MAKING WAVES, March-April 2003 issue: Table of Contents

THE CASE FOR A BETTER MODEL "Conservation is a basis of permanent peace." -Franklin D. Roosevelt quoted by Gifford Pinchot It's difficult to say no to a better idea. In society, ideas compete much like organisms do in nature. The more innovative and streamlined ones tend to rise to the top. In the field of environmentalism, it's time for some innovation. We need to go beyond simply refining our arguments against our "opponent." We need to "win" by simply offering a better model. Only then can our opponents become our allies. We cannot restore our coastlines and forests until we restore our flawed models. Most of our environmental problems come down to design flaws. In nature, waste equals food. It can be argued that there is no such thing as waste in nature. One organism's garbage is another's banquet. This is just one of nature's design triumphs, and one of man's sad shortcomings. In most of our designs, waste is just waste—mountains of it, flumes of it, insidious molecules of it flowing through the bloodstreams of humans, marine mammals, fish, livestock, and even plants. We are busy poisoning ourselves while most of the environmental progress has focused simply on ways to slow the rate of this deadly process. This is the Eco-efficiency model which is so popular these days. To paraphrase green architect and designer William McDonough, relying only on eco-efficiency is much like waking up one day in Chicago with the intention of driving to the East Coast. If after many hours of driving 65 miles per hour, you find yourself in Colorado, it's not going to help much to slow down to 20 miles per hour! YOU HAVE TO TURN AROUND. Instead of trying to invent better filters to put at the end of outflow pipes dumping into the ocean, perhaps we can bend the pipe back to the factory or treatment facility and close the loop. Instead of pitting the environment against the economy, why not build true-costing into our economic models. Instead of destroying the environment with our everyday actions, why not liberate our technology by increasing its sustainability. Why not build alternative models which are about abundance rather than sacrifice. Nature is efficient and abundant. Our designs can be too. Most business still operates with a world view that hasn't changed since the Industrial Revolution. But all over the playing field, better ideas are beginning to change how we think about the role of business, government, and society. Just a few of these pioneering designers and their ideas can be found at www.rmi.org; www.naturalstep.org; www.natcap.org; www.cradle2cradle.org; and www.cradle2cradle.com. Stay in and surf? Just as with these pioneering design solutions, we need to seek new democratic processes to offset the political model that incorrectly pits jobs against nature, homes against beaches, conservatives against conservation. Surfrider Foundation needs our members' financial support, but we also need our members' ideas and elbow grease. Your chapter needs you, whatever your skill set. But we especially need ideas—big ones, little ones, innovative ones. We need a better model of conservation. -Joe Mozdzen

Making Waves The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's waves, oceans and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research, and education. Publication of The Surfrider Foundation A Non-Profit Environmental Organization P.O. Box 6010 San Clemente, CA 92674-6010 (949) 492-8170 fx (949) 492-8142 (800) 743-surf Web: http://www.surfrider.org Email: makingwaves@surfrider.org Executive Director Christopher J. Evans, Esq. Deputy Executive Director/Legal Director Michelle C. Kremer, Esq. Director of Chapters Edward J. Mazzarella Environmental Director Chad Nelsen Director of Development Kim Novick Marketing & Communications Director Matt McClain Coastal Science Manager Mark Rauscher National Grants Manager Lori A. Booth Membership Manager Teresa Rappé Membership Coordinator Jeff Petersen Blue Water Project Coordinator Karin Moran Coastal Management Coordinator Rick Wilson Pacific Northwest Coordinator Kevin Ranker Southern California Coordinator Joe Geever Mail Order & Office Services Sylvia Cantu Membership Assistant Nicki Hmielewski Mail Order Assistant - Chapin Tierney Controller - Toni Craw Web Master - Mark Babski Chief Financial Officer Christopher W. Keys, CPA Federal Policy Analyst Darryl J. Hatheway Making Waves Staff Editor in Chief: Joe Mozdzen Managing Editor: Matt McClain Contributors: Ed Mazzarella,David Pu'u, Chad Nelsen, Kim Edge, Mark J. Spaulding, Cynthia Parker 2003 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman Mike Orbach Vice-Chair Jeff Berg Secretary Will Novy Hildesley Robert Bailey Megan Bailiff Kris Balliet Marc Chytilo Harold Hofer Henry Holmes Michael Marckx Bill Rosenblatt Janis Searles Mark Spalding Kira Stillwell Robb Waterman 2003 Advisory Board Advisory Board Chairman Shaun Tomson Advisory Board Manager Jim Kempton Lisa Andersen Michael Bloom Jeff Bridges Bruce Brown Aaron Checkwood Sean Collins Russ Cogdill Susan Crank Corb Donohue Pierce Flynn, Ph.D. Alan Gibby Brad Gerlach Karen Mackay Griffiths Jake Grubb Woody Harrelson Gregory Harrison Noel Hillman Paul Holmes Bob Hurley Pearl Jam Drew Kampion Dave Kaplan Josh Karliner Mike Kingsbury Kevin Kinnear Tom Loctefeld Gerry Lopez Mike Love, Bruce Johnston and The Beach Boys Terry McCann Rob Machado Don Meek Shelly Merrick Dick Messerol Dick Metz Doug McPherson Bob Mignogna Guy Motil Sakiusa Nadruku Paul Naudé Doug Palladini Tony Pallagrosi Debbee Pezman Mark Price Gary Propper Randy Rarick Fran Richards Gary L. Sirota Kelly Slater C.R. Stecyck III John Stouffer Peter Townend John Von Passenheim Mati Waiya/Chumash People Robert "Nat" Young FOUNDING Advisory Board Yvon Chouinard Steve Pezman Bruce Johnston Tom Curren Jericho Poppler Bartlow D. Dwight Worden Volunteers/Interns Jill Tierney

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