Untitled - Surfrider Foundation

photo: GeoffGlenn.com
Jim Moriarty
CEO, Surfrider Foundation
http://www.surfrider.org/jims-blog
FROM
THE LINEUP
We are always looking for feedback on stories
and videos that we publish in Making Waves.
Our “Beach Access” issue in June definitely
garnered some response. Below, is a letter
we received from one of our long-standing
Surfrider Foundation activists in New Jersey.
If you are interested in submitting a letter in
response to an article or video, please email
Alexis@surfrider.org.
First let me start by saying that I am a committed Surfrider activist. I helped begin the
Jersey Shore chapter, served on it’s board,
was a chair, and remain involved. I also spent
6 years on the Board of Directors of Surfrider and 2 years as chairman of the Board. It
would be difficult to say I was not a “beach
access advocate’
I must say that after listening to Jim Moriarty’s
message in the last digital Making Waves I
found myself a bit at odds with him, especially when he talked about “free access”. I
know that people can’t understand how, in a
place like New Jersey, you are forced to pay
to go on the beach in the summer. Buying a
beach badge is an unfortunate reality here at
the Jersey Shore.” “What’s up with that” you
might ask?
Let me take a different, more practical, position on “free access” based on another experience I’ve had. I was the Mayor of Loch
Arbour New Jersey for almost 10 years. I was
the guy who had to sign the checks to pay
the lifeguards, the folks who clean the beach,
check the badges, and do beach maintenance. Where was I to get the additional revenue I needed to pay the swollen summer
payroll?
Thoughs and feedback
from our network
The number of paid municipal employees
rose more than tenfold during the summer
beach months. Was that expense to be solely
on the backs of the people who lived in town?
Should their taxes pay for the beach? On any
given Sunday in July or August more then 5
times the total population of the town could be
on the beach. Don’t they have some obligation to help? After all, they are the ones benefiting from the lifeguards, the beach clean up
crew, the extra police. Shouldn’t they chip in
to help pay the tab?
Shouldn’t they pay a “user tax”? That’s exactly
what beach fees are -user taxes unlike many
taxes, you get to see exactly what you get
for your money- bathrooms, showers, clean
beaches, lifeguards, extra police and first aid.
Should all that be provided for free to everyone who happens not to live in a coastal community?
In some states beaches are the responsibility
of the state or county and those entities pay
the costs associated with a beach. Like any
other county, state, or federal funding source,
in a tight budget year funding can be cut or
reduced. What happens then? Who pays for
the services necessary? Should the beach be
closed?
I wish all the beaches in the US were free and
access unfettered, but how do we pay for our
beaches?
Jim- do you have an answer? Paying the bills
is a practical matter. Someone has to do it.
--Bill Rosenblatt
Do you agree with Bill? Visit our Forum on
the topic and voice your opinion!
Here are a few of the
awesome upcoming
events in the Surfrider
world. See you there...
To submit your chapter’s event for consideration,
please email alexis@surfrider.org
August - September
There is still time to join a
Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue
Project event and make your
beach “barefoot friendly” this
August and September! RSVP
and do your part to give back.
August 25 – Miami, FL
August 25 - Santa Barbara, CA
August 25 - Atlanta, GA
August 26 - Monterey, CA
September 8 - Boston, MA
September 15 - Santa Monica, CA
Adventure is calling. O
of adventure and the
supportive. CLIF Bar’
your chance to share y
and making moments
charities. A five-dollar
uploaded! Snap snap…
it out it at MeetTheMom
August - October
Our friends at CLIF Bar live for moments
Surfrider Foundation could not be more
’s “Meet the Moment™” photo contest is
your photos and stories about getting out
happen, all while supporting your favorite
r donation will be made for each moment
…don’t let the moment pass you by. Check
ment.com.
October 18
Birthdays are a good thing. The Clean Water Act turns
40 today, but our oceans, waves and beaches are still being threatened by pollution and the potential elimination of
Beach Grants funding, which provides States with funding
to test and monitor coastal water quality. Make your voice
heard on or before the Clean Water Act’s birthday. Sign
Surfrider’s Action Alert and tell elected officials that funding
needs to be restored.
On June 20th, tens of thousands of people
worldwide helped celebrate the sport of surfing, while giving back to our oceans and
coasts during the 8th Annual International
Surfing Day. Whether it was helping restore
natural habitat during a cold, chilly day in
New Zealand, collecting harmful debris off
the coast of Maine, paddling out for a surf
session in Florida, or hanging out in California poolside at a surf film premiere, people
came together to share their love of surfing
and our oceans, waves and beaches through
a variety of events.
Thanks to Surfrider Foundation volunteers
and various other organizations, more than
138 celebrations took place worldwide, including 90 events in the U.S., and others in
South Korea, Australia, Jamaica and Italy to
name a few. Some of this year’s events included yoga, art, coastal stewardship, SUP
races, surf contests, live music, an Instagram contest, a special ISD Web-A-Thon and
membership offer and more. There were numerous ways for people to plug-in and help
make a difference no matter where they live.
Through combined efforts, participants removed more than three tons of trash from
our coastlines and 1,800 people joined or renewed their Surfrider membership. Additionally, this year’s International Surfing Day was
officially recognized by California Assembly
Member Das Williams with House Resolution
No. 30 to commemorate the day.
