| MAKING WAVES, October 2003 issue: Table of Contents | |
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| "Great things are done by a series of smaller things brought together."
- Vincent van Gogh As a grassroots organization, the Surfrider Foundation is literally an entity made up from the sum of its parts, or in this case, its members. And while our organization can certainly trace its roots back to surfing, the level of diversity amongst our members today is incredible; doctors, lawyers, construction workers, waitresses, soccer moms, soccer dads, school teachers, students, musicians, athletes... If you can name a profession or lifestyle, chances are you can find someone within it who is a Surfrider Foundation member. Making Waves recently caught up with nine Surfrider Foundation members and asked them to share some of their thoughts.  Name: Tara Dakides Age: 28 Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA Occupation: Professional Snowboarder Tara, you have been really supportive of the Surfrider Foundation. How did you get involved and what does being a Surfrider Foundation member mean to you? My first involvement with the Surfrider Foundation was an educational video for our school systems about the water cycle from the mountains to the oceans and why it's so important to take care of our mountains. Our water is as important as the air we breathe and the quality of our water is a direct reflection of the quality of life itself. If that's not important then I don't know what is. You grew up here in Southern Californiahow often do you get back down to the beach? Now that I have a place down at the beach, I'm there quite often and try to surf as much as I can. The Surfrider Foundation is working to ramp up its Snowrider Projectwhich works to educate skiers, snowboarders and mountain communities on the hydrological cycle (water collects as snow pack, which melts into rivers and streams, which flows out into the ocean where it evaporates and eventually falls back to earth to start the whole cycle over) and the importance of watershed stewardship. As someone who spends a lot of time in the mountains, how important do you think this effort is? The mountains and the ocean are basically my livelihood, so I would say extremely important! Any effort to educate people about the hydrological cycle and the environment is helpful. Education is everything. Any general thoughts on the environment? All you have to do is look around you… It's not too hard to figure out that our world needs our help. Any other comments? I just want to thank the Surfrider Foundation for existing and working so hard in the education and efforts in helping our beaches survive. I can't express enough about how important the work of the Surfrider Foundation is and being a member is the least I can do.  Name: Rick Boss Age: 33 Location: Holland, MI Occupation: Painting Contractor How did you first get involved with the Surfrider Foundation? I've been an active Surfrider Foundation member since 1994. I first became active with Surfrider here in the Lake Michigan area in 1998. A few surfing friends of mine were trying to get a chapter rolling here and my name was brought up to help. I gladly accepted the offer to help out. I recently "retired" as Director of the Great Lakes Surfing Association. After heading up the group for 9 1/2 years, I knew a lot of surfers and had good contacts around the Great Lakes, especially Lake Michigan. How many hours a week do you spend volunteering? I spend an average of an hour a week doing something involved with Surfrider. I'm a board member for the Lake Michigan Federation, so I've been busy with that too. What keeps you motivated to stay involved with the Foundation? I stay involved with Surfrider Foundation because I see a need for someone to step up and help build a foundation for the future. I see the young groms coming up who are so stoked on surfing and the Lake, and it makes me want to keep on promoting Surfrider and our chapter. Not many people realize we have a small chapter here and we want to get the word out that we're here and here to stay! What are some of the more pressing beach/coastal issues in your area? I'd say keeping our beaches clean and safe for our residents and tourists are the main concern here. This lake is our means of recreationlots of beautiful beachesso we want to keep them that way for future generations. How many people are in your chapter? I'd say we have around 20 active members in our local chapter. The Great Lakes region is so large; it shares shorelines in seven states and Canada. I'm sure there are probably members in every one of the Great Lake States. Most of the members around here are surfers and windsurfers, but there are a lot of us that just love the beach and join to help protect it. What sort of campaigns, activities or programs is the chapter engaged in? This year we joined the Lake Michigan Federation's Adopt-A-Beach program. We adopted Riley beach in Holland, Michigan. We really love doing this project! We received some good press in August for our efforts. We'll be adding up our trash data and presenting it to the township and local paper after our last cleanup in October. I'd like to thank our core group of chapter activists for really putting in some time this year, they are: Sarah Ammann, Brian McDonald, and Chris Henke...we couldn't do it without these great volunteers.  