About
Hi there! My name is Dori and I’m the creator of MylarMistake. Thank you for visiting- it takes environmentally passionate people like you to help spread the word and take part in this Mylar-free movement.
I am a local high school student from Santa Barbara, California with a passion for the environment. Growing up as a competitive swimmer, surfer and Beach Lifeguard, I have always cared about our ocean environment. I am an Ambassador Girl Scout (the highest level of Girl Scouts) from Troop 50886, and I designed MylarMistake as part of my Gold Award community service project. Consisting of over 80 hours of work and being the leader of a team of equally as passionate community members, here is the finished product!
My idea for MylarMistake started when my Girl Scout troop went on a kayak excursion in 2018 to Anacapa Island, one of the eight California Channel Islands. I was shocked to witness how many Mylar balloons were fished out of the ocean by our kayak guide during our trip. She educated our troop on how destructive these single-use Mylar balloons can be to marine life and the local environment after being released from the California mainland.
Mylar balloons are a large contributing factor to the marine debris found in the Santa Barbara Channel. I realized that it is not common knowledge that Mylar balloons contribute to pollution in ocean environments. I decided I would like to help educate the public to use alternative practices, in fact, it’s a MISTAKE to even purchase them! …And, that is how MylarMistake was born!
Kathi King from the Community Environmental Council
Sam Macks from the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center
A special recognition to my Gold Award Committee Members:
Project AdvisorーPenny Owens, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper
Kathi King, Community Environmental Council
Sam Macks, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center
Carson Cantrell, Can-If Marketing
Merrick Larbig, Content Creation