“This was one of our best years yet,” said
Kyle Lishok, Surfrider Foundation’s Marketing Coordinator. “Not only was ISD officially
recognized by the State of California, but we
had new events in countries like Italy and the
Philippines, hosted a first-year Web-A-Thon,
and raised awareness worldwide. It’s incredible to think that the event has grown from a
handful of observances in the U.S. to more
than 150 events in 22 countries.”
The Surfrider Foundation would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of this year’s
participants who helped make this event possible, as well as TransWorld SURF and SME
for their generous support. We also want to
give a special shout out to this year’s product sponsors: Sunsports Apparel, Billabong,
Earthpack, Spy Optic, Reef, Ocean Minded,
Quiksilver, Vans, Rusty, Dragon, Ecological
Sunblock, Rip Curl, O’Neill, Globe, Sanuk,
Swell, Dakine, On a Mission and Creatures of
Leisure. Also a special thank you to the folks
at GoPro for supporting this year’s International Surfing Day.
For a full list of this year’s participants, and to
see more pictures and videos, visit the International Surfing Day website.
Also save the date for next year’s event
on June 20, 2013. If there is not a chapter
in your region, and you are interested in
hosting an International Surfing Day event,
please email Laura Mazzarella
(lmazzarella@surfrider.org).
-- Laura Mazzarella
Hundreds
s
e
h
c
a
e
R
n
o
h
-T
-A
b
e
Inaugural ISD W
of Thousands Throughout The Day
While many celebrated International Surfing Day with a paddle out or beach cleanup,
many more were land or office-locked (even
with the letter Surfrider’s CEO Jim Moriarty wrote). So, how
could one celebrate
ISD without partaking
in the “S?”
Enter, the inaugural
International Surfing
Day
Web-A-Thon,
presented by TransWorld SURF and
SME. The eight-hour
live-streaming event hosted by TransWorld
SURF’s editor-in-chief Chris Cote and supermodel turned swimwear designer Susan
Holmes-McKagan featured guests ranging
from punk rock luminaries to professional surfers to environmental heroes. Mix all
those guests with a bikini fashion show, surfboard preview, and
live music, and you
have a sure-fire way
to celebrate surfing
and the lifestyle that
comes with paddling
out while sitting in
your office.
“This year we really
wanted to step things
up for those people
who might not be
able to paddle out or to attend an event,” said
Matt McClain, Surfrider Foundation’s Director
of Marketing. “Thanks to the web-a-thon, everyone everywhere can participate.”
On June 18, 2012, Surfrider Foundation gave
me the opportunity to travel to Washington
D.C. to speak on behalf of the organization.
The topic was federal funding for the BEACH
Act that has been removed from the 2013
Federal Budget.
Senator Frank Lautenberg’s and Senator
Sheldon Whitehouse’s offices set up the
briefing, and I joined Mara Dias from Surfrider, along with Steve Fleischli, Senior Attorney
from NRDC, and Matt Rowe, Program Manager for the Maryland Department of the Environment. We were each given 5-7 minutes
to explain why the funding for the BEACH Act
is critical to every one of us living in the United
States, and to advocate for these resources
to be reinstated.
Here are the facts: Since 2000, more than
$100 million in BEACH Act grants have
helped states test the water quality at their
beaches. These grants have tripled the number of monitored beaches in the country, protecting public health and supporting tourism
in our coastal communities.
The President’s 2013 budget has zeroed out
BEACH Act grant funding, which will surely
put people’s health at risk. Every year millions of Americans visit the coast to swim in
the ocean. Some of us swim or surf in the
ocean hundreds of times each year. Sadly,
in many areas along the coast, urban runoff pollutes the ocean water. Last year,
there were more than 23,000 beach
closures and advisories for dirty water in the U.S.
Just think about that number for
a minute, 23,000 beach closures
and advisories last year alone!
If you strip away the funding
for water quality testing, we
lose the critically important beach advisories
that would prevent people from swimming or
surfing at toxic beaches, with bacteria levels
that will almost guarantee some form of illness.
By defunding the BEACH Act program, state
and local governments will now be solely responsible for this water quality testing. Unfortunately, the reality is that some states rely
entirely on EPA grants to support their beach
programs, so these states may stop their
beach water quality monitoring altogether.
Many other states will likely test less often,
and could drop monitoring completely during
the offseason, when surfers tend to dominate
ocean use.
I was lucky enough to grow up on the Atlantic Ocean, lobstering with my mom as a kid,
fishing with my dad, racing windsurfers and
teaching sailing. Eventually I moved to the
west coast where I fell in love with the sport
of surfing. All of these amazing ocean
activities have helped shape who I
am, and this has even more meaning to me now. Last fall we became
the proud parents of a beautiful
daughter, Brit Madison Chokachi.
I want to be able to introduce
her to ocean sports, all over the
United States, without the risk
of her getting sick.
Over the 4th of July, my wife and I took Brit to
the beach in Plymouth, Massachusetts where
we played in amazing tidal pools at low tide.
This was her first time in the Atlantic Ocean.
I thought about all the other families like ours
around the country that might do the same
thing, without knowing that their kids are at
risk because the government didn’t make it
a priority to test and warn people about high
bacteria levels in the water.
