[ NAUTICAL NEWS + NOTES ]
M AK I N G WAV E S BY RANDY WOODS
[ PITCHING IN FOR THE PLANET ]
Surfers Help Clean the Waves They Ride Surfing fanatics are known for their laser-focused ambition to ride the next wave, and now in turn, an ambitious new program is helping them to keep those waves free of plastic waste and other pollutants—and empowering surfers to be their own environmentalists. In a partnership between Hawaii-based Kona Brewing Co. and a California nonprofit group called the Save The Waves Coalition, the “Catch a Clean Wave” program kicked off in July, featuring a 10-day, 1,200-mile traveling tour of the West Coast’s top 15 surfing spots to promote beach clean-up efforts. Beginning here in Washington on July 13 at a La Push beach, the tour continued south, ending in San Diego on July 22, picking up buckets full of discarded waste. Headlining the tour was professional surfer Anna Gudauskas (née Ehrgott) and noted surfing photographer Sarah Lee. At each stop, Gudauskas would surf the waves and afterwards they would take part in local community beach clean-ups. Kona Brewing also cited a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council, which estimated that 80% of marine litter comes from land-based pollution, such plastic shopping bags and water bottles,
aluminum soda cans, glass bottles, drinking straws, and cigarette butts. To help raise awareness of this problem and mitigate the effects, Kona Brewing donated $50,000 to the Save The Waves Coalition. To continue the environmental efforts beyond the tour, the nonprofit also launched a Save The Waves app (savethewaves.org/app) in June, which relies on the power of crowdsourcing from surfers and other beachgoers. App users are encouraged to report locations of coastal debris, take photos of it, and tag the location using GPS, so it can be tracked and disposed of properly. “It’s a fun way to spotlight the popularity of surfing across the globe, as well as highlight the important need to keep our oceans clean,” said Vanessa Parker, brand manager for Kona Brewing. “We hope everyone, regardless of where they live, will be reminded that we need to be active participants in ocean conservation, and what better place to start than in your own backyard.” For more information on the Save the Waves coalition, visit: savethewaves.org. PHOTO BY SARAH LEE
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