SurfWriter Girls

Sunday, January 31, 2021

Surfrider Solo Beach Cleanups

Protecting Beaches Together, But Apart

Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

The Surfrider Foundation is sending out an urgent request for people to help clean our beaches. With the pandemic putting the brakes on organized beach cleanup events, the amount of trash on the beach has grown considerably, threatening the ocean and sea life.

When it rains things get even worse because water runoff from inland areas brings more trash and pollutants to the beach.

Surfrider's Huntington/Seal Beach, CA chapter co-chairs KC Fockler and Roberta Wynashe are calling on volunteers to do "solo" beach cleanups alone or with household members.

Solo Beach Dreams

A Poem for the Surfrider Foundation

By SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

Alone by the sea,

just the waves and me.

Dreaming of a clean, blue ocean

with sea life in motion.

Dreaming of a beautiful beach

with no trash in reach.

Dreaming of a shoreline that's fantastic

with no cigarette butts or plastic.

We can make these dreams come true, I know,

if we all clean the beach - solo.

And whenever you're outdoors – in your neighborhood or on the go – Surfrider is asking you to "Take 3 for the sea" and pick up three pieces of trash. Little things like this make a big difference in the environment.

Surfrider is hoping to channel everyone's passion for the beach to "make February a month of loving the ocean for Valentine's Day."

What the world – and ocean – needs now is love, sweet love.

SurfWriter Girls

Surf’n Beach Scene Magazine

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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.

Monday, January 11, 2021

Surfrider Foundation Fights for Planet

Protecting the World's Oceans in 2021

Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, which is what the nonprofit Surfrider Foundation is doing as it enters 2021 – fighting to protect the world's oceans, waves and beaches and save our planet from environmental pollution.

A look at the stats shows what Surfrider is accomplishing:

176 worldwide chapters and student clubs cleaning beaches and serving communities.

689 victories against ocean pollution and destruction of beaches and beach access.

600 Ocean Friendly Restaurants using sustainable practices that protect sea life and the ocean.

With Surfrider's large global network of people donating close to 200,000 volunteer hours in a year, it can make a big difference in safeguarding the environment.

One of those volunteers, Surfrider Huntington/Seal Beach member Tony Soriano, was out early on New Year’s Eve doing a solo beach cleanup.

Noting the beauty of California’s snow-capped mountains in the background of this trash-strewn beach, Soriano says it’s important to draw attention to “man’s neglect of our planet.”

Even though 2020 was a difficult year, the Surfrider Foundation is continuing to carry out its mission of reducing pollution, reversing climate change, and preserving the beach and oceans for all to enjoy.

Talking about the future, Surfrider CEO Dr. Chad Nelsen says, "I am a perpetual optimist despite the challenges we face." He emphasizes that "the issues Surfrider fights for – clean water, ocean health, coastal access – are not partisan issues, but priorities that should be embraced by all interests."