We are all aware of today’s economic challenges, but recreational activities at our
oceans and public beaches remain something
people and families can still enjoy at little or
no cost. I believe it is a basic responsibility of
the government to reinstate the water quality
testing budget, so we can at least have the
peace of mind that a day at the beach will not
result in someone getting sick!
-- David Chokachi
Start The School Year Off
Right & Join A QUAD Club
Numbering 1.5 billion worldwide, young people aged 12-24 represent the largest youth
cohort in history. As young people make the
transition into adulthood, providing civic engagement opportunities, positive learning
outcomes and development of life skills is
critical. In 2008, Surfrider Foundation first
launched the pilot QUAD youth service program in response to overwhelming interest
across the country from young people that
wished to become more involved in Surfrider Foundation’s activities on their campuses
and communities.
With generous funding from Dillionslist.org
and the Windsong Trust we have been able
to grow QUAD and move it out of the pilot
phase. As of June 2012, the program has
12 QUAD clubs in southern California, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, and over
15 more clubs in the pipeline. Some of most
common types of projects clubs pursue include beach clean ups, campus conservation
improvement or energy efficiency enhancement, Rise Above Plastic initiatives, water
testing, ocean-friendly garden plantings,
mangrove and dune restoration, and public
service announcement development. This allows students to organize their own work and
manage their own time. Within this framework students collaborate, working together
to make sense of what is going on in their
backyard.
Surfrider is committed to future generations
that care about the waters of this planet and
know why they should. To find out how to start
a club or join a project visit the QUAD website. To read about past youth projects check
out our Coastal Blog post.
-- Ericka Canales
photo: Chris Schultz
photo: Sean Ahlum
photo: Paul Herzog
photo: John Weber
Presented By:
The beginning…
Back when the Blue Water Task Force was
first started in 1990, there was little awareness of recreational water quality problems
and almost no regular monitoring of recreational water quality at local beaches in the
United States. The program was started to
enable local volunteer activists to test places
where they suspected problems, raise awareness about water pollution and health hazards, and seek solutions to troubled spots. At
th inception, one of the goals was to advocate
for regular monitoring and reporting by state
and local agencies.
During these early years, activists around the
country began monitoring water quality and
were often met with resistance and denial
when problems were identified. They were
put down for being volunteers instead of professionals and their methods and quality were
questioned. Activists responded by challenging local municipalities to test the water for
themselves in order to “prove us wrong”. On
the rare occasions when they took the challenge, officials were often surprised to find
their results were consistent with ours. In one
case in Laguna Beach, it took a local protest
with posters and signs proclaiming a water
quality problem to get any traction with the
City.
Meanwhile, Surfrider Foundation activists
were making steady progress towards our
longer- term goal of establishing official monitoring programs.
The era of testing…
After years of testing, activists were able to
get local counties and then states and ultimately the federal government to standardize and support recreational water quality
monitoring. The landmark achievement came
with the passage of the federal BEACH act
in 2000 that standardized and funded testing
throughout the nation.
Evolution of BWTF…
With standardized national testing underway,
the BWTF program evolved. Some chapters
continue to do regular monitoring (e.g. Rincón,
PR Chapter) but other chapters began to focus their water quality monitoring on education by working with high school students.
Others only tested during winter months or at
specific locations where agency monitoring
wasn’t conducted.
You can read a great summary that highlights
the diversity of the program in our first annual
BWTF program report here.
Revolution…
Early this year we learned that all this progress may be undone because the funding for
the BEACH Act was cut from the EPA budget.
This cut would represent a major setback in
our efforts to ensure that all Americans know
whether or not the ocean is clean before they
enter it and we are working hard to restore
the funding. Here’s how to join us in those
efforts.
-- Mara Dias and Chad Nelsen
The full version of this article can be found on the Coastal Blog.
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
HAWAII
By: Ed Mazzarella
MA Chapter Challenges People To Rise Above Plastics
The Massachusetts Chapter is challenging their members and other supporters to Rise Above Plastics in
a different way each month. For example, one recent challenge was to convince someone else to give up
bottled water. This fits well within the Chapter’s continued push to update the State’s bottle deposit law
to cover bottled water. The Chapter is not alone. Seventy-seven percent of the MA public favors this, 80
legislators co-sponsored and 200 towns have passed supporting resolutions in favor of expanding deposits.
Sticking with the plastics theme, the Chapter also co-sponsored three sold-out screenings of the film “Bag
It” in support of a statewide bag ban.
Bag Monster Attends
Earth Day Celebration
Rhode Island Bag Ban
Campaign Underway
Ten New York City Chapter volunteers worked a
booth at the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance’s Earth
Day celebration, engaging hundreds from the community on the plastics issue. Volunteers collected
more than 150 postcards asking the head of the
Queens Library to stop offering free plastic bags to
patrons. The Bag Monster even made an appearance
and led a beach cleanup at the end of the day. Check
out the photos on the Chapter’s Facebook page.
In Rhode Island, Lisa Wagenbach is leading efforts to ban plastic bags in Middletown. Initial
discussions with town officials were very encouraging. The Chapter presented a list of businesses
that favor a bag ban, who have eliminated bags
themselves, and are not suffering because of it.
