The use of plastic hurts the ocean.

The Ocean Conservation Club focuses on making the ocean “cleaner and safer” says the President of the club, Neftali Carranza.

Sometimes they collaborate with the Environmental Club and the Garden Club such as researching current sustainability or the club researches on topics/current events that affect the ocean.

The most recent project the club has worked on this semester is creating a plastic replacement using beeswax wraps. Beeswax is an alternative to plastic materials  used everyday for food, such as siram wrap and ziploc bags. To make the beeswax wraps, one would use 100 percent cotton cloth and 100 percent beeswax. The beeswax is sprinkled onto the cloth, and after the  oil and cookie or wax sheet are applied, it is ironed and left to dry. The beeswax wrap is reusable and over time become duller and duller.

The club also focuses on  how to discard the use of plastic. Last year the club participated in the city council meeting for the plastic straw ban in Encinitas.

“A single use of plastic goes a long way because that plastic doesn’t decompose or deteriorate fast because it takes years,” Carranza said.  

The club has been trying to work with city of San Marcos to oppose offshore drilling. Offshore drilling is used to get a petroleum from the grounds in the ocean, and when it is in process, it kills anything that is in its way such as sea animals.

The club does beach clean ups every other Saturday.

“At the first beach clean up we did, [the beach] was filled with people, there was trash everywhere and we filled buckets and buckets of trash. The trash was steps away and arms length away from people, and they would just walk by it and would not throw it away,” Carranza said. “Simple things such as a beach clean up can really make a difference.”

Carranza said she joined because of the sea turtles. She grew up in Point Loma, where the beach is down the street. Carranza said she has seen how private beaches have more trash and less seashells.

“[People] need to help the environment by cleaning the ocean, doing their part in sustainability. [When] you go to the beach, you don’t want to see trash or you do not want to see all this litter everywhere, you want to have a nice beach to enjoy it, it’s nature, it’s been here before us,” Carranza said.

Anyone is welcome to join the club, one just needs to attend any club meeting which happens every other Thursday. If interested, message the club’s Instagram, @csusm_occ to join the mailing list or email [email protected] for more information.