Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Hosts Exciting, Informative Events for Both Children and Adults in March, April and May 2020

The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History has a number of fun and informative events for both children and adults on tap for March, April and May 2020.

Pacific Grove, CA, February 24, 2020 — The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History has a number of fun and informative events for both children and adults on tap for March, April and May 2020.

Here are the events scheduled so far for March, April, and May 2020. Events are held at the Museum, except where noted, at 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove.

Member Event: Birding by the Bay

8-10 a.m. Saturday, March 7, 2020

Canyon Del Rey Blvd, Del Rey Oaks, CA 93940

Members are invited to join us at Frog Pond Wetland Preserve as we wake up with the birds for some spotting and identifying! Amanda Preece, Board Member of the Monterey Audubon Society and with California State Parks at Asilomar, will be leading the walk as we peer through our binoculars to get a better look at those flighty friends that live all around us. Preece is no stranger to birds - making her living restoring native habitats and leading bird walks at Asilomar, pursuing a graduate degree in environmental science with her thesis related to songbird use of nest boxes, and spending her free time as a Black Oystercatcher monitor among other volunteering pursuits.

RSVP to brooker@pgmuseum.org

For members who do not have binoculars, we will have some on hand to share.

Not a member yet? Join at: pgmuseum.org/membership

Night Owl: Prehistoric Party

7-10 p.m. Saturday, March 14, 2020

Are You Ready To Party Like It's 19 Million Years Ago?
Join Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History as we put on a Night Owl fundraiser of epoch proportions! This will be your opportunity to get up-close to fossils from our collection, while enjoying games, craft drinks, delicious bites, and tromp-stomping music. Rediscover your sense of wonder while supporting the museum during this ancient after-hours event — extinction not guaranteed! Prehistoric costumes encouraged, and special prizes will be awarded for best costume.

$29 for members online, $39 for non-members online, and $49 at the door, which includes two food tickets and one drink ticket. Proceeds support museum education programs. Must be 21 and older. Visit www.pgmuseum.org/night-owl for tickets and further information.

Hardcore Natural History: When Plants Rules the Earth — The Legacy of the Carboniferous

6:30-8 p.m., Thursday, March 26, 2020

The Carboniferous Period of geologic time stands as a critical period in the history of the earth. Dr. Edward Clifton will describe how a combination of plate tectonics, global climate change and the evolution of land plants converged to create the coal resources that fueled the Industrial Revolution. We will visit the vast swamps that covered much of North America, Europe and Asia, noting the unique flora and fauna of the time. Wear everyday clothes — the Carboniferous climate was more like that of today than nearly any other period of geologic time. But you might want to bring repellent — Carboniferous insects were huge!

$5 for members online, $10 non-members online or $15 at the door.

Science Saturday — Bees, Wasps, Honey, & Hives
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 28, 2020

Explore the sweet side of science as Science Saturday turns its attention to bees, wasps, honey, and hives. Do all bees make honey? How do you tell a wasp from a bee? Do all bees sting? Find the answers to all of your buzzing questions as you complete a craft, and learn about some of our most important local pollinators. As always, admission to Science Saturday is free.

California Naturalist
11 weeks, every Wednesday starting Wednesday, March 25 thru June 3 (plus five Saturday field trips), from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Do you enjoy learning about the natural world? Would you like to learn about the amazing and unique ecology of California? If so, become a Certified California Naturalist! The Museum is partnering with University of California Cooperative Extension to offer this 12-week certification program. The California Naturalist class covers the natural and cultural history of California, with an in-depth look at our local ecology. Through field trips, classroom instruction and hands-on exercises, participants will observe and learn about the variety of plant and animal communities of our region.

For further information and to enroll, visit https://www.pgmuseum.org/california-naturalist

Smart Gardening Fair

10 am.-5 p.m. Saturday, April 4, 2020

The Monterey Bay Chapter of the UC Master Gardeners will be partnering with the Museum to host the Smart Garden Fair. This event will feature speakers, demonstrations, marketplace, and plant sale in the Museum’s Native Plant Garden.

Botanical Sketching Workshop

1-4 p.m. Saturday, April 11, 2020

Wildflower Month continues! Learn to draw our native wildflowers with local science illustrator Erin E. Hunter. The workshop will cover some basic plant anatomy and botanical drawing techniques. All skill levels welcome! $35 members, $45 non-members, 25 spots available.

