This dynamic and passionate network –– made up local chapters, regional voices, and national policy experts –– comes together to affect change in the 5 initiatives listed below:
What they fight for:
- Plastic Pollution: Reducing the impact of plastics in the marine environments that surround us.
- Ocean Protection: Defending our oceans from challenges threatening the vitality of the ecosystem.
- Beach Access: Working with decision-makers to ensure full and fair beach access for all to enjoy.
- Coastal Preservation: Taking on climate change and it’s threats to our beaches and ocean.
- Clean Water: Protecting the health of our planet’s most precious resources.
These initiatives host programs and ongoing campaigns which provide a platform for individuals to actively make an impact on water quality issues, beach access, and local policy decisions in their backyard.
People x Planet:
Surfrider embodies MiiR’s commitment to both people and the planet. They set themselves apart in the cultivation of their vast network of community stewards, citizen activists, and environmental experts. Boasting over 150 chapters and student clubs in 10 different regions, Surfrider mobilizes their mission through local communities and network campaigns, actioning on community lead solutions and empowering local stakeholders.
Due to their unwavering commitment to community-led solutions, they have cultivated the largest network of coastal defenders in the world. Their national network of chapter volunteers serves as the first response to local threats in coastal communities across the US, and only grows stronger with every chapter and club added. They are protecting our ocean, beaches, and coastlines, for all people –– together.
Get Involved:
Surfrider has five volunteer-led chapters in Washington located around the Puget Sound and along the Olympic Coast. These chapters engage in programs and campaigns that are important to their local communities, ranging from beach cleanups to water quality testing to funding SaniCan installations or surf etiquette signs at local beaches. This grassroots network, fueled by on-the-ground activism, enables chapters to connect, collaborate, and create scalable change at the state, regional, and national levels.
A great example of leveraging the power of the Surfrider network to create change is the use of beach cleanups to stop plastic pollution at its source. All five chapters host regular beach cleanups, collectively removing over 20,000 pounds of debris in the past few years alone. In addition to keeping Washington’s beaches clean and safer for people and wildlife, chapters also collect valuable data on the types and quantities of trash collected. They use these data to lobby our state and federal leaders on behalf of our ocean, waves, and beaches, demanding better plastic pollution policies (such as Washington’s recent ban on most expanded polystyrene –– aka styrofoam –– products, or the plastic bag ban that went into effect last October).
In addition to advocating for legislation to prevent plastic pollution, chapters also work directly with local businesses. Single-use plastic foodware products are the most common items collected on beach cleanups, so chapters work with restaurants through the Ocean Friendly Restaurants program to help the industry move towards more sustainable practices.
To find a chapter near you, click here.