Name: Ed Mazzarella Age: 36 Location: San Clemente, CA Occupation: Surfrider Foundation National Staff Member How long have you been with the Surfrider Foundation? I'll have been with the organization 12 years in April. Can you tell readers about some of the growth and changes you've seen within the organization from when you started and now? In my opinion, the most effective changes we've made as an organization over the last 12 years are the development and implementation of organization-wide operating structures, systems, procedures, policies and a strategic plan, among other important infrastructure components. I'm sure that sounds boring, but the reality of our movement is that we have to be well organized to truly be effective. Dedication to a movement or cause is an important and needed component, but it does not achieve victory on its own. I think our growth, success and prominence in the environmental and political arenas are a testament to these infrastructure improvements, both on a national and local level. Surfrider Foundation isn't turning 20 by accident. It was well planned and organized. You are the National Director of Chapters. What does your job entail? Surfrider Foundation's Chapter Department is run under my direct supervision. I am responsible for providing direct organizational assistance to our chapter activists, the development of new chapters, conducting field assistance trips throughout the chapter network, regional training conference development and facilitation, new training and outreach material development and the overall management of the chapter department's five employees. I'm responsible for the strategic, as well as the tactical focus of the department and organization in relation to our growth and goals. My job is part leader, organizer, manager, and psychiatrist. What do you like most about working at the Surfrider Foundation? The people: staff, activists and members. I get to come to work every day and see first hand that as individuals we have the power to effect change. This change comes from uniting people around common goals and actions through the Surfrider Foundation. I feel very fortunate to be able to work for an organization that is truly making a positive change in how we view our environment. I really believe in the grassroots movement's philosophy and I think that's why I enjoy my job so much. I know it works. What's the hardest part of your job? You can read any book, take any class or talk to anyone in a leadership role in a grassroots-driven movement and you'll hear this common theme, you need to be organized to win or as Martin Luther King, Jr. said "reform without adequate organization is like trying to sail a boat without a rudder". Being organized in order to be effective means having and following internal guidelines and procedures. What makes my job hard is maintaining this continuity between the guidelines and our activists' motivation. It's a continuing educational and training process on how procedures and guidelines are intertwined with our organizational success. |
What achievement are you the most proud of during your time here at Surfrider Foundation?
Overall, the growth and effectiveness of the chapter network. I mean this from the environmental campaign victories we've achieved to the structural and procedural mechanisms designed and implemented. For example; The Orange County Waiver Campaign was great and so was the BEACH Bill Campaign, but equally rewarding to me was growing the chapter network from 19 to 60 chapters and developing the Chapter Resource Book and Organizing Criteria. Where do you see the organization going in the future The chapter network is developed, trained and administered by the Surfrider Foundation National Organization. The support ranges, among many things, from campaign development and funding initiatives, to scientific and legal assistance to maintaining the many federal and state non-profit regulations required to operate. A core factor in our success depends on how effectively we develop, strengthen and expand the capacity and diversity of our community-based chapter network and organization. One of the short-term objectives in this effort is to hire regional support staff. The number one hiring priority is an East Coast Regional Manager and then a follow up with a Florida-based one. These two initial hires are only the beginning in our efforts to increase the on-the-ground support base for our activist network. If we're going to continue concentrating on getting better at what we're already good at, grassroots activism, these positions are essential.  Name: Jami Duggan-Fry Age: 26 Location: Newton, IA Occupation: Student Iowa is not necessarily where one might expect to find a Surfrider Foundation member. How long have you been a member and what made you join? I used to live in California, but I moved to Iowa three years ago. I really miss the ocean. Farming is really big out here. Knowing that fertilizer, pesticides and other pollutants get into our rivers and eventually end up in the ocean made me want to get involved, so two years ago I joined the Surfrider Foundation. It's all about the water. How often do you make it to the coast? I try to make it out once or twice a year if possible, usually in the spring or summer. I usually go to Ocean Beach in San Diego, or sometimes I'll head up to Arcada. I like to spend time in Oregon and Washington too. How do you stay abreast of coastal or beach issues and Surfrider Foundation activities? I read Making Waves. I also have a lot of environmentally involved friends, so I stay in touch with them. I haven't really talked to a lot of people about the Surfrider Foundation, specifically, more about the issues. I will be starting at the University of Iowa this fall and would like to maybe spread some information about the Foundation there on campus. What do you think is the most important issue threatening our beaches and coastlines? I'd say simply the amount of growth and development that is taking place along our coasts. Every time I go back for a visit I can't believe how much change is taking placea lot of building. I keep wondering what happened to my little beach community. Pollution is obviously also a big problem. What keeps you stoked on being a Surfrider Foundation member? Just to be able to keep protecting the ocean. For me, the ocean is really the essence of goddess and spirituality. It is where I go to be refreshed and stay grounded.  