Coastal Blog — Rise Above Plastics
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 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…
January 09 2012
Ban The Bag on Portlandia
Cheers to the Surfrider Foundation Portland Chapter for making such an impact with their successful Ban The Bag campaign that it landed on the Independent Film Channel's hit series Portlandia! It's a funny show and this is a great parody on petitioning. New episodes Fridays at 10, check your cable…
January 01 2012
What was the first plastic item that you touched this year?
Maybe it was a cheap champagne glass at midnight or the tv remote control after watching some of the celebrations. Maybe you slept through the turn of the calendar and it was your alarm clock or toilet seat first thing in the morning. For me, it was the case on…
December 20 2011
Flotsam Clusters - Nothing New
Check out this rad artwork! I'm usually hesitant to glorify trash and marine debris but I love this work from Lowell Nickel and wanted to pass it along. Plastic trash and litter is easily ignored by most people but these works highlight how durable and everlasting it can be. Next…
December 19 2011
What does a 3% increase in violent crimes have to do with a plastic bag ban?
Nothing, it's just a scare tactic. In advance of the Seattle City Council vote on a plastic bag ban for the city that passed 9-0(!), a major plastic bag manufacturer started running an opposition ad in Seattle newspapers that could be described as scare tactics. Why else would they include…
December 16 2011
Waste To Waves / Foam to Surfboard Recycling!
Waste to Waves™ is an exciting new recycling program developed by nonprofit organization Sustainable Surf, that’s designed to turn waste materials into new, eco-friendlier surfing products. Partners for the initial launch campaign include Reef, SPY Optic, Marko Foam, Surfrider Foundation and Waste Management. Waste to Waves lets you “Turn Your…
December 15 2011
How To Trim The Plastic When Grocery Shopping
Day Without A Bag is today and the focus is to avoid carryout bags in favor of remembering your reusable bags. It’s the easiest way to Rise Above Plastics at the grocery store, but just the tip of the plastic iceberg. Here are some other tips to help trim the…
December 13 2011
Stocking Stuffer Alert - Reusable Glass Straws!
Our friends at Simply Straws recently sent along a special batch of reusable glass straws etched with the Surfrider logo! Conventional plastic straws can be a dangerous single-use plastic item because it's really hard to recycle them and it seems they are often littered. Once littered they often start the…
December 12 2011
Celebrate Day Without A Bag THIS THURSDAY!
A Day Without a Bag is an educational grassroots event started by Heal the Bay in Los Angeles and hosted by Surfrider Foundation Chapters along with local community groups throughout the country. Held the third Thursday in December, we ask holiday shoppers and retailers to forgo single-use, plastic shopping bags…
December 08 2011
Hawaii Print PSA’s
HUGE Mahalos to Kevin Whitton (Ed./Publisher) and Kyle Tanaka (Art Dir.) for sponsoring Surfrider HI's Rise Above Plastic ads in Green Magazine! Thanks to the Surfrider Foundation Oahu Chapter 'RAP' Comm., Sheila, Rob, Leilei, Robert, Lora L., Pasha P., Tia-Brooke F., Stuart C. and all those who helped design and…
December 07 2011
Rise Above Foam
What lightweight single-use plastic is typically used for under ten minutes and can easily break into many pieces if littered? If you guessed expanded polystyrene foam, you are correct! These small pieces of foam run the risk of harming wildlife that mistake it for food. Even if someone has the…
December 01 2011
15 Ways in 15 Days
15 Ways to Reduce Plastic Use in 15 Days for the Holiday Season is an idea from the the Surfrider Foundation San Francisco Chapter. Check them all out here and follow them daily on the Rise Above Plastics Facebook page.
November 30 2011
BWTF Students Paddle Out for a Bag Free LA
Blue Water Task Force Youth Rise Above Plastics Bag Bans
The Heal the Bay Surfrider Club at Santa Monica High School organized a paddle out to bring attention to the bacteria and plastic pollution that heavy rains in October brought to their beaches. Read their press release.
November 27 2011
‘Bag It’ Online Screening This Sunday!
Have you seen the critically acclaimed documentary 'Bag It' yet? If not, this Sunday is your chance to catch it from the luxury of your own home. This Sunday December 4th at 8pm EST/ 5pm PST, the Surfrider Foundation is hosting an online screening for the low, low price of…
November 22 2011
Rise Above Plastics Holiday Shopping Tips
Black Friday specials are in full swing and the joy of the holidays is knocking on the door. Are you going to be naughty or nice when it comes to your shopping and gift giving? The world's population is currently using 50 percent more resources each year than the earth…
November 14 2011
Don’t cave in to corporate pressure!
Over the past few weeks it appears that big corporations are flexing their wallets to help stamp out some plastic reduction initiatives. It started when a lightly viewed 'Refuse Plastic' PSA featuring last season's American Idol finalists was targeted. Next, a major plastics manufacturer poured money into small town plastic…
November 11 2011
You Tube Friday
Everyone loves YouTube, right? So many videos on just about every imaginable topic in one convenient place. It's the second most popular search engine in the world and it's easy to see why when you type in something like 'plastic pollution' and get thousands of video results. Here are a…
October 28 2011
Attorney General Files Complaint for Deceptive Water Bottle Labeling
The California Attorney General decided to take action against misleading water bottle labels falsely claiming recyclability and biodegradability. Attorney General Kamala Harris signed off on a Complaint for Injunction, Civil Penalties and Other Relief on behalf of the People of the State of California. The Complaint points out that the…
October 19 2011
California SB 568: Stayin’ Alive
Remember the polystyrene ban for restaurants in California that we were talking about this summer? It was shelved at the end of the legislative session in September but will be brought back to the State Assembly in early 2012. SB 568 would provide a state-wide ban on polystyrene take out…
