The Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots, non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves, and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research, and education.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
July 14:Chapter Meeting & Presentation from DC Dept of Environment
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• Rep. Jim Moran proposes a nationwide fee on plastic bags
• Toxic Sludge Spills Into Potomac
• Surfrider Legislative Updates
• Trestles Has Been Saved
• Catastrophic Tennessee Sludge Spill Threatens Water Quality
• New photos added: RIPPLE and Plant Removal day
Bag the Bag!We have a law! The Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Act has passed the DC Council, unanimously! Thanks to all the volunteers who stood outside grocery stores, staffed cleanups, signed postcards, attended hearings, and made dozens of calls and e-mails!
For information about the bill, click here! Also see the Post's story.
Stop the Rehoboth Beach Outfall!
The Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, town council is considering installing an outfall pipe to dispose of their wastewater. What does this mean to you? They want to pump partially treated sewage into the ocean. Yes, you'd essentially be surfing in poo.
Outfall pipes are an archaic wastewater handling method, and many states are shutting theirs off. Rehoboth Beach is behind the times, and we--and the ocean--stand to pay for it.
Let them know this is not an acceptable solution. Click here to send your comments to Rehoboth Beach town leaders.
Field Trip!
Want to learn about DC's stormwater management system? We've arranged for a tour of Blue Plains, the largest advanced wastewater treatment facility of its kind in the world. Join Surfrider for a group tour on March 19 at 10 am. You must register in advance--by March 4--for security reasons. To register or to ask questions, e-mail Julie Lawson.
Volunteers Remove Over 1 Ton of Trash from PotomacAssociates of national consulting firm Accenture joined volunteers from the Surfrider Foundation's DC Chapter in collecting over one ton of trash from the banks of the Potomac River, on February 16. Working along the Mount Vernon Trail and on Roosevelt Island near Arlington, the volunteers filled 103 bags, primarily with food packaging, plastic drink bottles, cigarette butts, and styrofoam.
Volunteers reported collecting 369 plastic grocery bags. Other items found included buckets, an umbrella, a shovel, sleeping bags, hub caps, bamboo poles, a tire, a trash can, and several syringes.
National Day of Service
On Monday, January 19, 2009, Surfrider members joined volunteers from Sierra Club, Earth Conservation Corps, and other local groups to clean debris and invasive plants from Pope Branch Creek, a tributary of the Anacostia River. Behind signs warning of fines for illegal dumping, volunteers pulled out over a hundred bags of bottles, plastic bags, newspapers, food wrappers, discarded clothing, and other items. Large debris included a television, the hood of a car, and numerous tires. Despite the cold weather and occasional snow flurries, a good time was had by all, and the park and stream were left neat and tidy. Thanks to the volunteers who came out!
The Big Paddle
Thank you to everyone who came out to the 2008 Paddle on the Potomac, and especially our event sponsors, REI, Clif Bar, and Starbucks. Click here for photos from the big day, and check back for info on next year's Paddle!
RIPPLE!: It was goodJune 20-21, 2008
DC Surfrider's most successful fundraiser to date was an unqualified success. Opening night gave guests the opportunity to view and buy ocean-themed artwork by Oregon artist Erik Abel, Joshua Krause, Spencer Reynolds, Dustin Ortiz, and Scott Szegeski, before the public opening on Saturday. The show, featuring more than 50 pieces, is hosted by Art Whino, a new gallery that features a collaborative of more than 150 modern artists from around the country. More than 200 guests enjoyed free California wines from Twin Fin and antipasti from Whole Foods while bidding on a variety of travel packages in a silent auction. A steel drum duo from Oasis Band provided music throughout the evening.
The two-day opening included a free Environmental Showcase on Saturday afternoon. DC Surfrider campaign leaders constructed hands-on displays to illustrate two national campaigns, Rise Above Plastics and Ocean-Friendly Gardens. The exhibits educated passersby about the negative effects of plastics on oceans and ways that homeowners can reduce runoff and pollution through responsible gardening. At the crafts table, children made tote bags out of old t-shirts and surf-themed stencils and made seed envelopes out of old surf magazines so they could grow their very own native plants.