To purchase tickets, go to: https://www.pgmuseum.org/museum-events/2020/04/11-botanical-sketching

59th Annual Wildflower Show

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, April 17-Sunday, April 19, 2020

For over half a century this Wildflower Show has been one of the largest on the Northern and Western Hemispheres with over 600 species and varieties of wildflowers. This is truly an event that generations of families can remember.

The Museum partners with the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) to hold this cherished annual event. More than 30 members of the Native Plant Society spend over a week scouring Monterey County and beyond collecting the finest specimens of wildflowers blooming that spring. Botanists, garden enthusiasts, and people just looking for flowers they would like to plant in their gardens will all appreciate this comprehensive and spectacular array of wildflowers.

Science Saturday — Day of the Dinosaur

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 25, 2020

Prepare for time travel during this prehistoric Science Saturday, when we'll set our sights on the age of the dinosaurs. Presented in partnership with the Carmel Valley Gem and Mineral Society, this event will feature fossils, footprints, and more as we learn what made the dinosaurs so successful, and also what led to their extinction. As always, admission to Science Saturday is free.

Illustrating Nature Exhibition Opening

5:30-7 p.m. Friday, May 1, 2020

The Museum invites you to attend the free opening reception for the 2020 Illustrating Nature Exhibit. Each year the Museum partners with the prestigious Science Illustration Program at CSUMB Extended Education to present art in the service of science. View artwork by the program's graduating students, who are sought after by scientific institutions and publications around the world.

This six-week exhibition begins Friday, May 1st, and runs until June 14, 2020.

Walk of Remembrance

1-4 p.m. Sunday, May 3, 2020

The 2020 Walk of Remembrance, honoring the lives of early Chinese-American settlers, will begin with introductions at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History and include light refreshments. Museum Executive Director Jeanette Kihs and fifth generation Chinese Fishing Village descendant Gerry Low-Sabado will be among those greeting visitors to the event. Low-Sabado will speak about her quest to tell her ancestor’s Chinese-American story. There will be a facilitated discussion to discover connections about how our own experiences impacts and influences history. The Monterey Bay Lion Dance Team will lead the walk to Lovers Point, then along the rec trail, to the site where the village once stood. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended for the half-mile trek.

Member Appreciation Night

5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, 2020

As a thank-you to Museum members and their continued support, we welcome members to join us for a night of hospitality to show our appreciation! The Museum opens its doors to members of all ages for beverages, refreshments, and crafts to celebrate the wonderful people who help make our mission possible.

RSVP to brooker@pgmuseum.org. Not a member yet? Join at pgmuseum.org/membership

Children’s Exhibit Opening

10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Saturday, May 16, 2020

Bring the family and come explore our newest addition to the museum: Children’s Exhibit-BUGS! This newest exhibit is dedicated to our youngest visitors, and to celebrate the grand opening, we will have delightful crafts and fun activities!

Nature Journaling in Monterey Bay with John Muir Laws

5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28, 2020

The Monterey region is a wonderful place to keep your own nature journal. Learn fundamental strategies and techniques to get your observations to paper! We will begin with a workshop, and end with a lecture and book signing from none other than John Muir Laws. Laws’ books will be available for sale in Museum Store. $35 for members, $45 for non-members, 35 spots available.

To purchase tickets, go to: https://www.pgmuseum.org/museum-events/20/05/28nature-journaling-johnmuirlaws

For more information on Museum events, call (831) 648-5716, email admin@pgmuseum.org or go to the website at www.pgmuseum.org.

About the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
In 1883, our museum opened its doors among the first wave of natural history museums in America. Naturalists of this era, such as John Muir And Louis Agassiz, began a national tradition of hands-on science education and nature preservation. The museum has continued this tradition for over 135 years. The museum’s mission is to inspire discovery, wonder, and stewardship of our natural world. It envisions a community of curious minds, engaged in discovering the natural heritage and cultural legacy that exist today on the Central California Coast. The Museum is a catalyst for conservation and a valued learning resource in this region, facilitating active inquiry for all ages.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.pgmuseum.org

Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Launches Six-week run of Illustrating Nature exhibit on May 1

The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History presents art in the service of science through an upcoming six-week exhibition titled Illustrating Nature.

Pacific Grove, CA, February 24, 2020 - The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History presents art in the service of science through an upcoming six-week exhibition titled Illustrating Nature.