As part of their bag ban campaign, the New York City
Chapter’s inaugural screening of the film “Bag it” was
done in style at the Hoodie Shop on the Lower East
Side. This hoodies-only boutique is equipped with
a six-foot screen, its own marquee, and room to seat
50 comfortably. Post-movie beverages and mixing
added to the charm. Thanks to Justine Doughty for
setting up the event, and to Aleah Speranza for hosting. Some great photos can be found online here.
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
HAWAII
Connecticut Chapter Keeps Busy This Spring
This spring, Patagonia’s Westport store awarded the Connecticut Chapter with a $1,500 grant. Spearheaded
by Vice Chair Ines Walther, the grant will fund the Chapter’s RAP educational initiative, provide reusable
organic bags, educational materials, and advocacy outreach support. The Chapter would like to thank Patagonia Westport for supporting the project for over four years.
The Chapter also successfully held the Third Annual Rock ‘n’ The Sound benefit. The event takes place at
BAR in New Haven, which generously donated the venue and staffing for the benefit. Organized by Chapter veterans Bill Poutray and Andrew Krupa, Rock ‘n’ The Sound showcases surf brands, 60s-style go-go
dancers, hula hoopers and a DJ for a night of music, dancing and fun, while raising funds for the Connecticut Chapter. This year’s event had more than 250 attendees and raised $800! The first 150 in attendance
received a free reusable organic bag for taking the RAP pledge, and all received information on Surfrider
Foundation, including membership information and how to protect our oceans, waves and beaches.
The Chapter wrapped up spring on the road, placing storm drain markers throughout the town of East Haddam. The markers were the result of a design contest for middle school students. The winning design,
submitted by Amanda Ciarci, entitled her class to a Sea to Summit lesson on the hydrological cycle, markers for her hometown, and Surfrider gear. Now in its fifth year, this contest has placed more than 1,000
markers throughout Connecticut.
photos: Connecticut Chapter
The Chapter also welcomes a new chair, Tiffany Krupa (former chair Andrew Krupa’s wife)…great job
keeping it in the family!
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
HAWAII
Changes Taking Place
In Virginia Beach
Surfrider Foundation is proud to welcome the new Virginia Beach Chapter Executive Committee: Chair,
Adam Wolf; Vice Chair, Robert Gomez; Treasurer, Jessica Weiss; Volunteer Coordinator, Jared Strawderman; Secretary, John Kinsley; At-Large Members, Shannon Davis and Addie Abcede. While the crew is
still in the process of developing a comprehensive strategy for outreach and campaigns they have already
taken a step by assisting the Chesapeake Bay Civic League. The CBCL is actively working to stop smoking on beaches along the Bay, citing health risks and litter. The Virginia Beach Chapter has started gathering petition signatures to support the effort. The Chapter is hosting events throughout the summer to help
promote their campaigns and programs, and raise funds to support them. Anyone interested in volunteering for the Chapter should visit the Chapter’s website.
Jersey Shore Rallies
To Preserve North End
South Jersey Art
Auction A Success
The Jersey Shore Chapter held a big rally for
their campaign to preserve the north end of
Asbury Park. There were 250 people (many
with signs), speakers, kids, dogs and giant
(reusable) balloons with “Save North Beach”
written on them. The rally followed a huge
dune grass planting organized by the American Littoral Society, which brought out locals,
students, seniors and others to plant dune grass
to further enhance this site that the Chapter
wants to save from development. Check out
the slideshow and additional information at
the Jersey Shore Chapter’s website.
The South Jersey Chapter hosted their annual
Art Auction at the Immersion Spa at the Water
Club at the Borgata of
Atlantic City. The views
from the 32nd floor were
as amazing as the donated
artwork and cool vibes of
the event. Special thanks
to the artists and Chapter
volunteers Beth Reynolds and Krissy Halkes
for working so hard to
make this event happen.
photo: Jen Baart
The Virginia Beach Chapter would also like to thank outgoing Chair and longtime activist Ari Lawrence,
who achieved many accomplishments during his tenure.
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
HAWAII
Final Dune Restoration
Of 2012 Complete
Coastal Bend Chapter
Hosts Wounded Warriors
The South Texas Chapter in South Padre Island
completed their 8th and final dune restoration of the
year. In conjunction with Surfrider Foundation’s
partnership with the Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project, more than 70 volunteers helped plant
10,000 Bitter Panicum plants. For more information on this successful project and the Texas General Land Office awarding a grant to the City to do
an additional 14 plantings, visit KEVO’s website.
Surfrider Foundation’s Texas Coastal Bend Chapter recently hosted 13 Wounded Warrior Project
families for a surf camp. Chapter activists also
joined the families on a Friday night for a catered
dinner and the Padre Island Yacht Club provided
kayaking for the families after the afternoon surf
camp. “We’re stoked to have all these folks here,”
said Cliff Schlabach, the Coastal Bend Chapter’s
chairman. “This is new for us, but it is what our
organization is about. Visit the “Corpus Christi
Caller Times” to read more on this inspiring story.
