Taking Notice

At a favorite spot in RI last week I was sad to see plastic bottles and other debris littering the rocky shore for as far as you could see – and in extremely high density. Given the location of this spot, these probably washed in from the ocean (rather than people leaving them there). I easily filled a giant trash bag with plastic bottles, nylon rope, a few bags a bunch of straws, etc. In the lineup I mentioned it and suggested we all take some with us. I know one guy did. That stoked me out.

Beat it, KOOKS!

So, in the middle of this perfectly dreamy early morning session, these two fools appear in the lineup. Let's just say, they weren't getting much respect out there.

Dear Red Solo Cup

Dear Red Solo Cup,

I believe you could make a killing with an eco-friendly version of yourself. Imagine, a re-usable version of YOU? No more plastic waste and no more insult to your shiny red beautifullness when people discard you on beaches and in the trash. Every weekend you go from being the life of the party, to being just another piece of single-use plastic in the landfills. People adore you, in large part, because of your convenience. Others despise you for that exact reason. Some of our habits of convenience are taking a heavy toll on the planet. One of the biggest party days of the year is upon us and billions of beautiful red solo cups will soon be dancing the night away. It just makes you think... that sure must be a lot of plastic. I hope you will consider using your popularity to make some positive environmental change. You have the power Red Solo Cup!

love,
j

Surfrider MA at OBX East Coast Conference

Over Colombus Day weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to travel with my good friend and fellow volunteer/activist, Andrew, to the Outer Banks in NC for the East Coast Surfrider Conference. We learned about how to get new members and keep existing ones; we learned about the Rise Above Plastics Campaign and Ocean Friendly Gardens; we learned how to make better use of social media; how to engage the younger generation; we met a bunch of really cool people; and yeah... we surfed!

Just off the jet and about to sample VA Beach surf... Andrew waxing up his new stick for the first time. The water was warm and we did not wear wetsuits. There were thousands of dolphins out there. Super unexpected!

Cruising through the tobacco fields of the south.

After a day of inspiring conference lectures we had fun exploring a bit and then surfing Jeanette's Pier until the sun went down.

Originally opened in 1939, Jeanette's was the first fishing pier in Nag's Head. In 2003 it was sold to the Aquarium and in September of the same year, incurred major damage from hurricane Isabel. It was rebuilt under the guidance of the Aquarium and reopened in 2009 as an "educational ocean pier".

Designed to be "Green & Clean". The most obvious of the many environmentally-friendly features of the rebuild are the wind turbines that generate stored power to light the pier at night.

Moonrise meets another sunrise through a vintage half-frame camera.

Morning pelicans in flight.

Nag's Head Sunrise Appreciation Club. One more before beginning the journey home.

We stopped in at Barrier Island Surf Shop along the way.

Over the Wright Memorial Bridge...

Back in VA Beach. On our way to get one more pre-flight session in when Andrew spotted this lil guy.

Please check out Surfrider.org. Consider becoming a member (or renewing a lapsed membership!). Find a campaign that interests you whether it is reducing your plastic footprint or making your garden more ocean-friendly. Help create strength in numbers. Know that there is a place for you and that you are needed in whatever capacity you have available. Hope to see you at the next chapter meeting!

Raptoberfest Beach Cleanup in NH

Last Saturday was rainy and windy up in NH but I was still stoked to take part in Surfrider's Rise Above Plastics: Raptoberfest. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness regarding the dangers of plastic pollution and to focus on solutions. Volunteers scoured the beach for plastic debris. We then organized them into mosaics. It was easy (unfortunately) to find more than enough plastic for our artwork.

Trashbot by Jamie

Here are 10 Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Footprint borrowed from Surfrider's Rise Above Plastics campaign:

1. Stop using single-use plastic water bottles.  In nearly all cases, the water out of your tap is just as safe – if not safer – than the water distributed in single-use plastic bottles.   Instead, buy and use a reusable bottle and fill it with water.
2. Whenever possible, buy food in bulk.  Buying food in bulk helps to reduce the total amount of packaging materials consumed.
3. Buy your music electronically.  By purchasing your music electronically, you avoid the need to create plastic compact discs, plastic jewel cases, and cellophane wrapping.
4. Stop using plastic grocery bags.  Each year over one trillion plastic bags are used worldwide.  Because these bags are so light and thin, they are easily carried by the wind out into the environment.  Instead, use reusable bags to get your groceries and other purchases home.
5. Say “NO” to pre-packaged single serving portions.  These types of products are among the worst when it comes to excess packaging.
6. Reusable containers are rad! When it comes to lunch and leftovers, ditch the plastic bag and use reusable containers instead.  Reusable containers are just as easy to use and far less harmful to the planet
7. Buy a reusable travel mug.  Use a reusable travel mug or to-go cup for your coffee, tea and other beverage purchases.  Think of all the lids (as well as the waxed paper cups) you’ll save.
8. Always look for alternative packaging. Many items such as soft drinks, detergent, cat litter, etc. come in alternate packaging (such as aluminum or cardboard) that can be more easily recycled than plastic.
9. Buy and sell secondhand.  Clothing, toys, baby gear, furniture, household supplies, sporting goods and many other consumer items can often be found through secondhand sources, thereby reducing the amount of new plastic entering the waste stream.
10.  Recycle! In those instances where you must use plastic, please make sure to recycle it.  Most plastics can be upcycled to make cool and useful items, including Rusty ECO-stretch boardshorts!