To kick off the exhibit that runs through June 14, the museum (165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove) invites the public to attend a free opening reception on Friday, May 1 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Each year PGMNH partners with the Science Illustration Program at CSU-Monterey Bay Extended Education. One of the most prestigious programs of its kind in the nation, the Science Illustration Certificate at CSUMB prepares students who are sought after by renowned institutions and publications around the world.

The work of these graduates can be found at museums and science centers such as the Smithsonian Institution, New York’s American Museum of Natural History, California Science Center and the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History; in top science magazines such as National Geographic, Scientific American, American Scientist, Nature, Natural History and Audubon; at zoos, aquaria, and botanical gardens such as the National Zoo, Washington, D.C., the Monterey Bay Aquarium; Kew Botanical Gardens, U.K.; as well as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and hundreds of equally respected organizations.

For more information, call (831) 648-5716, email admin@pgmuseum.org or go to the website at www.pgmuseum.org.

About the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
In 1883, our museum opened its doors among the first wave of natural history museums in America. Naturalists of this era, such as John Muir And Louis Aggasiz, began a national tradition of hands-on science education and nature preservation. The museum has continued this tradition for over 130 years. The museum’s mission is to inspire discovery, wonder, and stewardship of our natural world. It envisions a community of curious minds, engaged in discovering the natural heritage and cultural legacy that exist today on the Central California Coast. The museum is a catalyst for conservation and a valued learning resource in this region, facilitating active inquiry for all ages.

News media: If images are used, please credit the artist.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.pgmuseum.org

CAB of Santa Cruz County, Inc., Hosts Anniversary Event on Oct. 30 to honor 55 years fighting poverty

To mark 55 years working against poverty, the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc., (CAB) will host a celebratory evening on Friday, Oct. 30 called “Honoring Our Past, Igniting The Future!”

Santa Cruz, CA, February 18, 2020 - To mark 55 years working against poverty, the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc., (CAB) will host a celebratory evening on Friday, Oct. 30 called “Honoring Our Past, Igniting The Future!”

“For us, celebrating 55 years is a milestone,” said CAB Executive Director Maria Elena De La Garza. “It’s about honoring decades of work, but knowing that our job is not done, and igniting our passion for the future because there’s so much more to do.”

According to De La Garza, Santa Cruz County has the second highest poverty rate in California (to Los Angeles County) when you factor in cost of living. More than three quarters of CAB’s clients have family incomes less than 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

Proceeds from the evening will help CAB operate six programs assisting close to 10,000 low-income people annually with impactful services.

The anniversary event promises “an evening of food, fun and inspiration,” taking place from 6-9 p.m. at the ISTW Portuguese Community Center, 124 Atkinson Lane in Watsonville. Early-bird tickets purchased before April 1 are priced at $75, and $95 from April through June ($110 after July 1). Find tickets at www.cabturns55.eventbrite.com.

Event sponsorships are available, from Gold ($10,000) to Partner ($1,000), with multiple benefits to the sponsor, including publicity, admission tickets and reserved table seating.

For more information, visit www.cabinc.org or call (831) 763-2147, ext. 294.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.cabinc.org

For 55 years, CAB of Santa Cruz County, Inc., has Worked to Eliminate Poverty and create Social change through Advocacy and Essential services

In January of 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced his famous “war on poverty,” vowing in his State of the Union address “not only to relieve the symptom of poverty, but to cure it and, above all, to prevent it.”

Santa Cruz, CA, February 18, 2020 - In January of 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced his famous “war on poverty,” vowing in his State of the Union address “not only to relieve the symptom of poverty, but to cure it and, above all, to prevent it.”

More than half a century later, the Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc., (CAB) continues that battle, operating six programs that assist close to 10,000 low-income people with emergency, sustaining/self-sufficiency services.

For 55 years — through ever-changing political and social landscapes — CAB has fought for a thriving, equitable and diverse community, free from poverty and injustice.

“We have the second highest poverty rate in California (to Los Angeles County) when you factor in cost of living,” said CAB Executive Director Maria Elena De La Garza, who notes that more than three quarters of CAB’s clients have family incomes less than 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

To mark its 55 years working on the front lines fighting poverty, CAB will hold an event on Friday, Oct. 30 at the ISTW Portuguese Community Center in Watsonville. The theme of the evening is “Honoring Our Past, Igniting The Future!”