Corpus Christi Takes
A Step Toward Rising
Above Plastics
Erosion Still An Issue In
Palm Beach County
The Coastal Bend Chapter took an important step
in their efforts to reduce the amount of singleuse plastic litter in their community. The Chapter has actively pursued a single-use plastic bag
fee in Corpus Christi and City Hall took a step in
the right direction. City staff recommended trying an educational approach designed to reduce
use and litter. If this did not yield results, other options included a bag fee. While the Chapter feels this approach won’t be as effective in
reducing plastic beach litter as the proven fee
method, they do realize it is a starting point. For
more information, visit the Chapter’s website.
Surfrider Foundation’s Palm Beach County Chapter continues to engage in two beach erosion issues. Stopgap projects to rebuild the dune at
Carlin Park and restore sand at Jupiter Beach are
complete, but funding for the beach renourishment
planned for winter 2013-14 is a concern. Florida’s
beaches are renourished naturally as water carries
sand downcoast, except where inlets disrupt that
natural southward flow. “The worst thing you can
do to a beach environment is have an inlet, because any beach south of that inlet will experience
more erosion,” said Todd Remmel, chairman of
the Palm Beach County Chapter. Visit “Treasure
Coast Palm” for the complete story.
photo: Geoffglenn.com
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
HAWAII
Palm Beach Chapter Participates In DEP Meeting
The Palm Beach County Chapter was invited to participate in a Florida Department of Environmental Protection meeting that brought together several dozen officials from state, federal and local governments, and
other environmental organizations. The groups discussed the engineering, permitting and oversight of nine
beach projects planned for the valuable 15.7-mile piece of county shore that stretches between the Lake
Worth Inlet just north of the town of Palm Beach to the South Lake Worth Inlet south of Manalapan.
Danielle Fondren, DEP’s Bureau Chief for Beaches and Coastal Systems said a simple theme guides the
concept “Sand doesn’t know political boundaries.” The area being reviewed spans five Palm Beach County
towns, but the bulk of the project lies within the town of Palm Beach. For more information, check out
“The Palm Beach Post’s” story.
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
HAWAII
Chapter Learns To
Track Tsunami Debris
Brice Boland New Washington State Field Coordinator
Surfrider Foundation’s Olympic Peninsula Chapter, in partnership with the Clallam
County Marine Resources Committee and
NOAA hosted a three-day tsunami symposium in Port Angeles, WA. Surfrider Foundation Chapters from Alaska to Oregon are
participating in tsunami workshops aimed to
help track the debris that is predicted to hit
the West Coast of the United States. To read
more about the Olympic Peninsula Chapter’s
symposium, visit the “Huffington Post.”
Surfrider Foundation is happy to announce that Brice
Boland is the new Washington State Field Coordinator. Brice is committed to progressive issues and has
turned that passion into a career. Since relocating
from the Pittsburgh area, he has dealt primarily with
candidate campaigns but his work with the Greater
Yellowstone Coalition as a Conservation Organizer was by far his favorite and most rewarding position. As a result, he gained the basic and necessary
skill sets to maximize his ability to organize. Brice
cares deeply about the efforts of the Surfrider Foundation to protect oceans, waves and beaches. He’ll be
a solid resource to our Washington Chapters and the
Foundation is happy to welcome him to the family.
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
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San Francisco Chapter Toasts Mother Earth
On Earth Day, the San Francisco Chapter and
Trumer Pils toasted Mother Earth by co-hosting a
beach cleanup on Ocean Beach and an after-party
celebration. Other sponsors included RedBull
and Radius SF. Nikki Blakk from FM 107.7 “the
Bone” emcee’d the festivities. Attendees enjoyed
a variety of local food trucks and other vendors,
beverages from Trumer Pils and RedBull,and live
music from The Mermen, The Boars and Pollo
Enferno. Trumer generously provided a custommade, sustainable surfboard made by Stretch
Boards and sustainablesurf.org, as well as a
Trumer beach cruiser bike.
photo: Scott Doyle
photo: Surfrider Foundation
In May, Cal Poly Surfrider Foundation
Club members Scott Doyle, Adam Rianda
and Jon Howard installed three ‘Butt Biter’ cigarette receptacles welded by industrial technology senior Philip Chehade at
Morro Bay Beach. The Butt Biters were
constructed as a result of the Club recognizing the increasing need to combat cigarette butt litter at San Luis Obispo County
beaches. The Club decided to place three
of the Biters at Morro Bay Beach, with the
knowledge that cigarette butt litter is high
at the Morro Rock and the “Pit” parking
lots. The students placed one next to a row
of signs that contain beach rules and regulations and sits in front of the Morro Rock
parking lot bathrooms. Surfrider Foundation’s Cal Poly Club hopes that all Morro
Bay residents and visitors use the cigarette
receptacles to properly dispose of butts.
photo: Surfrider Foundation
Butt Biters Installed In Morro Bay
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
HAWAII
Whale Tail Grant
Funds Ocean
Friendly Gardens
Both Los Angeles and Santa Barbara City Councils voted in May to move forward with plans to ban plastic
checkout bags and place a ten-cent fee on paper bags at
grocery stores, convenience stores and similar retailers within each of their respective city limits. The Los
Angeles City Council voted 13-1 to move forward with
a plastic bag ban/reusable bag ordinance. If Los Angeles gives final approval later this year, it would pass San
Francisco as the largest city in the United States with a
plastic bag ban. Members from the Ventura County, West
LA/Malibu and South Bay Chapters, along with Surfrider staff, attended the meeting at City Hall to persuade
council members to vote in favor of the plastic bag ban.