Click here for photos
TEACHERS!: Bring the beach to your classroom
Click here for information about Surfrider's Respect The Beach educational program that brings watershed models into the classroom.
New and improved Georgetown: Now with less trash!
April 5th, 2008 - Washington, DC
This past Saturday, volunteers from Surfrider, Patagonia, Thompson's Boat House, IFC, and other concerned areas residents teamed up to clean up the Georgetown riverfront area as part of the 20th annual Alice Ferguson Potomac River Watershed Cleanup. Starting from the DC Patagonia store, our intrepid trash fighters fanned out along the river, whisking away unsightly cans, bottles, cigarettes, and other pesky pollutants that were destined to hitch a ride to the ocean on the Potomac River. And we weren't the only ones cleaning up. Thousands of other volunteers were doing the same thing in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. So far 4,297 volunteers have reported almost 203 tons of trash collected. Great job everyone! Click here for the running totals.Huge Crowd Turns Out for Clean Water Paddle on the Potomac
Saturday, August 18 - Washington, DC
More than 60 people turned out for DC Surfrider's 13th annual Clean Water Paddle on the Potomac on August 18, 2007. Participants gathered at Thompson Boat Center in the District and paddled 1.75 miles along the Potomac River to the Key Bridge and back, atop surfboards, paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes. Several skateboarders held a banner on the Key Bridge to catch the attention of drivers and pedestrians. In addition to DC Surfrider members, the group included employees of numerous environmental organizations and federal agencies, including NOAA, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, EPA, the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation, and The Ocean Conservancy.
The paddle was established in 1994 to call attention to water-quality and watershed issues-namely, that the water, and the pollution, in DC's rivers ultimately end up in the ocean. That inaugural paddle drew 3 participants, half the chapter's membership at the time, said chapter co-founder Darryl Hatheway. "The growth in the event is just phenomenal," said chapter Vice Chair Julie Lawson. "Even away from the beach, it's clear that coastal issues strike a chord."
On the return trip, participants picked up trash on Roosevelt Island, collecting about a dozen large garbage bags' worth of trash. While the majority of the trash was plastics and food and beverage containers, volunteers also found more unusual items like a hiking boot and a mesh trapÑ-possibly intended for turtle poaching, according to National Park Service ranger Miguel Roberson.
The paddle was followed by a presentation of prizes to the swiftest paddlers. Many participants then went to Surfrider supporter Rugby Cafe in Georgetown for a post-event lunch, including random prize giveaways and a discussion of water conservation by Ranger Roberson.
Click here for more photos
Delaware Gets a Little Cleaner
Saturday, September 29
Eighteen volunteers turned out for the September 29th cleanup at Keybox Road in Delaware. DC Surfrider cleans the stretch of beach in the Delaware Seashore State Park twice a year as part of the state's Adopt-A-Beach program.
The cleanup was the third such event held by the chapter, and by far the largest. Volunteers collected more than 15 bags of trash, mostly plastics and debris from beachgoers.
DC Surfrider at the OC Longboard Team Challenge
Saturday, June 9th - Ocean City, MD
The longboard team challenge was a success despite the minimal surf. Thanks to everybody that showed up to surf and cheer the teams on. There were a ton of people on the beach both spectating and surfing in heats, with a bunch of DC Surfrider members and the Annapolis Surf Club had a good showing as well. The surf was tiny but a beautiful day to be out on the water. See you at next year's event! Click here for photos
Surf and Sun in the Outer Banks
May 2007 - Rodanthe, NC
The Spring surf season got off to a good start as DC Surfrider hosted its second annual surf trip to the Outer Banks, NC. With a huge weather system moving off the coast earlier in the week, the timing couldn't be better for fun waves and good weather in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. (Even though the Sunday morning rain sent everyone home a little early) At one point, a five-car caravan descended on "a certain surf spot" and more or less, took over the place. It was tons of fun surfing and camping with everyone who made the trek down south. Keep checking this website for the trip in 2008!