“For us, celebrating 55 years is a milestone,” said De La Garza. “It’s about honoring decades of work, but knowing that our job is not done, and igniting our passion for the future because there’s so much more to do.”

De La Garza said she would “love to work ourselves out of a job,” but that there still remains “a gap or disconnect or lack of knowledge about how people are impacted by poverty, what their assets are and what their needs are.”

There are multiple reasons for this “gap,” according to De La Garza, including political rhetoric, misinformation, miscommunication, and mistrust of systems in place.

This makes CAB’s mission even more significant, with more than 40 employees and nearly 600 volunteers working with the community on solutions to eliminate poverty and create social change through advocacy and essential services.

CAB’s board of directors come from diverse segments of the community, with low-income advocates, public sector representatives and individuals from the private sector as well.

“We stand at an interesting place, between grassroots activists and systems, and that’s a great place to be,” she said. “We get to engage with the community and hear from them and create a pathway to support change and strengthen systems to support low-income people.”

To stay abreast of the poverty situation in the county, every two years CAB conducts a needs assessment to guide its multi-year Community Action Plan. This helps capture a truer and deeper understanding of poverty in the community, leading to targeted action on many fronts.

“Over 55 years, the community has trusted us, the clients have trusted us, the families have trusted us, and our partners, too,” said De La Garza. “We can’t do this work alone, in a vacuum. There has to be trust in the work we do, and the value of the relationships we hold.”

For more information, visit www.cabinc.org or call (831) 763-2147, ext. 294.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.cabinc.org

Two weeks after passing a VNA CPR course, Pacific Grove Woman Saves Life of Motorcyclist

Just two weeks after completing her CPR course with VNA Community Services, a nurse in Pacific Grove was called to action.

Pacific Grove, CA, February 17, 2020 - Just two weeks after completing her CPR course with VNA Community Services, a nurse in Pacific Grove was called to action. This community health nurse was educated, confident, and capable of responding to save a life. Driving down Pine Avenue with her daughters, the Pacific Grove nurse came upon a rider less motorcycle in the street. Without hesitation, she pulled over — first on the scene.

The motorcyclist had experienced cardiac arrest and the recent CPR training saved a life. Feeling no pulse, the nurse initiated CPR as 911 already had been called. After two rounds of CPR, the victim regained consciousness and was transported to the hospital.

Two weeks after taking the Basic Life Support course, taught by April Brazinksy, RN, BSN and Mary Ann Franscioni, illustrated VNA’s CPR motto —

“Hindsight is 2020: This Year Prepare to Save a Life.”

As part of its ongoing mission to provide community health care services, VNA Community Services has launched an initiative to train local residents with skills necessary to save the life of a friend, family member of stranger in need of CPR.

If performed immediately, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) can double or triple a person’s chance of survival by keeping blood and oxygen flowing to the brain and other vital organs. Sadly, this happens less than 10 percent of the time outside of the hospital.

VNA will offer Basic Life Support (BLS) for healthcare providers, and Heartsaver for community members.

BLS is offered the second Thursday each month at VNA, 5 Lower Ragsdale, Monterey, while Heartsaver is available on location or at VNA by arrangement.

While the BLS course ensures ongoing certification for healthcare workers, Heartsaver is appropriate for anyone — parents, grandparents, babysitters, teachers, coaches, office workers and more.

BLS Blended Instruction costs $80, while Heartsaver Blended Instruction is $95. Each course keeps class sizes between 4-12 members.

VNA instructors follow training provided by the American Heart Association. Certifications are valid for two years.

For more information, call 831-372-6668, or visit www.ccvna.com.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.ccvna.com

Center for Community Advocacy Turns 30

In 1992, farmworkers in the Salinas Valley were discovered living in squalid and unsafe conditions in lean-tos and caves, without running water, heat or toilet facilities.

Salinas, CA, February 17, 2020 - In 1992, farmworkers in the Salinas Valley were discovered living in squalid and unsafe conditions in lean-tos and caves, without running water, heat or toilet facilities. The discovery became national news, giving rise to such headlines as “Harvest of Despair” and the living quarters facetiously called “Rancho de Cuevas,” or Cave Ranch.

It was a seminal and catalytic moment for the recently formed organization, Center for Community Advocacy, which had only been founded two years earlier and was trying to establish its identity and mission.

