Activist Spotlight: Bruce Rittenhouse with the Grays Harbor Chapter

What is your current role with the Surfrider Foundation?

I have been the Chair for the Grays Harbor Chapter from its inception in February 2024. At the end of 2025 I will be stepping down from the Chair role but will still be heavily involved as a Surfrider volunteer.

When and why did you choose to get involved?

When I retired from Federal Service in 2021 I wanted to get involved in conservation; since I moved to the Washington Coast, it made perfect sense to affiliate with Surfrider. The original focus was about plastic reduction education, but the chapter has become a community leader in beach cleanups and other educational activities at local events.

Bruce with a volunteer and Surfrider staff at a July 5 cleanup. Header and July 5 photos by Kelly Jones

What are some local environmental issues that you have witnessed?

The amount of marine debris on our beaches. The biggest environmental issue revolves around the July 4 holiday when several thousands of visitors descend to Ocean Shores to shoot off fireworks. The marine debris left on our beaches is beyond belief, with almost 51,000 pounds (and that is a conservative number) of trash removed on July 5.

I have organized to hand out garbage bags to visitors on July 4 (over 6,000 bags) then cleaning up the beach the following day. This is an environmental black-eye in our area. I have been working on determining better ways to resolve this issue.

What Surfrider projects have you been involved with? How have these projects impacted your community?

Besides the cleanups, I have made numerous presentations about how plastics impact our environment and human health and provide suggestions on how people and businesses can help reduce the amount of plastics.

Bruce stands with a group of students in nature surrounded by threes.

Do you have any personal experiences or campaigns/issues where the social justice and environmental movements have intersected?

None specific, but our chapter welcomes everyone to participate and volunteer. I do like to work with schoolchildren on becoming better stewards of our environment in the hope that they will take up a field of science for their career.

What is the most important thing you tell others about Surfrider?

That Surfrider is a great organization of people who are dedicated to protecting our oceans and beaches. Anyone that wants to protect these resources should get involved. Plus, the people are great and you get to build a better community and sense of place.

Bruce on a boat holding two large salmon. He is near the rail with the ocean on his right side.

What has been the highlight of your Surfrider experience?

Getting the chapter up and running (with the support of our other EC members). We started from scratch and I think that most people in our community now know who Surfrider is and what we do.

Thanks so much Bruce! Is there anything else you would like to add?

Being involved with Surfrider has allowed me to have a better understanding of, and fostered my involvement with, environmental issues.

Bruce standing under a blue Surfrider tent with Surfrider Staff and the Grays Harbor Executive Committee Surfrider Staff and the Grays Harbor Executive Committee. Photo by Kelly Jones.