Coastal Blog — Rise Above Plastics
January 08 2013
Are You A Bag Hero?
The Surfrider Foundation Coastal Bend (TX) Chapter has developed a great program to highlight community members who are using reusable bags. The Bag Hero program demonstrates how easy it is to bring your own bags and why it’s important. Each month they recognize an exceptional community member who has chosen…
January 02 2013
New Year Rings In With Plastic Reductions!
Rise Above Plastics Bag Bans Expanded Polystyrene Foam
2012 saw an increased groundswell of local actions across the county aimed at reducing plastic litter and some of the ordinances took effect on January 1st. Corvallis, OR; Alameda County, CA; Laguna Beach, CA and Barrington, RI all have banned single-use plastic checkout bags at grocery stores. In San Marcos,…
December 21 2012
Federal Marine Debris Legislation Signed by the President
Legal Rise Above Plastics Tsunami Debris
President Barack Obama signed the Marine Debris Act Amendments (Farr - H.R. 1171) into law on December 20, 2012 as part of the Coast Guard Maritime Transportation Act (H.R. 2838). The Marine Debris Act Amendments reauthroizes and amends the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act to create a marine…
December 18 2012
More Plastic Bag Reduction Efforts
Last week we covered the groundswell of plastic bag ordinances sweeping through California and this week we are happy to report another international bag ban while legislators on the East Coast are looking to place statewide fees on carryout bags. Both houses of the Swiss Parliament voted to forbid the…
December 17 2012
Surfrider Foundation Supports Los Angeles County Bag Ban in Court
Legal Rise Above Plastics Bag Bans
Surfrider Foundation, by and through our Los Angeles County Chapters and along with a coalition of environmental groups, filed an amicus or “friend of the court” brief in support of Los Angeles County in Schmeer v. Los Angeles County. In this case, the County of Los Angeles is being used…
December 14 2012
Plastic Bag Reduction Week in California!
This week saw three cities in California move forward with different stages of a plastic checkout bag ban for grocers and retail food stores. After state legislators failed to pass AB 298 this year, the statewide bag ban, it is imperative for cities, towns and counties to continue the groundswell…
December 11 2012
The Toilet Bowl Effect: Gurgles and Flushes from Pico-Kenter Storm Drain
Blue Water Task Force Youth Rise Above Plastics Water Quality
Students at Santa Monica High School measured high bacteria levels and picked up more than 75 lbs of trash flushed through the Pico-Kenter storm drain by rain events in November. Read the press release they sent out documenting this pollution.
December 06 2012
Membership Special and Beach Trash Ornament Contest
Surfrider Foundation is currently running a great Holiday Gift Membership package and there’s just one week left to order to make sure it’s delivered before Christmas. It’s a great package for you or a loved one to show your support for clean water and beaches all year long. Also, Surfrider…
November 30 2012
Buffalo Exchange Goes Bagless!
Buffalo Exchange has officially gone “bag-less”. The company plans to discontinue all orders of disposable plastic bags for its 47 stores nation-wide. This keeps a good deal of plastic out of landfills and prompts customers to remember an earth-friendly alternative for the trip home. The company’s change in policy is…
November 29 2012
Plastic Pollution Makes National News
Rise Above Plastics Tsunami Debris
Last night NBC News featured a story triggered by tsunami debris that put the spotlight on plastic pollution in the Pacific Ocean. While it's great to see more attention to the issue of plastic pollution, the story fell short of offering some solutions. Tsunami debris is a relative drop in…
November 26 2012
Plastic Beach Project - Understanding Plastic Pollution at 15 Beaches in the SF Bay Area
Surfrider Foundation San Francisco Chapter activists developed a method to document trash collected during Surfrider’s local beach cleanups and conduct scientific research to systematically compare plastic pollution on 15 local beaches. The purpose of the project was to document the quantity and type of beach litter on local beaches to…
November 19 2012
Rise Above Plastics Holiday 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 2012
Canned Water?!
I often thought an 'ace up the sleeve' for the bottled water industry was that their usually unneeded product can come in quite handy after an emergency and/or natural disaster such as Sandy. But instead of plastic bottles, why can't water be put into cans? Aluminum cans have a higher…
November 07 2012
No Smoking On This Beach Near Tobacco Road
Rise Above Plastics Water Quality
The focus Tuesday was mainly on the Presidential race but there were other important races and plenty of ballot initiatives across the country. In Wrightsville Beach voters soundly approved the first smoke-free beach in North Carolina. The Surfrider Foundation Cape Fear Chapter worked hard on this campaign for two years…
October 30 2012
RAP on Openline
Rise Above Plastics Bag Bans Expanded Polystyrene Foam
Last month the good folks over at KROQ invited us over to chat about the Rise Above Plastics program and ways to reduce plastic pollution. Check it out here to find out more about Surfrider, Rise Above Plastics and what you can do to help turn the tide on plastic…
October 26 2012
One Foot At A Time - LAST CALL for Plastic Litter Mosaic Photos
As part of RAPtober, the Surfrider Foundation is proud to present the 2nd Annual ONE FOOT AT A TIME plastic clean-up event! This fun and exciting event, will bring together volunteers from across the country to raise awareness of the dangers of plastic pollution by removing pieces of plastic trash…
October 25 2012
Plastic on Mars and the Arctic Seafloor
Rise Above Plastics Bag Bans Expanded Polystyrene Foam
Why are we taking plastic pollution to the ends of the earth and beyond? David Bowie famously asked whether there is Life on Mars but before we can confirm that either way we have managed to litter plastic on the red planet. Meanwhile, a study was recently released showing an…
October 22 2012
Campaign Planning Video
Plan before you ban. When considering plastic bag legislation - or any other campaign with a beginning, middle, and end - we can't underscore enough the importance of campaign planning. Surfrider's Northeast Regional Manager John Weber has seen the good, bad and ugly sides of campaigns over his tenure as…
October 17 2012
RAPTOBER - A Month Long Challenge to Rise Above Plastics
For the entire month of October the Surfrider Foundation is celebrating Raptober. We’re sharing plastic related facts, as well as tips on how to reduce your individual plastic footprint in an effort to raise awareness about the need to Rise Above Plastics to help protect the marine environment. RIGHT NOW…
September 28 2012
See You At The Summits
This weekend and next the Surfrider Foundation is hosting West Coast and East Coast Summits to help our activists be better chapter leaders through shared experiences, peer interactions, tangible tools and training. It's semi invite-only as you need to be involved with one of the local chapters and there are…