CCA’s initial mission was to give farmworkers a voice in their housing choices and conditions by empowering them to organize with fellow farmworkers and demand safer, healthier and livable housing. CCA did that by organizing and forming neighborhood committees in each labor camp and farmworker housing complexes who could then advocate for their own camps.

“That was a key moment in CCA history and catalyzed the creation of the CCA,” said CCA Executive Director Daniel Gonzalez about that shocking 1992 revelation. “It gave CCA the fuel it needed. CCA was initially about housing, but these cases themselves don’t define the CCA culture. We’re not just about giving out information, but to develop leadership so farmworkers can speak for themselves.”

That mission is distilled in CCA’s slogan, “Helping Farmworkers Help Themselves,” which now goes beyond just housing issues to include health and nutrition issues, safety, education and strengthening family relationships.

CCA’s daunting challenge after it was founded was crystalized in comments made by one of the early leaders of a neighborhood committee, Jesus Fernandez, who was quoted in a video made by CCA in the late 1990s: “We didn’t even know we had any rights.” That was a stunning revelation to the public at large, which may have taken these rights for granted and may not have been aware that members of its own community were denied these most basic of human rights.

Gonzalez cites two accomplishments in the past 30 years that further raised CCA’s profile and standing in the community: the creation of a joint board of directors that featured representation from all segments of the community, from farmworkers and farm owners to developers, community leaders, corporate leaders, members of the clergy, and elected officials; and the creation of VIVA, a coalition of all neighborhood committees that was also represented on the board.

That was in the early 1990s, when VIVA consisted of representatives from 10 neighborhood committees (or comités). That number is now 40 and still growing. The board at the time also included CCA’s co-founder, Lydia Villareal, who was Deputy District Attorney at the time and was involved in the 1992 labor camp case and is currently President of CCA’s Board of Directors. Other board members when CCA was founded included such community leaders as Basil Mills of Mills Distributing Co., Bob R. Nielsen, Vice President and General Counsel of Tanimura & Antle, Inc., attorney Vanessa Vallarta, developer Mike Fletcher and Sam Karas of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors.

One of the most significant figures in the founding and development of CCA has been Sabino Lopez, who has been at CCA from the onset in 1990, holding a variety of roles including organizer, deputy director, leader/organizer, and Interim Executive Director in 2017-2018.

Lopez led the development of CCA’s award-winning organizing model and for nearly three decades has served as a steward of the organization’s mission to develop and empower the farmworker community in the Salinas and Pajaro Valleys. He is currently CCA’s Deputy Director.

“We are bridge-builders, we work on both sides,” said Gonzalez, who became CCA executive director in November 2018. “We have these connections with farmworkers and growers. Everyone’s got a side, an issue and that’s what CCA is about. Giving access to people is key for this model to develop and to work.”

CCA’s early efforts not only brought to light the dangerous and unhealthy conditions of “Rancho de Cuevas”, but also of so-called “legal” labor camps in which farmworkers paid $500 a month in dilapidated units that were built in the 1920s and were only meant to be temporary housing, as well as a devastating 1991 fire in the Kent Court Camp outside of Watsonville that displaced six families. CCA filed suit on behalf of 33 families in that instance and got compensation for their losses.

In addition, CCA helped broker a deal between residents who lived in the “Tres Palmas” Trailer Park in Pajaro and the landlord, who had long neglected repairs and maintenance in the park. After withholding rent for eight months (it was held in an account to be paid later), the landlord agreed to sell the trailer park to the residents, which formed a corporation with CCA as the governing body.

One of the biggest early success stories was the building of the Moro Cojo housing development, which consisted of 175 homes and 90 apartments for 300 families, at the time the largest development of its kind in rural California.

“I’ve seen several changes, particularly changes in attitude,” said attorney Vallarta, who served as executive director for six years, after the opening of Moro Cojo. “The sense that I can act to make a difference in my life or the sense that I don’t have to take it anymore, that I can act to make my life better. That’s the message that CCA brings to folks.”

And, 30 years later, while CCA still advocates for housing issues, it has expanded its mission and programs to include health and nutrition through its Health Promoters (Promotores Comunitarios Project); a Strong Families Program that strives to reduce violence and other forms of abusive behavior by teaching strategies that strengthen family relationships; and most recently its support of Youth for Change (Y4C), a group that identifies, recruits, trains and engages future leaders within East Salinas communities.