Name: Jim Lindberg Age: 38 Location: Hermosa Beach, CA Occupation: Musician How long have you been supporting the Surfrider Foundation and how did you find out about the organization? I started as a member in 1997. I'd seen Surfrider Foundation stickers on other surfer's cars down at the El Porto parking lot. I'm one of those people who gets really pissed off seeing trash in the water, and I've always been sensitive to the different foul odors and colors when I'm surfing. When I saw there was an organization trying to do something to protect the ocean and keep it clean, I joined up right away. So having the sticker on your car definitely helps in recruiting new members. It worked for me. What are some of the beach/coastal issues in your area? I live in Manhattan Beach, which is about a mile downstream from Hyperion Sewage treatment plant, the largest of its kind in the world. Since it's inception in the late 40's, and even with tons of improvements since then, the plant still has a lot of trouble treating all the waste from millions of L.A. residents. There have been a number of leaks from the plant and it's the central coastal issue for people living in the South Bay. I can remember some of the best swells that have come through the area also came with some of the most severe sewage spills because the system is over-taxed during storms. There has to be a way to control the leaks during bad weather, but getting the funding for upgrading the system and making protecting the surf a top priority for officials is difficult. We also have the Chevron Oil refineries in El Segundo as well as the Edison power plant close by, and there's the issue of protecting the Ballona wetlands from development. With all of this around us, there's plenty to contend with as an environmentally concerned surfer living in the South bay of Los Angeles. Do you see these problems getting better or worse in the near future? It was getting better for a long time. There's even been a return the last few years of more sea life at local beaches. The water testing grades have come up. But the current administration has shown their complete disregard for environmental issues, to the point of being environmentally hostile in my opinion, so it's up to us as voters to support candidates who consider our oceans and the environment a top priority. Otherwise, it can only get worse. Pennywise took out our membership remits and other Surfrider Foundation materials on the Warped Tour this yearany feedback on how that was received? Yeah, it was great to see someone in Milwaukee, who lives miles away from the surf, pick up a brochure and check it out. We had a friend grab a stack of them and hand them out to people. The Warped tour has been getting better each year at including social causes in the booths and has been doing a lot of good in that arena. I don't see a lot of other tours doing that. Just getting the information out to people makes them more aware of the problems we're facing. If we got even one person to join Surfrider by putting the remits out, it was worth it. Any general comments...on anything? I had the sticker on my car but never got involved until I saw the local chapter was meeting and went down and participated. It was great, yet for the thousands of surfers in the area, there were only about 20 people there. If you love the ocean and hate polluted water and are at all concerned about the planet that our children will inherit, there's no excuse, it's time to get involved.  Name: Matt Fleming Age: 34 Location: San Luis Obispo, CA Occupation: College Professor How long have you been a Surfrider Foundation member and how did you get involved ? I've been a Surfrider member for approximately 10 years and active with the San Luis Bay chapter for the last 6 years. I was out surfing a local break one day and noticed several jet-skiers endangering surfers in the impact zone. At the time, tow-in surfing and PWC use was not a huge issue, but I recognized that it might be in the future. So I contacted the local chapter. What are some of the more pressing beach/ coastal issues in your area? Like many other areas, San Luis Obispo County faces an onslaught of environmental threats. All the beach communities have water-quality problems. Plus we also have seawall issues, coastal access concerns, marine sanctuary debates, and development disputes, such as the current issue with the Hearst Ranch. Are things getting better or worse? Worse. Although the county has many environmental groups doing great things, this battle simply has too many fronts. The central coast has become a nice target area for many who look at a map and see sanctuaries north and south, and so pick the weakest area of environmental defense. What sort of campaigns, activities or programs is the chapter engaged in? The San Luis Chapter has a number of long-standing activities and programs and some more recent developments. Currently, we test the ocean waters in the winter months, assisting the county Environmental Health by providing volunteers to go do the testing. Our Vice Chair, John Moule, and I are also on many local committees dealing with Marine Sanctuary issues. What other types of events or activities does the chapter hold? For a number of years now, we have held the Ken Harmount Pier to Pier Paddle from Avila beach to Pismo. With help from Cal Poly students, we hold the "Benefits of Music" show, bringing together local bands to raise money for the chapter. We recently worked with Sean Thompson and Steve Carlson of Central Coast Surfboards to bring Free Ride to the central coast. With the help of Bruce Howard of Otter Productions, we have had a Surfrider booth at most of the concerts at Avila, including the Reggae Festival and Chris Isaak. This fall we will be holding our biggest event yet, an art exhibit/music-fest/wine and food party, called the "Free-Fall Art Benefit," which will raise money while highlighting the work of coastal artists. How many hours a week on average do you donate to the Surfrider Foundation? It varies somewhat, but on the average, I would say about 15-20 hours a week. Lately, I've been putting in a ton of hours to make sure our "Free-Fall Art Benefit" goes off without a hitch. |
What keeps you involved with the Surfrider Foundation?
