Last weekend Surfrider Foundation Brasil organized a Clean Up in partnership with PADI’s AWARE Project. We focused on Angra dos Reis, a municipality located 2 hours south of Rio de Janeiro that has approximately 360 Islands. We had 200 volunteers participating with two Catamarans and two divers boat.

We organized three groups, One group focused on a beach called Praia da Vila do Frade located near a Village on the continent, a Second group was formed by a group of 40 Divers that focused on an area close to an Island called Josefa, the Third group gathered at a Beach called Praia do Dentista on Gipoia Island.

We also had a group of 10 kids from our Project Rocinha Surf Club (in Rio’s Slum) participating of the Clean Up. For these kids who had never been in a resort, on a boat or on a island it was a stimulating experience. The kids that participated of this field trip were chosen based on there commitment with the project and grades at school. It was a special reward/ prize for participant. They were all stoked with this life experience. Bocao, the community leader, said that this kind of reward is priceless and very stimulating for the kids, it makes them want to improve and have something to look up to.


This project was sponsored by Frade Golf Resort, E-brigade and was organized in partnership with PADI.

Our objective was to clean up as much as possible and compare the types of pollution/ waste found in these three different scenarios.

On continent we collected many cigarette buds, plastic bottles, condoms, small plastic wraps, straws among others. Most of this waste was produced by the local community. About 100 kilos total.

On our diving we found mostly leftovers from houses built on the islands such as painting cans and brushes, working boots, rake, shovel, wheel barrel, we also gathered car tires, pesticide can, bottles among others. About 350 kilos total.

On our Beach Clean Up at the island we found fisherman and beach goers leftover material such as Styrofoam, fishing net, ropes, plastic covers, plastic and glass bottles, beach chairs, cans, plastic wraps among others. About 750 kilos.

At all we collected more than 1 ton of waste. If we project these numbers based on the number of islands x houses built we can state that millions of tons of waste pollute the regions fragile ecosystem. The region also suffers with the lack of appropriate sewage treatment plants and because of a Petroleum Terminal.

We are organizing our next clean-up for March of 2007 and will try to get at least 3 times as much volunteers so we can triple the reach of our clean up and through this create public awareness and an environmental education platform.

By Sergio Mello
Surfirder Foundation Brasil

Surfrider Foundation Headquarters of Coolangatta held a world champion sign up day with two of Australia’s leading surfing icons World Surfing Champion of 1978 Wayne ‘ Rabbit’ Bartholomew and 1999 World Surfing Champion Mark ‘Occy’ Occhilupo.

The two surfing icons arrived at Surfrider National Office in Coolangatta on Tuesday, 5th of September to personaly sign photo’s being featured in limited edition memorabilia.
Memorablia will be accompanied by four other world signatories dating back to 1976.
These include Mark Richards, Barton Lynch, Tom Carrol and Damien Hardman, and will be attending another signing opportunity in Sydney.

Four hundred of the limited edition pieces will be available to buy at all major Surf stores with the majority of proceeds being donated to the Surfrider Foundation.
The Foundation is dedicated to supporting the protection of our ocean through Conservation, Activism, Research and Education.

Contact all good surf shops or Ripcurl stores throughout Australia, or online at www.australiassurfingchampions.com.au to purchase the memorabilia.

Enquiries
Sydney: The Chairman Surfrider, Foundation Australia. Mr Geoff Withycombe 0425 325 148
The Manager Platinum Solutions. Mr Greg Tannock 0433 461 701

Coolangatta: The General Manager, Surfrider Foundation Australia. Mr Stuart Ball 0424 352 792

Capping a long battle for clean water at Rincon Point in southern California, a conversion project that will switch the plumbing infrastructure system from septic to sewer-based for Rincon Point and three other nearby beach communities was approved in a 4-0 vote by the Carpinteria Sanitary District at its meeting on September 19.

Big kudos go to the local groups CURE (Clean Up Rincon Effluent) and Heal the Ocean, as well as to Surfrider Founder Glen Henning and his group Groundswell Society, which has put on a Rincon Clean Water Classic surf contest for ten years to raise funds for the fight to eliminate leaking septic tanks at Rincon. more

A hilarious clip from Yahoo Current Action

Portland, OR - On Sept 18, The Governors of WA, OR, and CA announced an historic agreement to collectively address declining health of the ocean off the west coast. Surfrider was one of 5 environmental groups invited to attend the surprise press conference and provide comments to the media




Governor Gregoire and Governor Kulongoski in Portland (photo by Pete Stauffer)

http://www.registerguard.com/news/2006/09/19/A1.oceans.0918.p1.php?section=cityregion


Pacific state leaders unite to protect ocean
By Winston Ross

The Register-Guard

Published: Tuesday, September 19, 2006

PORTLAND - The governors of Oregon, California and Washington agreed Monday to join together to protect the Pacific Ocean, in much the same way the states teamed up earlier this year to fight greenhouse gases.

