News
Make 2017 the year of the Shark
An estimated 100 million sharks are killed every year with fins from up to 73 million used for shark fin soup, primarily to supply the market in Mainland China. A pair of shark fins can sell for as much as US$700 per kg in Asia. Some shark populations have declined by up to 98% in the last 15 years and nearly one third of pelagic sharks species are considered threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Our goal is to measurably reduce this consumption of shark fin in China and Southeast Asia. In 2006, when we started our shark fin campaign, knowledge of the problem in China was negligible. Surveying showed that 75% of Chinese were unaware that shark fin soup came from sharks (the dish is called “fish wing soup” in Mandarin), while 19% believed the fins grew back, and few understood the impact on shark populations. What you can do this year... 1. Choose sustainable seafood. Shark populations everywhere are impacted by fisheries, both directly as target species, often for their fins, and indirectly as bycatch – the unintended catch of non-target species. So choosing not to eat shark fin soup is only the first step. Choosing to purchase sustainably sourced seafood, with limited bycatch, can also help sharks. Seafood Watch produces a smart phone app and downloadable, regional pocket guides for the U.S. so everyone can have access to information for making the best choices in buying seafood. Click here for the app, which is also available in Canada via iTunes or Oceanwise. Also, consider reducing the amount of seafood you consume if you are concerned about mercury in fish. You can calculate your mercury intake here. 2. Engage in responsible shark ecotourism. Shark ecotourism is good for local economies and can be very good for shark conservation, making the animals worth more alive than dead. If you are already a shark diver, you can focus your 2016 adventures on countries that are promoting sustainable shark diving and have established shark sanctuaries — the Bahamas and Palau, for example. Avoid countries that are not protecting their sharks — Costa Rica, for example. Do some online research and make a few inquiries before choosing a shark diving operator to assure that they 1) have a solid safety record, and 2) are affiliated with reputable and effective conservation and/or research. You can learn more about the value of shark ecotourism via Shark Savers. 3. Teach your kids to respect Sharks with our Baby Shark Hoodiekinz robe. KEEP YOUR BABY WARM AND DRY - NO ONE WILL MESS WITH YOUR LITTLE SHARK IN THIS SUPER SOFT PLUSH 100% COTTON OVERSIZED HOODED TOWEL ROBE. Our cotton is velvety smooth with a heavier weight than other hoodie towels. THREE SIZES - SMALL for INFANTS up to 9mo.- MED TODDLERS 9- 18mo. LARGE for 18-24mo. Each robe towel has two terry ties in front for a snug fit. The hood has smiling shark's teeth, embroidered black eyes and a fin accent on the hood and back. Our cute shark hoodie towel robe for babies and toddlers will go from the bath to the pool to the beach to the lake. YOU ARE HELPING SAVE OUR SEA WILDLIFE - Proceeds from the sale of Hoodiekinz baby hooded towels goes to Shark Savers a WildAid program, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving sharks and mantas through building awareness, education, and action. MAKES A GREAT GIFT - This baby towel with hood is available in both Pink and Blue and is perfect for a baby shower gift, birthday gift, Christmas gift or holiday gift. TRUSTED BRAND 100% GUARANTEE - HOODIEKINZ is part of the Varela family, a trusted brand of quality products. Your satisfaction is our priority and we are proud to offer 100% Money Back Guarantee from our world-class customer service. No questions asked, buy risk free. All of our products ship from the US and are fulfilled by Amazon for fast, easy shipping.
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Giving Tuesday - Help Support These World Class Marine Organizations
Please help us support these world class Marine Organizations who are helping to heal and protect our Oceans. Please take action to make the Oceans healthier for our children and theirs too by supporting these organizations. Santa Barbara Channel Keeper Surfrider Foundation National Marine Sanctuaries Wild Oceans Whale and Dolphin Conservation Sea Turtle Conservancy Coral Restoration Foundation Channel Island Park Foundation Oceana Here's a few easy things you can do to help heal and protect our Oceans. 1. Avoid pesticides, fertilizers and toxic cleaning products. The rivers of our world are funneling chemicals into the ocean all the time. So use natural fertilizers like manure, avoid foods that have been grown with pesticides, and choose non-toxic cleaning products. 2. Cut down on the amount of stuff you buy. Ditch the disposable stuff and pick up litter wherever you see it. 3. Demand sustainable seafood at the market and in restaurants. Or just don’t eat seafood. 4. Reduce your carbon footprint. Conserve energy, power down, and demand alternative sources of energy that are renewable and carbon-free. Read more about ocean acidification here: http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/Ocean+Acidification 5. Respect your beach! Tidepools are fragile, and coral reefs are even more so. So just don’t mess with the ocean plants and animals. They’re having a tough enough time as it is these days. Thanks to Who's Green for their great list. http://whosgreenaz.com/2014/08/22/heres-5-easy-ways-help-ocean/
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Turkish Towels for Any Season
One of the things that attracted me to Turkish towels was their versatility. The most obvious use of course is a towel for the beach or pool, but there are so many more. They are truly a season-less item that can be used throughout your house and daily life to add to your decor or wardrobe. During the cooler months I love using them as tablecloths as well as scarves and of course in your bathroom, as our Turkish towels make a great alternative to regular terry bath towels. They dry quicker and are very absorbent. We recommend our Antibes and Diamond collections for anyone that wants to add some texture and style to their powder room. And with the holidays coming up, our Turkish towels also make great Christmas presents or holiday gifts and are a very nice hostess gift for a holiday dinner you are attending or if you are staying with someone as an out of town guest. Check back often for more tips on how to use our Turkish towels and please contact us Ciao@RivieraTowel.com if you have any questions. We love to hear from you!