Whether at the national or local levels, Surfrider always draws in great people. When I'm surrounded by enthusiastic, intelligent, ethical activists, I am able to believe that the environment still has a chance and that not everyone out there is in it for the money!  Name Tom Dumont Age: 35 Location: Long Beach, CA Occupation: Musician How long have you been a Surfrider Foundation Member and what got you into the organization? I've been a member for about 5 years or so. I used to go to the beach a lot when I was growing up, but hadn't really been able to get down there very much for a long time because I was so busy doing the music thing. Then in 1997, I started surfing. I'd noticed a lot of these Surfrider Foundation stickers on cars, and thought that maybe I should check this organization out. What are some of the beach/coastal issues in your area? I live in Long Beach, California, so I suppose the big issue is that we have this breakwater that prevents any waves from hitting the beachwhich is a bummer. I know that the Foundation is involved with that. We also have a big problem with urban runoff. The county's two biggest rivers, the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers, let out right near my town. Unfortunately all the trash and other pollution from the inland areas winds up getting washed out to the ocean and ends up accumulating along our beaches. Do you see these problems getting better or worse? I'd like to think that they are getting better, but I don't know. In the winter after it rains, the water is just disgusting for weeks afterward. The oceans are being treated as if they are the toilets of our city. I keep reading articles in the newspaper about new restrictions on water quality standards for inland polluters, but the science behind them seems pretty complicated. No Doubt has been really supportive of the Surfrider Foundation, as well as other organizations. Do you think that musicians and other entertainers have any sort of obligation to use their leverage as public figures to educate or enlighten their fans about issues? I wouldn't say that people are necessarily obligated… But for me, I feel so lucky to be able to do music, I just really wanted to do something to give something back. There is a lot of downtime as a musician, so it's really easy for me to get involved. That's something that people don't realizethat it's really not that difficult to give something back. We can always be more involved. What problems or issues do you think pose the biggest threat to our world's oceans, waves and beaches? For me I would say urban runoff. It's hard because you're not going to see a change in people's behavior overnight. You have to educate them and make them understand the impacts of their actions. I also think that we should continue to enact more legislation to minimize polluters. Any general comments or thoughts? I'm really stoked to be involved with Surfrider Foundation, and to be doing something for our beaches.  Name Tom Warnke Age: 55 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Occupation: Publishing Consultant How did you get involved with the Surfrider Foundation and how long have you been a member? I joined in 1994 and I had followed Surfrider Foundation since they started in 1984. I got the idea to start a chapter here in Florida back in 1996. We had a breakwater issue that was being proposed and that was what prompted us to start the Palm Beach County Chapter. We were actually the first active chapter in Florida. After us came Sebastion Inlet, South Beach and Miami. I like to think of myself as the guy that really got Surfrider Foundation going in Florida. What are some of the more pressing beach/coastal issues in your area? There are six or seven environmental mysteries here in Florida that the state can't explain: outbreaks of red tides, the numbers of sea lice are reaching epidemic proportion, a rise in a fatal herpes-like outbreak in the green turtle population that is causing tumors (similar to Maui), the number of beach closures in Florida have reached an all time high, increases in pilot whale and porpoise strandings, beaches are testing dirty. Do you see these problems getting better or worse? When I started this chapter, I thought beach access would be our primary concern. Now it seems that we are fighting some very serious water quality issues. Although the water still looks clear and pristinewe are finding out that this water is incredibly dirty. A billion gallons a day are getting pumped out through these injection wells. EVERY DAY! How many people are in your chapter? We've got a good dozen core active members and probably another 3 dozen members. We are continually doing outreaches, including