Over 40 volunteers installed an Ocean
Friendly Garden in Ventura resident Dan
Long’s front yard on May 12 as part of a
series funded by a “Whale Tail” grant from
the California Coastal Commission. “Watershed Revolution” filmmaker Rich Reid
documented the series, which features a
time-lapse sequence of the workday and
interviews with Ventura County Chapter
members Cynthia Hartley and Renee Roth,
and homeowner Dan Long. Next up for
Ventura will be the installation of curb cuts
in the parking strip at the same residence.
The Ventura OFG team believes this will
be a great way to step it up and demonstrate a different way to capture runoff
and inspire the community to do the same.
photo: Nancy Hastings
Los Angeles & Santa Barbara
One Step Closer To Banning
Plastic Bags
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
Teach and Test
Wraps Another Year
Teach and Test students finished another year of sampling and testing local waters with their End of Year event at the SEA Lab in
Redondo Beach. The students gave presentations of their work
and findings. “It is very cool and important to see students getting involved in environmental issues on a deeper level than say,
an occasional beach cleanup, and it is always educational [to the
program leaders] to see how the students interpret and express
their involvement through their project presentations,” said Committee member Craig Cadwallader of the South Bay Chapter.
HAWAII
West LA/Malibu
Chapter Set To
Develop Inlet
Management
Plan
Concerned about the waves at
Surfrider Beach in Malibu? The
West LA/Malibu Chapter is
working with key agencies to develop a management plan to relocate the inlet to the western end of
Malibu Lagoon. There are several important benefits to moving
the breach to the west, including
improved surfing conditions, reduced erosion at the Adamson
Estate, improved public safety,
and possibly increased tidal circulation to the wetlands. Key
agencies have shown openness
to the idea and have expressed
a willingness to work with the
Surfrider Foundation to draft a
plan to get the project permitted.
Former South Bay Chapter Chair Alan Walti spent World Water
Day discussing water quality and ocean health issues at Esperanza
School in Nosara, Costa Rica. It was a very interactive session
with both students and instructors taking part in the discussion.
photo: Shutterstock
Alan Walti Discusses Water
Quality On World Water Day
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
HAWAII
Chapter Encourages Residents
To Hold On To Their Butts
In April, the Huntington/Seal Beach Chapter got the green light to install the first four stainless steel
cigarette butt canisters on Main Street in Huntington Beach. This effort, part of the “Hold On To Your
Butt” campaign, provides smokers with receptacles to responsibly dispose of cigarette butts - a positive
step toward reducing cigarette litter. Contrary to popular belief, cigarette butts do not biodegrade because
they are roughly 95% cellulose acetate (a form of plastic) and are the single most discarded piece of litter
worldwide. To gauge the effectiveness of this pilot program, the Chapter is emptying the canisters weekly
and counting the number of butts collected. The first five weeks showed a steady increase in the number
of butts, with the amount leveling off more recently. In all, the cans have collected more than 900 butts,
which is more than 45 packs of cigarettes. During a recent Chapter beach cleanup, nearly 2,000 butts
were collected from a section of beach where smoking is prohibited, and where the beach is mechanically
raked daily. The Chapter hopes to expand the program throughout the City of Huntington Beach, and into
neighboring Seal Beach.
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
photo: Don McLean
South Orange County Celebrates
Earth Day In Irvine
In celebration of Earth Day, the South Orange County Chapter
hosted a free screening of “Bag It” at UC Irvine. Working with UC
Irvine groups such as the “green” fraternity Theta Psi, UC Irvine’s
The Green Initiative Fund, and UC Irvine Student Center and Bookstore, the screening attracted a crowd of 200 students and members
of the Irvine community. Volunteers from CALPIRG helped with
petition signing and served as the Bag Monster’s bodyguard (he
was the evening’s celebrity). The Rise Above Plastics subcommittee Chair Frances Lam, called upon other groups to be part of
the panel discussion that followed the screening. Stephanie Barger
from Earth Resource Foundation, Lisa Manfredi from the Newport
Beach Chapter, Adam Howle from REI and Board Director of the
San Gorgonio Wilderness Association, and Michelle Clark from
Waste Management were among the panelists who answered the
audience questions, provided information on how to get involved
within the community and action steps everyone could take to improve sustainability and reduce pollution.
HAWAII
3rd Annual TRAM
Helps Clean Up
The Valley
As part of the Tijuana River Action Network, the San Diego
Chapter is thrilled to celebrate
the 3rd Annual Tijuana River Action Month (TRAM). TRAM is a
series of stewardship and cleanup
activities that benefit the Tijuana
River Watershed. This period is
critical as there is a very small
window of opportunity between
the end of the bird nesting season
and the start of the rainy season to
enter the river valley and remove
as much ocean-bound trash as
possible. There are also a number of events happening in the Tijuana River Valley throughout the
months of September and October. For a complete list of events,
visit the network’s website.
