Jim's Blog
May 2011
May 31, 2011
Dude: Fun with Dude and Betty
Topics: Kids
Take the 1930s Dick and Jane and read it through a 1980s Spicoli filter and you have Dude: Fun with Dude and Betty.
May 28, 2011
Powerful new ads running in Australia
Surfrider Australia is pushing the envelope. We love these ads.
May 23, 2011
The wonders of styrofoam… ocean trash, cancer… suggest we should support S.B. 568
Topics: Plastics
Styrofoam came into being in 1941 and since that time it has proceeded to become one of the largest sources of trash on the planet (oh and it may cause cancer). SB 568 calls for a ban in the state of California.
May 20, 2011
Surfrider activist Darin McClure shares his views on the internet and Surfrider’s mission
Topics: Strategy Activism DIY Activism Modern Activism
There isn't a play book for the internet, social networks and web apps because the entire space is evolving in real time. This said, it's always good to reach out to those heavily engaged and ask them what's working now. I sat down with Surfrider activist Darin McClure and did…
May 19, 2011
Malibu
Topics: Coastal development Waves Activism Water Quality Surfing
Malibu still attracts large crowds because it's still a great wave. After decades and numerous campaigns to preserve it... the wave still delivers one of the better surfing experiences around. What is needed to preserve this area is constant pressure, endlessly applied.
May 17, 2011
Governor Jerry Brown closes 25% of California’s State Parks
Topics: Beach access Beaches
For the first time in 100 years California is planning to close State Parks. We're not talking about one state park. We're talking about 25% of them. We are the legacy we leave to future generations.
May 16, 2011
The TCA, stooping to new levels of desperation to build a road through a state park
Topics: Beach access Victories Coastal development Waves Campaigns Surfing
The fight to preserve the last clean watershed in Southern California will never end. Those of us that fought the Save Trestles fight know that. The TCA continues to re-write the book on how low an organization can go to steal public lands to develop for private purposes.
May 16, 2011
Returning 10,000 pieces of trash to it’s owners
Topics: Beaches Culture Shifting Plastics
Surfrider Brazil helps people understand they shouldn't trash the beach by... sending the trash back to them.
May 13, 2011
Reshaping how we view the act of kids letting balloons go
Anyone with kids has experienced this... your child is at a party, they are given a balloon... and they let it go. What goes up must come down. Marine animals can't digest plastic well and millions die every year from trying. A community in Texas has taken this issue on.
May 11, 2011
Acting, entrepreneurship, change
Topics: Activism Culture Shifting
How do we enable people to believe change is possible? Jeffrey Wright has an interesting perspective on this.
May 10, 2011
The beautiful and the horrible, underwater life and the crap from storm drains
Topics: Coastal development Water Quality
Storm drains exist for one reason, to offer a solution to take excess storm water off the land. Unfortunately we let much more go down them and, in doing so, we're trashing our oceans.
May 09, 2011
Killer placements in Paris for anti single-use plastics ads
Topics: Ads Culture Shifting Plastics
Young and Rubicam Paris have created amazing work for Surfrider Europe over the years. The images below are the largest train station in Paris.
May 06, 2011
Chapters reach 81
Topics: Chapters
Surfrider's chapter network continues to grow. I posted a blog a few days ago sharing that the chapter network hit the 80 mark. This week we added another chapter, in Hilo, Hawaii.
May 05, 2011
Surfrider Japan’s trip to Sendai
Topics:
Surfrider Japan made a trip to Sendai earlier this week. The region used to have a great wave and a strong community. Today it's a toxic mess.
May 05, 2011
God went surfing with the devil
Topics: Beach access Joy Stories Surfing
If we want to go surfing most of us go down to the beach and paddle out. This is not the case in Gaza.
May 03, 2011
Our Ocean Friendly Garden
Topics: Ocean friendly garden
Last December I wrote a post called Killing my yard. In that post I shared our story about embracing the concepts behind ocean friendly gardening. Five months later, our new garden is in full bloom.