a very successful effort at the SurfEXPO event. What sort of campaigns, activities or programs is the chapter engaged in? In addition to our campaign with the injection, we do a lot of work with the Beachscape Program. We are hoping to have our beaches completely mapped by the end of the year. We also do a lot of work presenting RTB (Respect The Beach) programs to the schools in the area. Ideas for events? We used to have our Founder's Ballwhich celebrated those people who helped the chapter get off the ground (including Jimmy Buffet). We still do a few movie nights. We do local fundraising concerts with local bands. How many hours a week do you spend? I usually spend about 5 hours a week on Surfrider Foundation stuff, however there are times that I'm spending 15 or 20 hours a week on foundation business. For the last eight years I've logged approximately 8000 between SF and Eastern Surfing Association. It comes at a sacrifice. I missed a great swell this week working on Surfrider Foundation business. But I think that all this work has really paid off. Anytime that there is a beach or coastal issue, more often or not I'm one of the people that the media or local government officials call. What keeps you stoked on the Surfrider Foundation? The Juno Pier access issueI knew it would be a successful issue. When the campaign was resolved, it was just so satisfying. Every time I paddle out there, I still get surfers coming up to me and thanking me and the rest of the chapter for making surfing possible.  Name: Liz Fuller Age: 28 Location: Boston, MA Occupation: Surf Shop Owner How did you get involved with the Surfrider Foundation and how long have you been a member? I have been a Surfrider activist since 1995. I was attending UC Santa Barbara and became involved in the Isla Vista Chapter. I was an Events Coordinator and helped put on the original Rincon Clean Water Classic in 1997. Being part of the Surfrider Foundation gave me so much inspiration. Never underestimate the power of college students and the college chapter. What are some of the more pressing beach/coastal issues in your area? Massachusetts is called "The Bay State" because there are so many rivers, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, and coastline. The most pressing problems we see are storm water management and urban runoff. Coastal armoring and beach nourishment are also prevalent. However these activities have gone on for years and years, so it is difficult to fight a seawall that has existed since the early 1900s. Our chapter is dedicated to working to preserve open space. Do you see these problems getting better or worse? Better I think. Massachusetts has a number of state environmental agencies that do a terrific job of facilitating grassroots activities. The Wetlands Protection Act, and the Rivers Act, if enforced properly, provide communities a mechanism for limiting rapid development and ensuring developers are in compliance. How many people are in your chapter? There are about 12 to 20 core members who continuously show up to our monthly meetings at the Patagonia store in Boston. However we have over 900 people on our mailing list, which covers all of Massachusetts, as well as into New Hampshire. What sort of activities are the chapter engaged in? We have at least three major projects right now. On an advocacy level we are involved in two bills that would limit the use of two-stroke engines in personal water craft (PWC's). One bill would offer towns and municipalities the choice of whether or not to allow or disallow the use of PWC's in local, and often environmentally sensitive, waterways. The other bill seeks to mandate four-stroke engines for all newly manufactured PWC sold in Massachusetts. We are also working on the local level with the Town of Hull, a coastal community that is part of the Boston Harbor Islands, to preserve open space along the Weir River Estuary, which has been designated by the state as "an area of Critical Environmental Concern". The Surfrider Foundation sits on a committee that seeks to provide public access using "water as the path." Our chapter is also very excited about being involved in the Snowrider Project. Massachusetts is a very snowy and icy place in the winter, and it seems like everyone heads to the mountains. We hope to bring our message to the slopes whether its Massachusetts based ski resorts or to mountain states (like Vermont) that don't currently have a Surfrider chapter. |
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Surfrider Foundation's MAKING WAVES, October 2003 SURFRIDER and the SURFRIDER LOGO are registered service marks of Surfrider Foundation Copyright © 2003 Surfrider Foundation All rights reserved |