Do you care about our oceans, water quality, pollution, and beach access?
If you do, meet the Surfrider Foundation.
The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches, for all people. It’s hard to argue with a mission statement like that, especially when you live in Brevard County—Florida’s Space Coast.
The Surfrider Foundation fights:
- Plastic Pollution – Reducing the impact of plastics in the marine environments that surround us. Locally, this is a serious issue in Brevard, the Atlantic and the Caribbean.
- 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 issues that threaten our beaches and natural shorelines.
- Clean Water – Protecting the health and sustainability of our planet’s most precious resource.
Florida’s coastline is home to roughly 825 miles of sandy beaches, interspersed by mangrove forests and salt marshes. Much of Florida’s coastline is heavily developed, and nearly 1,000 new people are moving to Florida every day.
Source: The Drop, Fall 2020, A Surfrider Publication.
Testing the Waters
Clean Water Initiative
Everyone should have access to clean water to surf, swim and play in. We are testing the waters for bacteria and toxins, raising public awareness and finding real solutions to ocean pollution; solutions that restore healthy watersheds, protect local water supplies and keep pollution from reaching the ocean.
Improving coastal water quality has been one of the Surfrider Foundation’s top priorities over the last 30 years. Our Clean Water Initiative strives to protect water resources and prevent pollution from reaching the ocean.
Water quality at the beach is threatened by pollution from urban and agricultural runoff, sewage spills and overflows, and waste discharged into the ocean by industry, sewage treatment plants and power plants. The urbanization of our coasts has also altered and polluted the natural water cycle, allowing polluted runoff to go straight towards the ocean. Pollution at recreational beaches costs the U.S. economy more than $2.2 billion and results in 20,000 health advisories annually. It’s unacceptable that a day at the beach could result in stomach flu, skin rashes, pinkeye, respiratory infections or worse.
Surfrider’s Clean Water Initiative works to protect our coastal waterways, communities, and wildlife from water pollution by focusing on two main programs. These programs are the Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) and Ocean Friendly Gardens (OFG). Chapters also run campaigns against projects that will cause pollution and advocate for wise management of our land and water resources. To learn more please visit our chapter guide to our Clean Water Initiative.
Ocean Friendly Gardens
Very relevant to the State of Florida, managing how we fertilize dramatically effects our waterways. From algae blooms and red tide, we are no strangers to the impact we’re having on our environment.
Surfrider volunteers help local communities create Ocean Friendly Gardens, that conserve water and wildlife habitat with native plants, restore soil to sponge up rainwater and filter out pollution and ultimately reduce the amount of polluted runoff reaching the ocean. They also help us educate landscape professionals and advocate for change to government policy. By planting Ocean Friendly Gardens across the country—and more every day—the Surfrider Foundation has prevented over 13 million gallons of urban runoff from polluting our coastal waters and the ocean.
Stop Sewage Pollution
The Indian River Lagoon and its health has long been an issue locally.
Sewage spills and failing wastewater infrastructure threaten coastal water quality by discharging raw and under-treated sewage into local waterways and the ocean. Sewage pollution contains harmful pathogens and excess nutrients that can make people sick and devastate coastal ecosystems.The Surfrider Foundation is working to protect U. S. beaches from sewage pollution. Everyone deserves clean water to swim, surf and play in!
Together, we can protect our coast
Locally, in July of 2020, we officially merged the Sebastian Inlet and Cocoa Beach chapters as “Space Coast Chapter”. Get connected and be a part of the solution.
For more info visit Space Coast chapter at https://sebastianinlet.surfrider.org/.
Visit the Surfrider Foundation at https://www.surfrider.org/
And grab The Drop, from Fall 2020 for some great info.