EAST COAST
SOUTH COAST
WEST COAST
ISLANDS
Ma’alaea Saved
photo: Art Brewer
The Surfrider Foundation’s Maui Chapter
and the Protect Ma’alaea Coalition celebrated a huge victory when the Hawaii
Department of Land and Natural Resources
and the United States Army Corps of Engineers announced in late May that they are
abandoning plans to extend the breakwater
at Ma’alaea Harbor. Surfrider Foundation’s
“Save Ma’alaea” Campaign has fought for
over 20 years to protect the famed “Freight
Train” wave, coral reefs, marine ecosystem,
and water quality from a harbor expansion
project. Congratulations to all who continued running the marathon and finished with
their arms held high in victory.
Honolulu Passes
Bag Ban
“Changing Tides”
In Production
Honolulu City Council recently passed a bill
to ban single-use plastic grocery bags on
Oahu. With Surfrider Foundation leading the
charge, Honolulu Mayor Carlisle signed the
bill into law, making Hawaii the first state in
the nation where every county is covered by
a plastic bag ban. This was not done by the
state legislature, but instead by all four county
councils – a great example of local activists
and decision-makers addressing the serious
issue of plastic pollution. Thank you to Oahu
Chapter activist Leilei Joy Shih for helping
lead this effort, and to all the Surfrider activists, school groups, environmental organizations and engaged citizens who helped pass
the ban. Visit Surfrider Foundation’s Coastal
Blog for the complete story.
The Maui Chapter teamed up with the Sustainable
Living Institute of Maui, Positive H2O, and awardwinning filmmaker Danny Miller to produce the new
documentary “Changing Tides.” This 15-minute
film will bring the issue of oceanic garbage into the
public dialogue, where ideas are formed and solutions proposed. The engaging story is told through
the eyes of Hawaiian kapuna, professional watermen, scientists and volunteers who share a passion
for the ocean and a strong desire to protect it. Their
stories give us an in-depth look at oceanic garbage
in the Pacific, and what it means for residents of Hawaii and other Pacific Islands impacted by waste.
THE SURFRIDER FOUNDATION OPERATES THROUGH A NETWORK OF GRASSROOTS CHAPTERS
WHO TAKE VOLUNTEER ACTION TO PROTECT OUR OCEANS, WAVES AND BEACHES THROUGH
CAMPAIGN, PROGRAM AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
ARGENTINA • AUSTRALIA • BRAZIL • CANADA • EUROPE • JAPAN
ALASKA
•
CALIFORNIA
•
CONNECTICUT
•
DELAWARE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA • FLORIDA • GEORGIA • HAWAII • ILLINOIS
MAINE • MARYLAND • MASSACHUSETTS • MICHIGAN • MINNESOTA
NEW JERSEY • NEW HAMPSHIRE • NEW YORK • NORTH CAROLINA •
OREGON • PUERTO RICO • RHODE ISLAND • SOUTH CAROLINA • TEXAS
TENNESSEE • VIRGINIA • WASHINGTON • WISCONSIN
CONNECT WITH A
CHAPTER NEAR YOU !!!
Questions
e
r
o
m
l
i
G
with Steph
Stephanie Gilmore is sitting on top of the
world…her 5th ASP Women’s World Surfing
Championship title that is. This Australian
powerhouse
continues to dominate on the
women’s tour, reinforcing why she is one of
the most accomplished
surfers in the world.
When she is not surfing, Stephanie can be
found shooting photos
(she’s an avid photographer), or volunteering with one of her
various philanthropic endeavors…including
the Surfrider Foundation as this year’s In-
ternational Surfing Day ambassador. Said
Stephanie of International Surfing Day, “All
the enjoyment, passion, stoke, challenges
and life-changing experiences that we encounter at the beach
are limitless, and ISD
is the perfect way to
pause for a moment,
appreciate this rare relationship we humans
have with the ocean,
and encourage other
less familiar to join
in.” Check out what Stephanie told “Making Waves” about surfing and protecting our
oceans.
photos: Todd Glaser/Quiksilver
1 What
do you love most about surfing?
Being in the Ocean is simply the most awesome feeling ever for a human, then to ride
a wave, a different wave every single time, the freedom and exhilaration...it doesn’t get
much better!
2 Where
is your favorite spot to surf
and why?
Wherever the waves are good, but I do love surfing at home in Australia.
3 What
do you feel is the biggest threat
to our oceans?
Single use plastics for sure are the worst because they are the hardest to control and it is
nearly impossible to clean up what’s already out there. Oil spills and industrial wastes like
chemicals are also horrible. Anything that is basically unnecessary is the worst.
4 Why do you feel it is important that people care for and protect their oceans,
waves and beaches?
The ocean makes up 70% of the earth’s surface and without it, without preserving the
quality of it, life would not exist as it does today. I think that’s a pretty important excuse for
people to do what they can to care and protect.
5 Tell us five things you do to ensure the
health of our oceans and your favorite
break(s).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
I really try to limit my use of plastic products, especially reusing shopping bags
rather than getting plastic ones at the shop.
If I see rubbish at the beach, I’ll always try to pick it up and put it in the bin, and
encourage my friends to do so as well.
When I’m at home I like to reduce my energy consumption by avoiding the use of dryers, using fluorescent light bulbs and switching off at the power points.
I only like to eat certain types of fish, ones that I know are sustainable or fished
locally, rather than encouraging the commercial fishing boats that hurt the ocean.
I support the Surfrider Foundation because I know they are passionate about
educating people on the state of our oceans, beaches and how we can help
preserve what we love so much.
