Stoked to protect Washington's ocean, waves, and beaches, for all people!
August - Summer's Sunday
This is always a bittersweet time of year - the days are noticeably shorter, the evenings a little cooler. The pressure to get out and enjoy the warm sunshine and dry weather grows more urgent. At the same time, we seek relief from the heatwaves and wildfire smoke, welcoming the rain and that first hint of fall in the air. So ease into September with us - grab yourself a pumpkin spiced latte, finalize your lingering summer plans, get stoked for winter waves on the horizon, and check out the latest from the field both in Washington and beyond.
~ Liz Schotman, Washington Regional Manager
Pete Steelquist, Washington Policy Manager
International Coastal Cleanup Day draws nigh!
It's that time of year again! International Coastal Cleanup Day is just around the corner. On Saturday, September 16th, chapters, organizations, groups, and dedicated volunteers all over the world will converge on their beloved beaches in this global effort to remove marine debris. The cumulative result is not only a cleaner and healthier coastline but also increased awareness around accessible actions people can integrate into their lives to promote healthy beaches on a daily basis. Data we collect go into our beach cleanups database, which we leverage towards policy solutions to reduce the amount of unnecessary plastic producers make, stopping pollution at its source. To find a cleanup near you, check out your local chapter's website for cleanups in Bellingham, Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia. You can also register for an outer coast cleanup through Coastsavers. Not in Washington next weekend? No problem! Search for a cleanup near you on our national Volunteer page.
Many of us here in the PNW have strong connections to our Hawaiin neighbors, and our network here in Washington continues to express a steady outpouring of love for and desire to help all the friends, families, and strangers suffering in the aftermath of the devastating Maui wildfires that swept through the coastal community of Lāhainā only a few weeks ago. Surfrider chapters across the country have reached out and asked how they can support these recovery efforts. One option is to donate to the Maui Fire Response Fund, which is earmarked specifically for fire response efforts by the Maui Chapter. Your donations will go directly to the Surfrider Maui chapter and specifically support projects related to the fire response including additional water quality monitoring, advocating for government transparency as it relates to human safety and environmental protections, shoreline cleanup efforts, sustainable coastal rebuilding efforts, support of Ocean Friendly Restaurants, community rebuilding projects, and more. You can also donate directly to the Hawaii Community Foundation, the Lahui Foundation, or Maui Mutual Aid.
While we grieve for what is lost, it's critical that we understand what conditions precipitated this not-so-natural disaster so that we can keep it from happening again. The unfortunate reality is that a legacy of extraction, colonialism, environmental degradation, and disenfranchisement of native Hawaiians all contributed to this tragedy (to learn more, check out this article). It is also critical that as communities like those affected in Maui begin to recover and rebuild, we do so thoughtfully and equitably by centering local voices and prioritizing healthy habitats (for example, by restoring Lahaina's wetlands). It is up to dedicated, engaged activists and community leaders like you to ensure that the days of sacrificing the long-term health of our communities and ecosystems for short-term profits become a thing of the past.
This August we celebrated Surfrider Foundation's 39th birthday! Since 1984, our grassroots network has pledged to protect (and enjoy) our ocean, waves, and beaches, and we've continued to grow both in numbers and impact (click here for more on our origin story). We are stoked to continue this legacy and to have amazing people like you who keep showing up on behalf of our coasts. One way to celebrate our birthday this year is to release a bunch of balloons above your nearest body of water! Just kidding - please don't do that (#BalloonsBlow). A better choice might be to become a Surfrider member and support your local chapter, because the Ocean Needs More Friends!
Have you helped create Surfrider Washington history? We'd love to hear from you! As part of our new website, we want to capture our own PNW origin story. If you've got some anecdotes, tall tales, myths, or legends, please send them to us! To share your stories about our early days, chapter formation, rad retro photos, and more, please fill out this short survey.
Well, maybe not moved. More like renovated. Many of you have already noticed your local chapter's page got an upgrade late last year as part of our long-term digital transformation effort. We're stoked to have recently upgraded our regional page. Same great content with a fresh new look! Please excuse any ongoing construction, and let us know if there's something missing that you'd like to see added to our website.
Whether you're catching up with a friend over coffee, eating lunch with a coworker, or going out to dinner with family, food brings people together. This month, Surfrider celebrated our Ocean Friendly Restaurants and their commitment to reducing single-use plastic. For the entire month of August, Chapters and Clubs across the Surfrider Network hosted OFR-inspired events with the goal of adding 100 new OFRs. Since 2013, the OFR program has recognized restaurants that are cutting out wasteful single-use plastic and offering a simple, straightforward framework to help them make sustainable choices for our ocean. We currently have 500 restaurants participating in the OFR program and that number is constantly growing. We estimate that our OFRs serve on average over 88,000 plastic-free meals a day!Together, we have created an inclusive community of eco-conscious restaurants, activists, and patrons.