News from Surfrider Pacific Rim
Blog posts, press releases and news appearances.
The Surfrider Pacific Rim Foundation's "Hold On To Your Butt" Program has introduced a new convenient public cigarette drop-off location at the Arm Navy & Airforce Veterans Club.
Rachel Blaney's introduction of M-80 to eliminate EPS foam floatation from the marine environment marks a pivotal moment in Canada's commitment to ocean conservation and environmental sustainability. The motion outlines a comprehensive approach that addresses both the removal of existing EPS foam and the prevention of future usage.
The Surfrider Pacific Rim Chapter is beyond excited to welcome our newest Staff member Daniel Raab! Daniel is working as the Chapter's Sustainability Ambassador, supporting the Chapter's various ocean-friendly Programs and Campaigns as well as working on fundraising opportunities to support the Chapter's initiatives striving for sustainability in the community!
Surfers are friends of the ocean. At Surfrider, we believe the ocean needs more friends to ensure its protection and the continuation of its enjoyment for everyone. Are you a friend? Join Surfrider in our mission to protect and conserve our coastal environments. Together, we can make a difference, ensuring that future generations can experience the thrill of surfing and the beauty of our oceans.
The ocean makes up most of our planet, and plays a crucial role in our health and survival. Unfortunately this precious resource has been abused by humans for far too long. And now, more than ever, the ocean needs more friends. Join Surfrider volunteers and activists around the globe as we rally 1 million friends of the ocean to advocate for policies to protect our ocean, waves and beaches for future generations.
As your two-year term as Chair of our organization comes to an end, we couldn't let this moment pass without expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible work you have accomplished during your tenure. Your unwavering dedication, tireless efforts, and remarkable achievements have made an indelible impact on our Chapter and the community we serve.
One local is committed to finding a solution to our wetsuit waste. Will others join her? Read more about Karen Hendry’s story on finding a local solution to wetsuit recycling.
For this year’s event, we are committed to promoting stories of sustainability, diversity and inclusion that further uphold Surfrider's mission of protecting and enjoying the world's ocean, waves, and beaches for all people, through a powerful activist network. In this spirit, we want to make this year’s event as accessible as possible by hosting a hybrid in-person and online format.
“…the surf movie can never be fully detached from history, just as even the most endless of summers can only tell its full story when framed by the other seasons.”
John Engle, Surfing in the Movies: A Critical History, 2015, 3.
A pillar in the community and a destination for visitors, Bravocados has been serving delicious meals sustainably since 2018.
You may have heard the words circular economy being talked about here and there, and have thought to yourself; “What is a circular economy?” “Is it actually important for our future way of life?” “How can I contribute?”. Fret not, as this article is here to answer some of those questions for you.
Microplastics are everywhere on our beaches and in our waterways. Removing them from the environment is an ever-tedious task that often feels impossible. Not to be discouraged, she swept up a pile of microplastics entangled in beach organics to take home with her. She was determined to address this problem.
A request to occupy a section of the north end of North Chesterman Beach and Shell Beach for commercial use has been submitted to the Province of British Columbia. Surfrider Pacific Rim stands firm in its commitment to publicly accessible beaches and against any quasi-privatization of these locations.
SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTARY NOW!
After years of campaigning and growing public awareness around the harmful consequences of single-use plastics, the Government of Canada has come through on long-awaited promises to ban selective single-use plastics. This list includes checkout bags, cutlery, food service ware such as takeout containers, ring carriers, stir sticks, and straws.
Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT) Giving Catalogue, a "one-stop shop" where you can learn about and support non-profit work on the west coast. Whether you live here or away, gifts of all sizes make a big difference!
When Jill Laviolette started picking debris off Cape Palmerston beach on Vancouver Island following the container spill from the MV Zim Kingston freighter, the inflatable dinosaur and unicorn toys she pulled from the sand looked nearly pristine.
With the holiday season right around the corner, Surfrider Pacific Rim is getting ready for their annual Sessions Fundraiser. This year, the auction fundraiser will be taking place from November 9th to December 9th on an online platform! This season, local businesses from around Tofino and Ucluelet have generously donated accommodations, tours, gift cards and more that will be either auctioned off individually or bundled into various Pacific Rim experience packages!
Blue Friday is an initiative pioneered by a group of businesses as an alternative to Black Friday. All participating businesses pledge to donate a portion of sales from November 25th, 2022 to directly support Blue Friday's ocean conservation initiatives.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), often referred to as Styrofoam™, is a petroleum-based plastic commonly used for protective packaging. Many of us are familiar with (and perhaps infuriated by) the moulded forms of tiny puffed balls that insulate our consumables from unwanted jostles and knocks, but on the coasts this material has another common application: dock flotation.
On the 21 of August 2022, local Tofino artist Pete Clarkson completed the installation of his latest art endeavor ‘Classic Plastic’ in association with Kim Leckey, artist and designer behind Sea Woven, Surfrider Pacific Rim, the District of Tofino, and funded by the Tofino Arts, Culture and Heritage grant.
A pair of floating garbage bins draw debris from the surface of the water in North Saanich Marina and early data shows foam bits remain a key polluter.
The marina, one of four owned by Oak Bay Marine Group, has two sea bins at work in the Saanich Peninsula waters. Surfrider Foundation Vancouver Island launched its sea bin project, Dock the Debris, in November 2020 with funds collected during the inaugural Blue Friday in 2019.
As Surfrider continues its work on our Foam Free Docks campaign others are working on this initiative and we need to support them with a unified voice! Please sign the petition initiated by Catherine Ostler from Savary Island, British Columbia which states that foam from marine infrastructure is an increasing source of pollution on Canada’s beaches.
Surfrider Canada is growing and we want to hear from you! A team of MBA students from the University of Victoria is performing research that will support Surfrider Canada’s marketing and expansion strategy, which will strengthen the Surfrider chapter network across Canada and further help address the issues affecting Canada’s coastlines.
The B.C. government has released a feedback survey on proposed regulations on single-use plastics outlined in the CleanBC Single-Use Plastics Intentions Paper.