These plastic "sewer discs" are just a few of the estimated 4-8 million that escaped a water treatment facility in Hooksett, NH back in March 2011 along with thousands of pounds of raw sewage. Though a massive cleanup effort has been in the works all spring/summer, they continue to wash up - sometimes in large numbers. It will be interesting to see how far these have traveled when we look at other chapter's photographs.

Learn more about Raptoberfest and Rise Above Plastics here » www.raptoberfest.org, and here » www.riseaboveplastics.org

Want to help be part of the solution even more? Volunteer at a Surfrider Event near you! » www.surfrider.org/take-action/volunteer

Surfrider: Rincón, PR

During my trip to Rincón, PR, I was stoked to meet this group of like-minded folks from the local Surfrider Chapter. Their crew consists of an awesome mix of surfers, ocean protectors, animal lovers, and other environmental and community oriented people of all ages. I was warmly welcomed in as a volunteer. I helped out at a couple of beach cleanups, attended a chapter meeting and even found a few super mega awesome surf buddies!

Current Projects

Surfrider Rincón is busy with multiple projects and initiatives so I am touching on just a few highlights from my visit. Please check out their web site to learn more about everything that is going on here now, what will be happening in the near future and to see all of the hard work that this group has already done to honor and protect this beautiful place.

Rise Above Plastics

During tourist season, Rincón is the kind of fun and happening place where drinking of multiple rum bevvies is as natural as surfing all day and getting sunburned. Working with local businesses to eliminate single use plastic cups and straws is one of their primary goals, as is eliminating plastic bags. Perhaps one day in the near future, everyone will travel with their own little sippy cups and get 10 cent discounts for rum punch refills but until that day, it is necessary to continue bringing awareness to plastic waste in our oceans so that we can break the cycle.


Blue Water Task Force
Surfrider Fundacion, Rincón has a strong ethic regarding their water quality testing. Testing the water on a regular basis provides water quality results and helps to pinpoint problems. With numbers in hand, this provides leverage and heightens public awareness for potential improvement projects as needed.

Because the BWTF is a totally volunteer driven project, they are always looking for willing recruits and what better place to start than with the younger generation? A 2-day field trip was set up to teach the fine art of water testing to a great crew of students from MAS Integrated School. Day one was a real life science project and was spent taking samples and learning the process for collecting, packaging and testing. Day two was finding out the results. Day two also included a viewing of Surfrider's epic animation: "Know Your H20" followed by a pizza party. Great kids and an awesome job of Wes, Sandy, Steve and the whole surfrider team for putting this together.



Protecting the Beaches (and Other Good Stuff!)
Ongoing projects include planting trees and other native plants around major surf spots. In anticipation of big events, walkways are installed to reduce foot traffic through fragile areas and lessen impact on the ecosystem. Surfrider Rincón works closely with event vendors to keep these amazing surfspots clean and to ensure that litter stays out of the ocean.

The most recent big event was the Rip Curl Pro Tour held at Middles near Isabela - about a 30 minute drive north of Rincón (if you can drive Puerto Rican-style). All of the pros were here and many more spectators. The alternate location was a spot called Wilderness so preparations needed to be made for both.

In the near future there will be a major surf competition held at Domes, right in Rincón. It will be a crazy event. You can count on it!

Upcoming Surfrider Event

If you are in Rincón on March 11th 2011, you will most certainly want to stop by The Rum Shack at The Lazy Parrot for what is sure to be a fun-filled event with live music by The Supertones. There will also be a complimentary buffet, raffle, surf slideshows and more!

Come spend happy hour with Surfrider Rincón and meet a few of the awesome folks who work to protect this little piece of heaven. Be a part of the community, have fun and support a great cause. Sounds good to me!

Super extra special thanks to Jim, Angela, Justin, Steve, Shannon, James, Jason, Roger, Rina, Wes, CC and the ENTIRE Rincón crew for being so welcoming. It sure was swell. You have a new friend in Boston should you ever decide to venture out of paradise. Just remember to bring a wetsuit!



Additional Information can be found here:
Surfrider, Rincón »
Rise Above Plastics »
Plastic Free Ocean »
Blue Water Task Force, Rincón »
Surfrider's Blue Water Task Force »
Know Your H20 »