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Towels for Trophies in 1st Annual Aquathon
The Riviera Towel Company was a proud sponsor of the The Channel Keeper Foundation's 1st annual Aquathon. Thematically on point the Santa Barbara towels were used as prizes for this family-friendly, multi-sport, on-the-water event. Featuring a Surfathon, Swimathon, Supathon and Mega-Aquathon the event brought the Santa Barbara community together to raise awareness and funds to protect and restore our beloved ocean "Our collections are more than beautiful turkish towels they are the embodiment of our desire to protect and restore our oceans on a global scale. We hope that creating this relationship with the Channel Keeper Foundation will turn our towels into waves of advocacy." - Co-Founder Shannon DiPadova Everyone is looking forward to next year's Aquathon and in the meanwhile The Riviera Towel Company is donating 10% of sales from the Santa Barbara towel collection to help Channel Keeper keep up the good work. sbchannelkeeper Channelkeeper's mission is to protect and restore Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds through science based advocacy, education, field work and enforcement. #sbck #SBChannelkeeper #channelislands#science #oceanadvocate #citizenscience
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National Coastal Cleanup Day
Every year thousands of tons of garbage winds up in the oceans, with 60% of that being composed of plastic material. Plastics especially last a very long time in the ocean, and are in such abundance that there are 46,000 individual pieces of plastic litter for every square mile of ocean. Plastics are very hazardous to marine life, killing more than a million birds and over 100,000 seals, turtles, and whales, and an immense number of fish in our ocean. Coastal Cleanup Day encourages us to get out to our beaches and help to limit this problem by cleaning up the garbage that has washed up on shore, and that left by visitors every day. Learn What You Can Do In Your Community History of Coastal Cleanup DayCoastal Cleanup Day was established by the Ocean Conservancy, an organization that work to help protect the ocean from the challenges it faces every year. They serve as a voice for the ocean, speaking of the issues that aren’t often represented through social networking, publicized updates, and challenges like asking your waitress to skip the straw for your drink. Efforts like that work towards a trash free ocean. Trash in the water impacts the world on many levels, including harming wildlife, humans, and impacting the livelihood of those who work on the ocean. It causes economic damage by affecting tourism and recreation and the money they bring into those communities that are the ocean shore. The Ocean Conservatory knows that solving these issues requires bold initiatives and eliminating the sources of the trash that damages the ocean. Empowering people to take an active role in the preservation and cleaning up of the ocean are important parts of helping conservation of the ocean. By spreading tips and techniques to help reduce trash they help people everywhere aid the cleanup of our oceans. How to celebrate Coastal Cleanup DayThere’s a lot of options out there, starting with something as simple as taking a day at the beach and carrying a roll of garbage bags. Clean up the mess on the beach and help to reduce the amount of garbage that gets into the ocean by hauling it away. You can also check in with the Ocean Conservatory to get tips and tricks to help you be more conscientious about your lifestyle and the effect it has on the ocean. Coastal Cleanup Day is your chance to really make a difference, and help others to do the same!
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Local Event: Santa Barbara Channelkeeper First Annual Aquathon
We are excited that Riviera Towel Company is a sponsor of Santa Barbara Channelkeeper's first annual Santa Barbara AQUATHON on Saturday, September 17th, 2016 at Leadbetter Beach! There are several great events and participants will have a chance to win a towel from our Santa Barbara collection. Event details: Santa Barbara Channelkeeper in collaboration with Waterkeeper Alliance’s SPLASH event series, this family-friendly, multi-sport on-the-water event will bring the Santa Barbara community together to raise awareness and funds to protect and restore our beloved ocean. Everybody is invited to dive in, so register to participate or volunteer, help spread the word, bring your family, bring your friends, and most importantly, have fun out on the water! SURFATHON – Just for kids. 14 years and under! SWIMATHON – All ages. Register for the 500m or 1K! SUPATHON – All ages. Register for the 1.5k SUP Race! MEGA-AQUATHON – All ages. Register for the 1k swim AND the 1.5k SUP Race! Whether you are a serious athlete in training, a water-lover looking to have a salty good time, or a family with a little of both, the Santa Barbara AQUATHON is the place to be on Saturday, September 17th. Bring your friends and family, rally your group or club, get registered, and we’ll show how truly committed Santa Barbarians raise funds to protect our beautiful beaches, coastline and community.
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