Announcing Rozalia Project's Trash Tour 2011

Big snow yesterday and big news today. We have finally and officially launched the Trash Tour 2011 with the following press release. I have been in planning mode for several months and now everything is starting to pick up. We have received our 501(c)(3) non-profit determination letter, we have a new logo (so excited) and after a great US Sailing National Sailing Programs Symposium where I had the honor to present to the entire conference, we have lots of interest for the coming summer.

I expect to have news and stories coming thick and fast as we head for the spring. For now, here is the press release. Please pass it on, look at your schedule and join us this summer at a stop or even better as part of the crew. Enjoy the snow (but get psyched about the summer)...

For Immediate Release:

Rachael Z. Miller

Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean

Office: 802-767-3784

Cell: 802-578-6120

rachael@rozaliaproject.org

www.rozaliaproject.org

Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean launches the Rozalia Project Trash Tour 2011.

The Rozalia Project and its world famous mothership, American Promise, is coming to clean marine debris from the local waters of New England in 2011.

Fifteen community sailing centers, yacht clubs, maritime museums and businesses from New York to Down East Maine have partnered with the Rozalia Project to host American Promise and get the local community involved in hands on clean up, and marine debris education programs.

Trash Tour 2011 locations:

Scarano Boatyard, Port of Albany NY: June 24th

Portside, Brooklyn, NY: June 27-28

The Waterfront Center, Oyster Bay, NY: June 29 – July 1

Providence Community Boating, RI: July 5-7

Herreshof Museum, Bristol, RI: July 8-10

Sail Newport, Newport, RI: July 11-13

New Bedford Community Sailing, New Bedford MA: July 14-16

Eastern and Pleon Yacht Clubs, Marblehead, MA: July 18-20

American Promise Celebration, Marblehead, MA: July 19

Courageous Sailing, Boston, MA: July 21-23

Dates to be confirmed at:

Tabor Academy, Marion, MA

Nantucket Community Sailing Center, MA

Martha’s Vineyard, MA

Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, ME

North East Harbor Sailing Center, ME

Eighty percent of all marine debris, especially plastics, blows or washes from the land into our harbors and coastal waters. From harbors it migrates its way into the great gyres of the oceans, where it breaks down into smaller and smaller particles, poisoning the water, wildlife, sea bed, and food chain with toxins. The Rozalia Project is targeting marine debris, especially plastic, that is in our harbors and coastal waters. This marine debris is relatively young, having just been blown or washed into our waters and tends to still be whole or in big, collectable pieces. We can make a dent in the problem of marine debris by collecting plastic before it degrades into uncollectible microscopic pieces.

There is a solution: pick it up on land and in the water. We can make a difference.

At each tour stop, Rozalia Project will run engaging and informative marine debris pick up and education programs dockside and onboard American Promise for people of all ages. Participants will have the opportunity to hunt for and pick up trash from the surface to the sea floor using nets as well as remotely operated vehicles (ROV) equipped with sonar and manipulators (to grab the trash). In addition, Rozalia Project will conduct side scan and ROV surveys of each harbor during trash pick up and education programs.

All marine debris removed from the ocean will be recorded and sorted for recycling and safe disposal on land.

About Rozalia Project: Rozalia Project is a 501(c)(3) non profit whose mission is to find and remove marine debris from oceans, seas, lakes and rivers through action, technology, outreach and research.

Rozalia Project was founded by Rachael Z. Miller and James Lyne in 2010. Rachael and James have spent their lives on the water, from studying marine mammals to racing at the Americas Cup, they have witnessed marine debris especially plastics polluting our oceans, lakes and rivers from New Zealand to the coast of Maine and everywhere in-between.

It was during a vacation on an island 25 miles off the coast of Maine, it's coastline covered in marine debris, that the light bulb went off for Rachael and James. There, they decided to do something about the problem of marine debris. That something was to "clean it up" and the Rozalia Project was born.

Who is Rozalia? Rozalia was Rachael’s great grandmother who crossed the Atlantic Ocean with her daughter Anne (Rachael’s grandmother) to avoid religious persecution in their homeland of the Ukraine. They entered the United States through Ellis Island to the American promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They both lived long, fulfilled and happy lives and their love of the ocean and belief that one person can make a difference was passed down to Rachael.

In 2010 Rozalia Project conducted several marine debris clean up and education programs in Boston (Community Boating), Providence (Community Boating), Newport (Sail Newport) and on Lake Champlain (Community Sailing Center). Volumes of trash were recovered and over 475 people participated in Rozalia Project’s programs.

Rozalia Project are specialists in underwater clean up, using 2 remotely operated vehicles equipped with video, manipulator arms and imaging sonar that can locate and pick up debris and bring it back to the surface. Rozalia Project has a side scan sonar that is used to survey whole areas for debris, so that we can pinpoint locations to launch the ROV’s and pick up the debris.

Rozalia Project's mothership is the round the world voyager, American Promise. This 60ft sailboat was built for ocean voyages and is the perfect vehicle for marine debris removal and research. Scientists to the general public can come on trash expeditions researching and removing debris.

You can make a difference. Volunteer or donate to the Rozalia Project.

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