Sunday, February 16, 2025

Surfrider Chapter Leaders Protect Beach

 

Richard Busch and John Wadsworth Onboard

 


Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

The Surfrider Foundation's North Orange County chapter, representing Huntington/Seal Beach and Newport Beach (homes to "Surf City" and the Wedge surf break), is lucky to have leaders Richard Busch and John Wadsworth onboard.  

 


With a shared commitment to protecting the beach environment, chapter chair Busch and former co-chair Wadsworth have guided and motivated volunteers to accomplish a long list of objectives to keep the beach safe and accessible to all while promoting the sport of surfing. 

Busch, with a B.A. in history from CSU Fullerton, puts his knowledge of human behavior to work interacting with members, organizations and surf industry leaders to coordinate beach cleanups and events.

 


Add in a background as a mortgage loan advisor and financial educator, and Busch is well prepared to put the chapter's resources to good use in achieving objectives.


Busch has "no memory of the beaches of my youth being dirty." But while riding his bike one day, he “saw all the trash being collected at a Surfrider beach cleanup and from then I started showing up to all cleanups and chapter meetings." Soon he was named beach cleanup coordinator and began learning about environmental issues and sharing his knowledge with others.  


USC grad Wadsworth, who is now the chapter's channel cleanup coordinator, has a commercial real estate background and knows how important it is to safeguard the Earth's natural resources. 

 


Looking beyond the coastline, Wadsworth would like the chapter "to get to the inland communities and raise awareness there" about protecting the beach. It was his idea for Surfrider to adopt part of the Santa Ana River channel to clean before the water drains into the ocean, bringing pollutants and debris.


Wadsworth is also active in Newport Beach's Water Quality/Coastal Tidelands Committee, advising the City Council on ways to protect water quality and habitat in the bay and ocean.

 


Avid surfers, who love nothing better than riding the waves, Busch and Wadsworth are giving up time in the lineup to ensure that the world's oceans, waves and beaches are protected for everyone to enjoy. 


SurfWriter Girls

Surf’n Beach Scene Magazine

Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.


Sunday, February 9, 2025

Dalai Lama Valentine to Planet

 Book Written with Mutts Cartoonist

 


Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

His Holiness the Dalai Lama and celebrated Mutts cartoonist Patrick McDonnell might seem like an unlikely pair, but both are committed to protecting the environment and the future of our planet for all creatures large and small.

Together they have created a treasure of a book, Heart to Heart: A Conversation on Love and Hope for Our Precious Planet.


 

The duo is calling for a "compassionate revolution" in which we all come together to tap our feelings of compassion to stand up for the endangered species whose lands, and very homes, are being destroyed by unlimited development and pollution. 

In doing so, we will also be standing up for ourselves and the type of world we want to live in, filled with natural beauty and the sounds of birdsong.

The Dalai Lama says that he "welcomes everyone as a friend. In truth we share the same basic goals. We all seek happiness and do not want suffering." 

So, when a giant Panda shows up at his door the Dalai Lama is happy to see him and ready to accompany him on a life-changing journey. 


It's a journey of enlightenment that we all can go on through the pages of this book.

 

A beautiful book to read, share or give for Valentine's Day, Heart to Heart will touch your heart and remind you of the power of love and the positive impact that even one act of kindness can have on making the world a better place. 

 


Surf’n Beach Scene Magazine

Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.