Coastal Blog
April 15 2013
Down Cycled to Marine Debris
Plastics manufacturers tend to promote recycling as the holy grail for waste management. As more cities aim to divert more materials from landfills for good reason, more recycled material gets processed and needs to find a second life. Some materials can be made directly into the same products they came…
April 12 2013
Major green infrastructure project is completed in New York
Know Your H20 Low Impact Development
In an area where combined sewer system overflows are a leading contributor to water quality problems, the City of New York has turned to green infrastructure as a cost-effective solution to multiple problems.
April 12 2013
No $ for Beach Programs in 2014 Federal Budget
Blue Water Task Force Water Quality
The President's budget for FY2014 once again fails to include any funding to support beach water testing programs. It is disappointing that the Administration continues to be penny-wise and pound-foolish, ignoring the huge public health costs and potential risk to coastal tourism economies that these cuts will bring.
April 10 2013
Rethink Butts
The Surfrider Foundation has been fighting cigarette but litter since the 1990's when the San Diego County Chapter mobilized activists with their 'Hold On To Your Butt' campaign to end cigarette butt litter. Since then there has been great progress in some areas but cigarette butts continue to be a…
April 09 2013
Kaua’i BWTF hits education record
Involving local high school and college students in relevant, water pollution, scientific studies is a big part of the Kaua'i Chapter's BWTF program. This past year they mentored a record number of students. Keep reading to see the impressive areas of study they tackled.
April 08 2013
California’s Landmark Law Under Attack
Beach Access Blue Water Task Force Coastal Preservation Know Your H20 Ocean Ecosystems Water Quality
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is one of California’s most important laws—not only because it helps protect our environment and “quality of life”, but CEQA also promotes democratic participation in the decision-making process—giving citizens a say in what happens in their local communities. Unfortunately over the past few years,…
April 08 2013
South Bay Teach and Test
The South Bay Chapter and their Teach and Test program sponsor, the West Basin Municipal Water District, recieved some nice press for their partnership recently.
April 07 2013
Hands Across the Sand: May 18th!
Do you want to see our coasts protected from offshore drilling? Then sign up to participate in Hands Across the Sand on May 18, 2013!
April 04 2013
Million Reusable Bag Giveaway
Los Angeles is getting ready to finalize their plastic checkout bag ban and groups are ready to provide reusable bags 'Made in LA' for the masses. California Greenworks, in partnership with Green Vets LA and Homeboy Industries, proposes the “Million Reusable Bag Giveaway” pilot program, to create and distribute 25,000…
April 01 2013
Ocean Plastic - A Marin Art Show
This Saturday April 6th, Ocean Plastic, an art show sponsored by the Surfrider Foundation Marin County Chapter, opens in Sausalito! As part of the opening day festivities there will be an artists reception and an impressive list of guest speakers including Beth Terry, Daniella Russo, Chris Princetich and David Helvarg.…
March 29 2013
Responding to Sandy
Coastal Preservation Beach Dredge & Fill Shoreline Armoring
Almost five months after Hurricane Sandy slammed into the northeast the region is still in recovery mode. It is a real challenge to balance the competing interests of the urgency and importance of rebuilding with thoughtful planning to make the necessary changes to avoid a similar disaster in the future.…
March 29 2013
Sewage Treatment: Moving Off the Coast?
Know Your H20 Wastewater Water Recycling
A combination of required replacement of outdated sewage treatment facilities, climate change adaptation (sea level rise), and integrated water management strategies may be evolving towards movement of sewage treatment facilities away from the coast, as well as water re-use and improved water quality discharge.
March 28 2013
Top Plastic Pollution Bills in California
Legal Rise Above Plastics Bag Bans
The California legislative session started off in full sprint this year, with Senators and Assembly members tripping over themselves to come up with bills that address coastal plastic pollution. At the end of the first quarter, we have several priority pieces of legislation that Surfrider Foundation supports in our efforts…
March 22 2013
New Malibu OFG Helps to Protect Surfrider Beach
Ocean Friendly Gardens Basic Class
This new, high-profile Ocean Friendly Garden at Bluffs Park is just up the hillside from Surfrider Beach, where Surfrider Foundation got its start. Backed by the City and many others, it's a good model for people to draw from: at home, at work, and elsewhere.
March 20 2013
Farewell Friend – In Memoriam of My Travel Mug
My friend of three and half years passed away this morning. He’d been on life support for quite a while, but I made him hold on. There was no one like him so it was hard to let go. We’d been everywhere together on a daily basis. We’d worked to…
March 20 2013
Protecting ocean recreation and surfing
The Surfrider Foundation takes a multi-pronged approach to protecting ocean recreation and surfing. Here we provide an overview of those approaches and we will dive into each one in more detail in subsequent posts.
March 19 2013
EPA articulates the multiple benefits of green infrastructure
Know Your H20 Low Impact Development
Green infrastructure is a cost-effective and resilient approach to our water infrastructure needs that provides many community benefits. As of 2008, the total reported water infrastructure needs for the United States included $63.6 billion for combined sewer overflow control and $42.3 billion for stormwater management. Since only 22% of regulated…
March 13 2013
Surfrider Foundation Sues to Open Martin’s Beach to the Public
Martin's Beach in Half Moon Bay, California, is a beautiful stretch of sandy beach that has been enjoyed by locals and visitors for generations. However, locked gates and signs were erected at the entrance to the beach road several years ago. After over two years of outreach and advocacy, the…
March 12 2013
Desalination a drop in the bucket?
Surfrider advocates for holistic water supply management through the exhaustion of multi-benefit water supply solutions before implementation of more energy intensive options such as desalination. Many cities in California are beginning to realize desalination is not the answer!
March 11 2013
Can a First Coast City be the First City in Florida to Refuse Plastic Bags?
Florida is a state that limits 'home rule' when it comes to plastic bags - municipalities are not allowed to enact a plastic bag ban or fee-based ordinance per state law. That did not slow down a group of Flagler College students who are working to eliminate plastic bag litter…