Conservationists said they were encouraged by the partnership, which could ramp up pressure on the federal government to enact a series of reforms the Pew Oceans Commission and U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy have recommended in recent years.

The Bush administration has been slow to act on the pleadings of both groups, who said that threats to the ocean require bold actions and millions of dollars in research into a body of water that's less understood than the surface of Mars.

At a press conference at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry on Monday, governors Ted Kulongoski and Christine Gregoire of Washington were joined by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger via teleconference. All pledged to oppose federal attempts to permit offshore oil and gas drilling off their coasts and ask Congress and the Bush Administration to fund research into pollution sources and ocean observation.

"It's harder for the federal government to ignore us if we speak with a common voice," Schwarzenegger said.

Kulongoski noted the work of the three governors in passing uniform tailpipe emissions laws, and said the ocean initiative could accomplish similar feats. He said that Oregon is the only one of the three states yet to establish a network of marine reserves <31>- areas of the ocean declared off limits to fishing and other potentially harmful activity - and pointed out that governors do have a say in what happens in terrestrial waters (up to three miles offshore.)

"There are things we can do collectively, which if we do individually have a marginal impact," Kulongoski said. "On energy policy, there's an attempt by the federal government to preempt states; they did it with (liquefied natural gas) siting and it's the same way with offshore drilling."

With traditional oil reserves growing ever more scarce, and high gasoline prices, pressure to find new sources of fossil fuels poses new threats, the governors said. While no specific proposals exist to open up Oregon for drilling now, there have been attempts to lease sites in the past, said Bob Bailey, ocean and coastal services division manager for the state Department of Land Conservation and Development.

Gregoire broached the idea of a West Coast-wide beach cleanup that could involve schoolchildren. She also said the teaming of scientists from the three states' universities could help garner grant money for much-needed research, and that a coastwide effort to find alternative sources of energy could help combat the purported need for offshore oil and gas drilling in the west.

Conservationists applauded the agreement.

'It's encouraging to see the governors identify this as a top priority," said Peter Stauffer, Oregon policy coordinator for the Surfrider Foundation, which has been pressuring officials here to identify sources of pollution that taint beaches. "I'll be interested to see some of the specific action items to come out of this agreement."

Oregon State University oceanographer Jack Barth said Tuesday he hoped the agreement would lead to a marine reserves or marine protected areas network, adding "the ocean doesn't really know anything about state boundaries."

Barth also said the agreement could lead to better communication between scientists, researchers and government officials in all three states, which would be helpful in understanding the hypoxic "dead zones" that have suffocated marine life in some areas of the Pacific in recent years.

"I think we can make a lot of progress talking about healthy marine ecosystems," Barth said.
Winston Ross can be reached at (541) 902-9030 or rgcoast@oregonfast.net.

On Sept 9, Newport Chapter (Oregon) filed a Petition of Reconsideration with DEQ over the terms of the NPDES wastewater permit of the Georgia Pacific Pulp and Paper Mill in Toledo. The primary outfall of the mill is off Nye Beach in Newport (see photo w/ visible plume extending well outside mixing zone)

Other groups that signed on as petitioners included the Northwest Environmental Defense Center, Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, Friends of Yaquina Bay, and Lincoln County Citizens for Clean Water.

The Petition presents formal legal and scientific arguments for the agency to reconsider the terms of the July 14 issued permit. This represents the last administrative option for Surfrider to advocate for improved monitoring and additional pollution prevention technology.

The campaign has been a true grassroots efforts. Thank you to the nearly dozen members of Surfrider's Oregon Environmental Issues Team (scientists, attorneys, permit afficianados, etc) who have volunteered their personal time for this campaign. Also, major thanks to CRAG for providing pro bono support to make this happen. Stay tuned for a response from DEQ. For a copy of Petition email pstauffer@surfrider.org

The Malibu Chapter is thrilled to announce the installation of a Tidepool sign at Point Dume Natural Preseve today. The purpose of the signs is to educate visitors all day every day, on how to be responsible "tidepoolers." Visitors are encouraged to enjoy the tidepools, but to step carefully, never turn over rocks, do not pick up the animals, and never take animals from the tidepools. The tidepooler rules are in both english and spanish.