4
1
3
2
7
6
5
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6 I LOVE MY BEACH STICKER
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All merchandise available @ www.swell.com/surfrider or call (800) 255 • 7873
photo: GeoffGlenn.com
1 MENS “QUIVER TEE”
Add Nonprofit Shopping
Mall to your web browser
and select Surfrider Foundation as your charity of
choice!
$50,000 - $100,000+
$2,500 - $4,999
Aveda Southwest
Barefoot Wines
California Coastal Commission
Climate Solutions
Envirosax
Alex Frenkel
Fuller / Kelley Foundation
Johnson Family Foundation
Sea Vision
Volcom
$25,000 - $49,999
American Littoral Society
EarthShare National
$10,000 - $24,999
$1,000 - $2,499
Northwest Fund for the Environment
$5,000 to $9,999
California Department of Fish and Game
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Network For Good
Michael Crowe
Google Matching Gifts Program
Groupon
Guilford Publications
Cynthia A. Hartley
Bill Lester
Lincoln Loop
Microsoft Matching Gifts Program
NOAA
Anthony Radaich
Joseph Sollano
Douglas Stuart
Linda and Tod White Charitable Fund
Kim Yoshiwara
Zog Industries
$500 - $99
Felipe Becerra
Greg Boreham
Scott Chalmers
Fashion Week El P
Andrew Ferguson
Thomas M. Flynn,
Positive Futures
Freshends, Inc.
Chris Fry
Oniel Gardner
GODOGGO, Inc.
Michael Harmon
Allan Hernandez
Marlene Horvath
Darby Keen
J. Patrick Kidd
Alexander Kinsey
Kevin Knode
Kona Brewery, LL
Jennifer Krach
Lowery Donor Ad
Texas Communiti
McDermott Will
Foundation
James Minola
Martin Naley
National Charity L
Chapter
ON BEHALF OF THE WORLD’S OCEANS, WAVES AND BEAC
THESE INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS AND CORPORATIONS FOR THEIR
99
Paseo 2012
n
, Jr. Foundation for Fund
s
Donations In Memory of:
.
LC
dvised Fund at East
ies Foundation
& Emery Charitable
League - Laguna Newhart Middle School
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
Protect Our Winters
Alan Rechter
Samuel Reid
Greg Resnick
Carrie Rolfes
Thomas Schiffer
Zachary Sherburne
Brian Siebert
Tim Vermilya
John Zotz
Robert L. Ahlum
Sylvia Hoogendam Cochrane
Luke Gran
Theodore Graves
Nancy Helbig
John R. Kalayjian
Sean Martin Kelly
Gloria Livingstone
Jolea Eleni Randopoulos
Jeffery Loren Ross
Ryan Sloan
Teddy Trill
Margaret Welling
Janice M. Wienhold
Donations In Honor of:
Chris Amsler
Misha Bakalarz
Tyler Baker
Calvin Bell
Andrew Capers
McKenna Carroll’s 4th Birthday
Christian Surfers
Matt Danon
Fleming and Mike Wedding
Jennifer Grasse
The Irons Family
Anne Rick Joslin
Amy Kauffman
Tom Kauffman
Selene Lenox
Peter N Lowerson
Noel MacDonald
Louie Madriz
Harold McDonald
Kisha Menifee and Jeff Farley Wedding
Charles Miller
Melanie Mooney and Christian Brodersen Wedding
Amanda Morris
Mike Mross
Angie Mrowiec
Newport Beach Surfing Lessons
Nolan Reenders
James Smallwood
John Smallwood
Dani Mier Austin Smith
Karen Sperling
Kathleen Stone
Surfas-English Wedding
Threshold Racing 2012 Metro Triathlon Participants
Jack and Ben Tobin
Holly Yang
Membership Partners
Surfing Magazine
SWELL
Transworld SURF
Western Federal Credit Union
photo: GeoffGlenn.com
CHES THE SURFRIDER FOUNDATION WOULD LIKE TO THANK
GENEROUS SUPPORT RECEIVED DURING MAY THROUGH JUNE 2012.
2014 victories since 1/06. The Surfrider Foundation’s goal was
to win 150 environmental campaigns by the end of 2010.
For a list of these victories please visit our website.
2012 Board Of Directors
Chair – Steve Shipsey
Vice Chair – Brooke Smith
Secretary – Sean Ahlum
Meredith Blascovich
Meg Caldwell
Mike Harmon
Leanne Fremar
Michael Marckx
Anthony Radaich
Shaun Tomson
Walter Wilhelm
David Wilmot
Making Waves Staff:
Editor In Chief – Alexis Henry
Layout/Design – Ian Swanson
Contributors – Ericka Canales, David Chokachi, Mara Dias, Ed
Mazzarella, Laura Mazzarella, Chad Nelsen, Bill Rosenblatt
Contributing Photographers:
Art Brewer, Chris Burkard, Todd Glaser, Geoff Glenn,
Cover Photo: Todd Glaser/Quiksilver
A Publication of The Surfrider Foundation
A Non-Profit Environmental Organization
P.O. Box 6010 San Clemente, CA 92674-6010
Phone: (949) 492-8170 / (800) 743-SURF (7873)
Web: www.surfrider.org
Email: info@surfrider.org
photo: Chris Burkard