This is not the way it should look. Photo: Surfrider Foundation
Training, eating healthy, and watching video tutorials have been all the craze lately in becoming a better surfer. But what about exercising your voice as a steward of the ocean? As surfers, we are among the first to notice a change in the ocean environment. We’re tuned into the tides, swells, movement of sand, and many other environmental factors. As people whose joy, passion, and sometimes job is dependent on a healthy ocean, shouldn’t we make sure it stays that way?
Sure, we all have busy lives outside of surfing. I’m guilty of skipping a beach cleanup or meeting because the wind just went offshore and swell picked up. But at the end of the day, there’s no excuse for doing nothing to protect the very place we build our lives around. Taking action might not be as hard as you think, though.
Coming off the high of Surfrider’s “Coastal Recreation Hill Day” a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been inspired by how impactful a surfer’s voice can be. Hill day is where Surfrider members, activists, ambassadors, and business partners from all around the country travel to Washington D.C. to meet with our nation’s leaders, urging them to stand up for our coasts and support critical environmental legislation. This year, in just two days, our network held 145 meetings with congressional representatives in the House and Senate to advance bipartisan action on ocean and coastal protection through Surfrider’s federal priorities. These priorities focus on climate action on our coasts, protecting clean water and public health, and reducing plastic pollution.
Specifically, we are asking Congress to:
- Pass the Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act: This legislation aims to leverage the ocean’s potential in the fight against climate change by permanently banning offshore oil drilling, helping communities adapt to sea level rise, supporting blue carbon restoration, and improving ocean health by tackling emerging issues like harmful algae blooms and ocean acidification.
- Allocate $15 million for the BEACH Act and $4 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2023 budget: Coastal states and communities rely on federal dollars allocated through these two important programs to protect clean water and public health upstream and at the beach. The BEACH Act Grants Program provides assistance to coastal states to help pay for their beach water quality monitoring and public notification programs, while the Clean Water State Revolving Fund assists states and local communities with wastewater infrastructure improvements to advance treatment and stop sewage spills.
- Pass the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act: Every year, about 11 million metric tons of plastic waste escapes into the ocean from coastal nations. The United States generates the most plastic waste per capita of any country in the world. In fact, the United States is among the top contributors to plastic pollution in the coastal environment, whether it was mismanaged, illegally dumped, or collected for recycling and exported to countries where it was mismanaged. This bill recognizes that we cannot just recycle our way out of this problem. It provides a comprehensive approach to reducing plastic pollution, including policies to reduce unnecessary plastic packaging and shift responsibility to producers, as well as improve recycling infrastructure.
On top of these federal priorities, Surfrider has a plethora of state, regional, and local initiatives that need more voices. For example, in San Francisco, locals are advocating restoring a section of Ocean Beach with a living dune system instead of a harmful sea wall. In Puerto Rico, we’re fighting to save Tres Palmas Marine Reserve and protect Puerto Rico’s coral reefs from irresponsible development. And in New Jersey, surfers are trying to stop a liquified natural gas facility from being built on the Delaware River.
It takes more time to wax your board or scroll for wave-of-the-day clips than it takes to sign one of these action alerts, granting you a say in the future of your ocean and coast. So tomorrow, as you’re going through your daily routine to become a better surfer, whether it’s a bullet coffee, yoga, or the latest workout video, add making your voice heard to protect our waves and beaches.
Editor’s Note: While this year’s Hill Day might be over, it’s not too late to help support these priorities! Simply visit Surfrider online to sign action alerts and send a message directly to your representatives.