In acknowledgement of the important role that beaches play as ecosystems, the Surfrider Foundation initiated the Beach is Alive campaign in 2002. (http://www.surfrider.org/makingwaves/makingwaves19-6/8-9.asp). As the U.S. embraces the new paradigm of 'ecosystem-based' management, the Surfrider Foundation believes that beaches (including Tidpools) must be treated as an integral link to marine and terrestrial systems. One of the main goals of the Beach is Alive project includes educating the public on the important ecological functions that beaches (and tidepools) provide.

Using the principles and goals of the Beach Is Alive campaign, the Malibu Chapter started a new Tidepool Protection Program in early 2005. The Chapter partnered with the Angeles Girl Scouts, and hosted six workshops that included a review of tides, discussion on ocean pollution, why tidepools are important, and a special guest marine biologist from Pepperdine or UCLA that guided the scouts through the tidepools and answered their questions.

This project was made possible thanks to a generous donation from the Brian and Gigi Grazer family, who requested educational signage and the development of a program that would help protect Malibu's tidepools.

The first tidepool sign was installed at Malibu Lagoon State Beach, and the third sign is expected to be installed at Leo Carillo State Beach before the end of 2006.

To read more about the Tidepool Protection Program: http://www.surfrider.org/malibu/tidepool_program.htm

Nancy Hastings
Southern CA Field Coordinator
Surfrider Foundation

September 9, 2006, Corpus Christi, TX

More than 30 surfers and environmental activists gathered at Bob Hall Pier in Corpus Christi, Texas on Saturday, September 9, 2006 as part of the National Paddle Out for Clean Water. Led by Neil McQueen, Coastal Bend Chapter Chair, their goal was to raise public awareness and support for improving coastal water quality both locally and throughout the nation.

“One of our purposes today is to highlight the release of Surfrider’s sixth annual State of the Beach report,” McQueen told the crowd. “This report is the only comprehensive survey of national beach and coastal health in existence.

“But our second purpose is to bring attention to the City of Corpus Christi's need to post beaches when testing shows that bacteria levels are too high to meet EPA standards for safe human contact,” McQueen said. “As part of its Texas Beach Watch Program, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) has designed signs for counties and cities to use when notifying the public in such cases.”

So far, the local government has declined to post the signs – even though the waters off Cole Park and Ropes Park in Corpus Christi exceed the safe standards more frequently than any other locations tested in the county. (National Resource Defense Councils’ report “Testing the Waters 2006” http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/ttw/titinx.asp.)

Test results for waters along Mustang Island in the Gulf of Mexico also raise potential public health concerns, so CBC Surfrider continues to urge the City of Corpus Christi to help protect beachgoers in Corpus Christi Bay and along the Gulf by installing and using the GLO’s signs as intended.

When the surfers paddled out at Bob Hall Pier, they formed the traditional circle and raised their arms high. Hoping to send a message that could be heard all the way to downtown Corpus Christi they shouted, “Clean water! Clean water! Clean water!”

The first ever National Paddle Out for Clean Water was held at Pensacola Beach and Blue Mountain Ranch on saturday. Due to a 6.0 earthquake in the gulf, family and friends we actually able to enjoy a surf session on their way back into the beach. Check out the footage of the Northwest Panhandle event.

http://www.innerlightsurf.com/video_report_main.asp

Portland Chapter's "Paddle for Clean Water" was a big success! Over 20 participants paddled surboards, kayaks, and rowboat on the Willamette River to raise awareness for a clean watershed. Jessica Hamilton, Governor Kulongoski's ocean policy advisor was the featured speaker. Event also highlighted Portland Chapter's new water quality testing program in Willamette/ Clackamass and upcoming Pint Night on Oct 18th. (see volunteer opportunities) Thanks to David and rest of Portland Chapter organizers for puttting on an awesome event!

We've been following the story of the radioactive water spilled and subsequently pumped into the ocean at the San Onofre Nuclear Power plant. Yeah, you know the place, just down from Trestles and right smack in front of Old Man's. Surfrider has a number of questions for which we're still awaiting answers from the powers that be.

In the meantime, our local paper has run some great cartoons on the subject...


















Remember the old saying: "The answer to pollution is NOT dilution!"