,andgarbagethatcomesfrom
ships.
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Thesetypesofpollutionhavedifferentimpacts,yetaffectbothhumansafetyandmarine
life.Rawsewageandrisingbacterialevelscreateanunsafeenvironmentforswimming.If
samplinglevelsofbacteriaarehighandoverregulation,awarningsignwillbepostedonthe
beach.In2014,theEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyestimatedthatupto3.5millionpeople
becomeillfromcontactwithrawsewageorsanitaryseweroverflowseachyear(SantaMonica
Mirror2014).However,pubichealthexpertsbelievethatthenumberofillnessesmightactually
begreater,duetothefactthatpeopledonotalwaysrecognizethesourceoftheirsymptomsas
theocean,thus,theydonotreportit.Similarly,marinedebrisaffectsthelivesofmarineanimals.
Thefirstharmfulrepercussionistheconceptofghostfishing,whenitemsunintendedforfishing
(oftenplastic)becometraps(WaterEncyclopedia,2016).Plasticremainsthegreatestthreatto
marinelife,asitlastsupto500years.Duetoitsexposuretosun,wind,andwater,itisbroken
downtomicroscopicparticlesthatcanabsorbtoxicchemicals(NationalGeographic,2015).
Animalsmistakebagsforfoodorparticlesforplankton,andinresulttheplasticcanchokethem,
poisonthem,orstarvethembyfoolingtheirbodiesintofeelingfull.Theeffectsofpollutioncan
bedetrimentalforavarietyofspecies.
ThecityofMalibutakesstrideseveryyeartocombathighlevelsofpollution.Thecity
builtarainwaterharvestingdevicetocatchstormwaterbeforeitisreleasedintodrains.
However,beachesstillevidentlyfaceissues,andthewaterqualityfluctuatesyearbyyear.
Weathertakespartindictatingthequalityofwater.Qualityissitespecificandcanbevastly
differentwithinashortdistance.Asreportedwithurbanrunoffbeingthenumberonesourceof
pollution,youtendtoseehigherlevelsofitwhentheresmorewetweather(MalibuTimes
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2013).Ultimately,adryperiodinCaliforniamayprovidesomeinsighttoahighreportcard
grade,whilewetterweathercanleadtomorepollution.
Asaveragebeachgoers,wecantakesmalleffortsinthefightagainstpollution,thatcan
impactaglobalscale.Wecanbemindfulofourtrash,recycleourplastic,anddoourpartin
keepingbeachesascleanaspossible.Itismucheasiertotosseverythingonthegroundorina
bininsteadofrecycling.Ifwecannotbreakthesesmallhabitsnow,whatwilldriveusto?When
thereisntanysandleft?Whenwatersaresotoxic,theyaregone?Iwouldagreethatthefuture
ofhumandignitydependsonourdoingso.
WorksCited
04,August."SurfersStayAwayFromMalibuBeachRuinedPollution."LosAngelesTimes.Los
AngelesTimes,1990.Web.24Oct.2016
"AboutUs."AboutUs|HealtheBay.Web.1Nov.2016
"BestBeachesinMalibuCalifornia."CaliforniaBeaches.Web.14Nov.2016.
Caskey,Melissa."MalibuPieraBeachBummerforFirstTime."MalibuTimes.MalibuTimes,
2013.Web.24Oct.2016.
"HealTheBayAnnouncesBeachReportCardWithGradesForCalifornia'sBestAndWorst
Beaches."HealTheBayAnnouncesBeachReportCardWithGradesForCalifornia's
BestAndWorstBeaches|SaveTheBay,2007.Web.24Oct.2016.
Jackson,Jeremy.HowWeWreckedtheOcean.TedTalk.Ted,2015.
Videofile.30Sep.2016.
MalibuPierBeachNamedAmongNationsMostConsistentlyPollutedArea.SantaMonica
Mirror.SantaMonicaMirror,2014.Web.24Oct.2016.
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"OceanTrash:5.25TrillionPiecesandCounting,butBigQuestionsRemain."National
Geographic.NationalGeographic,2015.Web.17Nov.2016.
Walker,Richard,andSureshK.Lodha.TheAtlasofCalifornia:MappingtheChallengesofa
NewEra.Berkeley:UofCalifornia,2013.Print.17Nov.2016.
"WaterEncyclopedia."LandUseandWaterQualityRiver,Effects,
Important,Salt,Types,System,Plants,Source,Effect,Oxygen,Human.Web.10Nov.