In its appeal last year to the Monterey County Weekly’s annual fundraising campaign for nonprofit groups, MC Gives!, CCA wrote: “CCA believes that youth leaders need an infrastructure to develop leadership capacity and to develop common agendas where leaders can take collective action to improve communities. Local youth benefit from the Y4C program by: developing skills that make them active participants in their community; using what they learn to help improve the quality of lives for their families and peers; developing community-based youth agendas for collective action; and receiving higher education and career guidance.”

Y4C was born when CCA began organizing adult residents in the Acosta Plaza neighborhood, launching several resident-led activities such as the construction of a basketball court and park area. During the project, youths, accompanying their parents, started attending meetings and work activities. They then invited other friends to join the effort and shortly thereafter, CCA was working with a core group of youth who testified at City Council hearings to secure funds for the project, conducted their own fundraising activities to support the project, surveyed their neighbors to increase resident support for the project and provided labor for the project. As the project neared completion, the youthful leaders formed a group and named themselves Youth for Change, developing an agenda that aided their civic participation.

A big component of the program involves education and career guidance. Youth and their parents participate in sessions where they learn about requirements, resources and important information needed to move forward toward a higher education. The goal of the program is for participants to secure an educational path to college. At the end of the program they visit a campus of their choice to learn about the intricacies and costs of college life.

“That’s our real foundation, to commit kids to issues in their community,” said Gonzalez about the importance of Y4C. “Helping youths get out of poverty, go to college or vocational school and help solve issues in their community and change the narrative, that’s the essence of CCA. The more people we commit to this, the more chance we have to make a change.”

Gonzalez said that CCA needs to forge ahead, keep its programs active and evolving and involve as many segments of the community it can to effect change.

“It really has changed people’s lives and we need to continue doing this work, because if we stop, people forget,” he said.

Center for Community Advocacy
22 West Gabilan Street
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 753-2324
cca-viva.org

CCA’s staff is available Monday through Friday for client interviews by appointment. CCA is also available to meet with clients in the field, at their place of residence, in the evening or after normal working hours, by appointment.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.cca-viva.org

A General store for all things Earth and People Friendly, Eco Carmel introduces Bulk section for Body products and Household cleansers to avoid Single-use Plastics

Shockingly, Americans buy 1 million plastic bottles every minute, with 17 million barrels of oil used each year on plastic production.

Carmel, CA, February 14, 2020 - Shockingly, Americans buy 1 million plastic bottles every minute, with 17 million barrels of oil used each year on plastic production.

Knowing that single-use plastics represent the biggest threat to the health of the planet and its inhabitants, Kristi Reimers of Eco Carmel has installed a bulk section for body products and household cleansers.

Customers at Eco Carmel bring their own reusable containers for everyday products often purchased elsewhere in plastic packaging, or they can purchase glass or aluminum containers at the store.

“For me, what makes what we do different is that we’re not doing bulk for bulk’s sake,” Reimers said. “There are a lot of classic bulk products that I would never put on my skin.”

What makes Eco Carmel unique is that Reimers orders product samples, and the staff tests them for up to six months. “We vet all our products,” she said. “There is so much research needed, because there is little to no regulation. So we ask: ‘Is this truly green and healthy or just a green-washed product?’ ”

Known as a general store selling a multitude of Earth- and people-friendly items (from mattresses to loungewear to everyday reusable items), Eco Carmel opened in 2010. This summer Reimers will celebrate her 10th anniversary at 7th Avenue and San Carlos in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

“I opened the store with many sections, but the beauty of owning your own business is being able to change and adapt to what the customers need,” Reimers said. “My baby section started with one table. It’s been received so well because there’s no other place on the Monterey Peninsula with such a wide selections of organic, fair-trade products, like natural rubber toys, healthy baby body care and organic clothing that is safe for babies.”

Eco Carmel does not sell many food products, electing instead to support Carmel’s Cornucopia Community Market and send customers there.

“I don’t want to compete with other businesses. I like to work symbiotically with other like-minded businesses.” Reimers said. “I just want customers to have access to the best products.”

That integrity shows in how much research Reimers and her “right-hand woman” Megan Root put into all products sold at Eco Carmel.

“Our customers often say they appreciate how much they learn. They tell me: ‘I don’t have time to do research, I’m busy, and there is so much misinformation out there. I appreciate you taking the time to do all that for us.’ ”

For more information, visit www.ecocarmel.com or call (831) 624-1222.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.ecocarmel.com