Surf Clean: Surf Soap's Favorite Surf & Ocean Organizations
There is no hiding Surf Soap’s mission toward a cleaner ocean, a mission to educate, empower and provide solutions to surf clean. We give tips in our instagram posts, share appropriate story links and connect through Twitter and Pinterest for more info, tips and education. Our products are all ocean safe and plastic free, including our travel kit that can save any litter or pollution on your surf trips.
Looking to make a bigger impact?
Check out our favorite surf and ocean conservation organizations working to push sustainability and environmental causes to the next level and protect what we surfers hold so precious.
Surf Rider Foundation
The Surfrider Foundation is a powerful activist network dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches, for all people not just surfers! The organization fights to reduce plastic pollution, ocean protection, beach access, coastal preservation and clean water.
With 176 chapters and student clubs all over the world, and active campaigns all over North America on various issues such as passing the ocean-based climate solutions act, protecting the coral reef in Miami, and hundreds more. They are a huge player in the surf and ocean protection and backed by big corporations and celebrity names. Supported by partners such as Reef and Sima Environmental Foundation but also has ambassadors like big wave surfer Greg Long and female pro surfer Carissa Moore help to promote the Surf Rider Foundation to surfers all over the world.
They organize events like local beach cleaning, waste management and making a real contribution to changing the laws to protect our waves and ocean around the world.
How can you participate?
Volunteer, Intern, or Donate! Find your local chapter to help out or Sign up to volunteer today and start taking real action in your local surf community. They also have career opportunities allowing you to work full time to help our oceans.
Sustainable Surf
Sustainable Surf works towards pushing the surf industry to up their game with more sustainable products, surfboards and transform the community to make more sustainable choices. Surfing in itself has a huge impact on the ocean with toxic products used to make surfboards, gear and wetsuits.
Sustainable Surf pushes surfers to make more conscious purchases and choices when it comes to surfing. They aim to do this through various projects including waste to waves, a recycling program for styrofoam and other surf waste.
Their Ecoboard Project, tries to get as many surfboard manufacturers to producce boards using renewable / & recycled materials. They have qualified materials from various companies with new technologies, of course wood is considered for non toxic and renewable resources however, there is criteria including timber source as an important factor.
Learn more about Sustainable Surf here.
How can you participate?
Research and learn more about the surfboards and equipment you purchase and its materials. Recycled and dispose of your old surf gear properly. Donate to help propel their projects!
Image taken from Take3.org
Take3
Take3 is a movement to help fight plastic pollution and is a fairly simple concept. Take 3 pieces of pollutant from the beach, ocean or your favorite place and make a difference in a quick and easy way. The organization is geared towards educating people and building a movement worldwide in a simple and collaborative way. With 7.8 billion people on the planet, if each person does their small part it could result in a massive result.
Their programs including school education, early childhood and online learning program is aimed to teaching the youth in the impact of plastic and waste on the planet’s environment for a more sustainable future and maybe plastic free (just like our packaging). Check out more plastic facts from Take3 here.
How can I participate?
Simple! Take 3 pieces of rubbish every time your visit the beach or go to surf. Shop their webshop for Plastic free clean up kits or some education reading for the kids.
Save the Waves Coalition
Save The Waves Coalition (STW) is an international nonprofit that works in protecting surf ecosystems. They do this through networks and their World Surfing Reserve Program. They also manage projects worldwide to provide coastal supervision using their Save the Waves App and propose international campaigns to protect surf ecosystems under threat inspiring the public to take action.
Famous surf spots are constantly threatened and can disappear altogther if not protected. There are currently 10 World Surfing Resevres including Santa Cruz and Malibu, California, 3 others in Austraila as well as Europe and Mexico. Supported by foundations and big businesses such as Patagonia, 1% for the Planet and Conservation International they are able to protect the places surfers love.
Find stories and news on global events, and information to educate and inform surfers and ocean lovers on their blog. They make saving the waves fun with engaging events like the world’s only surf and environmental film festival, due to Covid they offer six episodes online for free. Watch them here.
How can you participate?
Donate or Shop for the cause! They also provide their financial reports publicly.
Image Taken from Wildcoast.org
WildCoast
Wildcoast is an international team to address climate change through natural solutions that protect coastal regions and marine ecosystems. They conserve through United States and Mexico protecting some of the world’s most vulnerable wildlife like whales, sea turtles, and their habitats. Also, protecting coral reefs, wetlands and Mangroves. See more what they do includign fighting to conserve over 500,000 arces of marine protected areas and prevent overfishing, offshore drilling and deep sea mining. They also provide training and workshops to educate and conserve sea turtle nesting beaches.
Watch their Mangroves trip with Linkin Park and Pro surfers Koa Smith and Koa Rothman
How can you participate?
Work, volunteer, Donate! Wildcoast is large organization with career opportunities, internships and volunteer positions, check often for opportunities here. Sign up for their newsletter for updates and news.
Surfers Against Sewage
Surfers Against Sewage is a registered charity in England & Wales whose mission is to work towards cleaner water and oceans surrounding the UK. Check the safety of your local surf spot with their Safer Sea Service app. A service provided to advise real time water quality and advise local MPs of any low water quality resulting in sickness from surfing or swimming. Occasionally untreated sewage and wastewater gets dumped or overflows into the ocean that can significantly reduce water quality.
They also offer Climate Change Report, Facts and Figures to keep the public informed. Working within the government of UK with Surfers Against Sewage’s Ocean Conservation All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) giving a voice to bring together stakeholders, heath experts, NGOs, businesses and community leaders to for policy and legislative change to protect the ocean and marine life.
How can you participate?
For our UK surfers, join a beach clean or organize your own!
Whose your favourite? Share and tag us @surfsoap on Instagram Stories to be featured!