Coastal Blog
February 15 2012
Obama to end beach water quality monitoring?
Blue Water Task Force Water Quality Illness
By defunding the Beach Grant Program, the Obama Administration is about to put you and your kids at risk next time you swim in the ocean.
February 16 2012
OFG Launch in Florida and North Carolina
Florida's First Coast Chapter and North Carolina's Cape Fear Chapter launch their Ocean Friendly Gardens Programs. They have quickly found common ground with local design professionals, government agencies, non-profits and universities.
February 10 2012
Surf ‘n ORGANIC Turf
The author of the book, The Organic Lawn Care Manual, gives a thumbs-up for Surfrider's Ocean Friendly Gardens Program and sign criteria.
February 10 2012
California Coast Protected by Largest No-Discharge Zone in the Nation!
The federal Environmental Protection Agency approved a California Sewage Ban and Created the Largest Coastal No-Discharge Zone in the Nation on February 9, 2012.
February 08 2012
Do you need a bulldozer to cleanup your beach?
I sure hope not. I have seen photos of large equipment scooping litter out of Ballona Creek in LA, insane plastic pollution in the Tijuana River Valley near the Mexican border at the Pacific Ocean and large beach raking machines are common in many tourist areas but these photos from…
February 06 2012
Safer to Play in the Sand? Maybe Not
Some parents concerned about exposing their children to polluted water at the beach may advise their kids to stay on the beach and play in the sand. According to a new EPA study, that may not always protect them from getting sick. Testing at beaches in Alabama and Rhode Island,…
February 02 2012
Beachapedia Named ‘Wiki of the Month’
We are pleased to announce that our Beachapedia website has been named 'Wiki of the Month' by the folks at Semantic MediaWiki. From their announcement: "Beachapedia is a wiki that captures decades of experience and knowledge gained by Surfrider Foundation activists, scientists and staff through hundreds of environmental and educational…
January 31 2012
Plastic In The Food Chain
Remember the plastic bag sushi ad we posted last week? While it's a bit extreme, it does show the underlying truth that the ocean is turning into a plastic soup and plastic is entering the food chain through the fish we eat. While most people are concerned with larger types…
January 28 2012
Being an Effective Voice for the Environment
On January 26, 2012, the Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of California presented a public workshop entitled “Your Voice: The Public’s Role in Environmental Decision-Making.” This blog outlines some of the take-home messages from that workshop.
January 27 2012
Leatherback Sea Turtles Get Protection Along West Coast
Coastal Preservation Know Your H20 Desalination Ocean Ecosystems Rise Above Plastics
Regulators designated nearly 42,000 square miles of ocean on the West Coast as critical habitat for endangered leatherback sea turtles, protecting them from ocean-related development projects and pollution.
January 27 2012
Surfing Access in Chicago
By now much of the surfing world has heard the story about Rex Flodstrom getting arresting for surfing in Lake Michigan at Oak Beach in Chicago. The story of his arrest and the outrage that surfing is illegal that ensued, including the likes of Kelly Slater, was heavily covered in…
January 26 2012
OFG Taking Root in Pacific Northwest With Soil & Water Conservation Districts
Ocean Friendly Gardens Basic Class GAP HOW
Surfrider chapters in Oregon and Washington are working with watershed restoration agencies, expanding on the traditional "rain garden" design model and putting on hands-on trainings.
January 24 2012
New Rise Above Plastics Print PSA’s from Pollinate
Check out these great new print PSA's that Pollinate Agency in Portland, OR created for Surfrider's Rise Above Plastics program!
January 24 2012
Sewer Mining - Weird Term but an Idea That Makes Sense
Know Your H20 Wastewater Water Recycling
In the area around Sydney, Australia, several private organizations have found a new dependable source of water for irrigation and other non-potable uses - the sewer. The idea is to tap into sewer lines, treat the water to make it suitable for irrigation, and thereby save drinking water for -…
January 23 2012
Stiv on Bag Ban Campaign Planning
I recently caught up with 5 Gyres Communications and Policy Director / Surfrider activist Stiv Wilson to get some of his insight on planning for a successful plastic reduction campaign. Stiv has a wealth of knowledge from sailing in three of the five gyres to being one of the many…
January 20 2012
White House Releases Draft Ocean Plan - Time to Speak Out!
The Obama Administration has released its draft National Ocean Policy action plan, outlining more than 50 actions the U.S. will take to protect our nation’s oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes.
January 18 2012
New Beach Water Quality Standards?
Blue Water Task Force Water Quality Illness
As surfers, swimmers and beach goers we rely on water quality monitoring to know if it is safe to go into the ocean. That monitoring relies on water quality standards to determine your risk of getting sick. EPA has reassessed those standards, and Surfrider is weighing in on them.
January 12 2012
Surfrider Comments on 5 Year Offshore Drilling Plan
Surfrider recently submitted comments to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on the Draft 2012-2017 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Programmatic EIS
January 12 2012
Don’t Waste Water: Recycle Wastewater
Know Your H20 Wastewater Water Recycling
The National Research Council has just released a report that clarifies what we already knew, using marginally more energy in the treatment process can purify our wastewater so that it’s safe to drink, and do it at a fraction of the cost of ocean desalination or importing freshwater long distances.
January 11 2012
Another One Bites The Dust - SLO Bag Ban Passes!
San Luis Obispo County County Integrated Waste Management Authority had a 'super vote' for the first time in their history and a super majority of board members passed one of the first countywide plastic bag bans in the U.S. This one covers both the unincorporated areas and all incorporated cities…
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