2016.
Von,Weizscker,ErnstU.Sustainability:ATaskfortheNorth.Journalofinternationalaffairs
(NewYork),1991.Print.14Oct.2016.
ShowWhatYouKnowReflection
Towritethisresearchessay,Istartedoffbytrulyallowingmyselftoexperience
theprewritingphasethatIhavetalkedaboutsincereadingDweckandMurraysworklikeIhad
doneinthepast.However,forthisessay,Istartedofalittledifferentthannormal.Iamcurrently
inaCommunicationclassformymajorhereatWestChester,calledGroupCommunication.
Thissemesterhasbeeninterestingtosaytheleast,asthisclasswasmyfirsttimewritingagroup
paperandagrouppresentation.Awomaninmyparticulargroupactuallyunknowinglytaught
mealessonabouttheprewritingphrase.Aswesatinthelibrarytryingtodevelopouressay,she
wouldsayphraseslike,Iamjustwritingthisdownquicktogetmythoughtsout,wecango
backandrewordtheparagraph.Heractionsremindedmeofourfocusedfreewritesinclass.
WhileIhavedonefreewritesinthismannerinthepast,Ihadneveractuallyappliedtheconcept
toanessaybefore.Whenourfirstextremelyroughdraftwasdue,Ifeltveryunprepared.Ihad
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mostofmyresearchconducted,butdidntquiteknowwhattoincludeinmyessay,andhowI
wantedtoconnecteverything.Thus,Itriedtoapplymygroupmembersprocessofjustwriting
thoughtsdown.Icametoclasswithabouttwoandahalfpagesregardingthesocialinjustice
humansfacewhenitcomestobeaches,withoutevenintroducingMalibuyet.Eventually,after
creatingmoreofmyessay,Itriedtoconcisethesethoughtsdowntoapage.
Cypheringthroughmyinformation,IrealizedIhadmoretosaythanfivepages.Thats
whenIhadtodecidedwhatinformationwasbasicenoughtounderstandandfittogether,
comparedtootheraspectsoftheprojectthatwouldsolelybeformyprojectinstead.Closetothe
endofmywork,Ialsohadtroublewithcitations.Ididmybesttolookthroughhandbooksand
PurdueOwl.Ihavelearnedaboutcitingwebsitesintext,butIfeelalittlerustyasitisnotas
traditionalascitingfromabook.
Imustadmitthat,whileIdidnotnecessarilystrugglecontentwiseasidefromcitations
withthisessay,Ifacedsometechnologicalandtimemanagementchallenges.Afterfinishingmy
essay,Iaccidentallydeletedabouttwopagesandhadtorewritethem.Yes.Afterabouteight
yearsofalwaysbeingtoldtosavemyworkIforgottoandMicrosoftWordrestarteditself.I
didnotworrytoomuchaboutthishowever,Isimplytookthisasanopportunitytofurtherrefine
theorganizationoftheessay.Additionally,IfacedissueswithD2L.Ihavebeenreceivingclass
emails,butcouldnotfigureoutmygroupsituationtopeeredit.Ididnothavetimetotakemy
papertothewritingcenterduetomyclassandworkscheduleonMonday,howeverIdofull
heartedlybelievethatpeereditingisnecessaryandbeneficial.Itookeffortstosendmyessayto
mypeerwhoisanEnglishmajor,andalsotoanotherfriendwhoisinadifferentwriting200
levelcourse.Bothstudentsattemptedtoreadthroughmyconventionswhileprovidingmewith
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usefulfeedback.Theytoldmewhatsentenceswerewordedawkwardandwhatsectionscouldbe
condensed.
Finally,Ineededtocreateatitle,somethingIamstillstrugglingforasImentioned
duringgroupconferences.IwillnotgointotoomuchdetailabouthowIchosetofocuson
MalibusSurfriderBeachbecausethiswillbeintheprojectreflection,howeverIwillreiterate
thatIwasshockedtoseeMalibubeachesfacingwaterpollution.AsImentionedinthepaper,the
townisextremelyglorified,whichmademeexcitedtoresearch.Thetitleismyattemptataplay
onwordsasthereisamovieentitled,MalibusMostWantedandIwantedtoseekthe
knowledgebehindthewaterpollutionattheinfamousSurfriderBeachbecauseittrulyshocked
me.