Tapped

We are the children of revolutionary war soldiers, and we will not give up without a fight. And the fight is one of the biggest problems the environment faces today. This trailer for the Tapped documentary reveals one of the biggest growing concerns we need to combat today.

Surfrider

Created in 1984 in California, Surfriders foundation has grown accomodating over 50,000 memebers in the US alone, the foundation however isn't restricted to the US alone, but reaches out to 5 foreign countries. With members from all walks of life, their campaigns have achieved
200+ community outreach campaigns, 900 presentations of Surfrider's education program: Respect the Beach, 8,000+ beach water tests taken, 600 beach cleanups, 125+ meetings and events involving city, county, and state governments were attended by Surfrider Chapter representative and 140,000 Voluneteer hours completed.

'SURFRIDER recognizes the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the planet's coasts are necessary and irreplaceable. SURFRIDER is committed to preserving natural living and non-living diversity and ecological integrity of the coastal environment.'

Surfers Against Sewage

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) is a UK based organization campaigning for a cleaner, safer, water environment where surfers and ocean lovers can spend time without being affected by sewage, toxic chemicals, marine litter and nuclear waste.

Founded in 1990 by a group of surfers who had been affected by some form of illness contracted from the sea they based themselves in cornwall and quickly grew into a large powerful company.

'SAS represents all recreational water users in the UK, from surfers and sailors, through to bodyboarders and windsurfers. The campaigns protect the coastal environment for all to enjoy, and promote a clean and safe water environment for people to enjoy and practice a wide variety of sports that rely on these marine resources.' ... www.sas.org.uk

Save the Waves

Save the Waves is another non profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the coastline and marine environment on a global scale. This group or surfers, scientists and activists share the belief that coastlines around the world hold immeasurable value and beauty and need to be protected.

The coalition was created when the Portuguese government proposed building a marina in Lugar de Baixo, directly on top of a perfect right hand point break. After the first stages of building a seawall along the shoreline, the backwash created had destroyed this wave, local surfers were powerless to do anything about it. Therefore by bringing together various environmental groups and activists from around the world, Save the Waves prevented any further construction of this Marina and had it moved to another bay.

Since that victory, StW has taken on many cases around the world to defend the coastline, and released 'Surfonomic' statements detailing the economic value waves add to the coastline. These can be found here: http://www.savethewaves.org/library

South Sloat, Ocean Beach CA

Ocean Beach is in danger of coastal armoring and rising sea levels due to the eroding of a poorly built local highway. Short term solutions propose an armor of boulders to act as a sea wall which although would be effective in the short term, would only relocate the problem and worsen the problem in the long term. It could destroy the local wave, litter the beach with artificially placed boulders and relocate sand banks meaning local ecosystems would be buried.

Santos Del Mar

Santos Del Mar is a big wave spot in Southern Chile producing, the wave however is under threat of pollution if plans for a Coal fired power plant on coastline go ahead. The proposed power plant would import and burn coal to power the country's mining industry, on the flip side however this would create ash and toxic run-off into the ocean causing havoc to marine life and health of those who spend time in the water locally.

Surfers for Cetaceans, Save the Waves, freesurfer Dave Rastovich and local big wave hunter Ramon Nacarro have teamed up to combat the project and protect the local surfing area and ecosystem.

Lost Jewel of the Atlantic

Lost Jewel of the Atlantic profiles one of the world’s most significant surf discoveries, the island of Madeira, and the subsequent battle to protect its world-class surf spots from destruction. The story follows the fight to save Lugar de Baixo, Save The Waves’s very first campaign and victory, as well as the bittersweet compromise at Jardim do Mar, where a sea wall damaged one of the best big-wave point breaks in the world.

Keeping coast

Clean water, strong communities. This film explores the aquatic inspirations behind a wave of activism that began with Save The Waves and our co-founding of the first Waterkeeper Alliance program in Chile. Featuring polluting beach-front coal plants, impassioned coastal leaders, and blue-collar Chilean environmentalists empowered by community to protect the coastal environment.

ASR Multi Purpose Reef

India's First Multi-Purpose Reef Goes Off from ASR Limited on Vimeo.

When will we stop wasting money on sand replenishment projects that only last a few years, or build sea walls to protect coastal property that usually end up worsening the coastal erosion? Can't somebody design an artificial reef that would solve these problems and also create good surf? A frustrated surfer/taxpayer...

ASR is a company who instead of building walls to protect the coast, thinks of a way to provide sustained protection along with improved surfing conditions and ecological habitats through innovative methods.

Their reefs reduce erosion, enhance marine habitats and provide valuable recreational playgrounds for both locals and tourists. All of this has been made possible through their research of marine systems, science and technology. Their approach has been used to combat erosion, sediment transport, effluent dispersion, ecological impacts, environmental impacts, and poor surf.

Recently they completed a project in India transforming the surf into world class waves other benefits included preventing further coastal erosion and allowing another marine habitat to grow over time.

All points South

All Points South relates how surfers and fishermen in Southern Chile are joining together to fight against rampant pollution from the pulp and forestry industry, and how consumers can help by making better choices when buying paper. From California to the long left points of Southern Chile, surfers find themselves increasingly in the line of fire between coastal waters and industrial pollution.

World Water Day

A cross hewn for Epiphany in the ice of Maine's Kennebec River by parishioners of St. Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Church commemorates the baptism of Christ. The water from the carving will bless the church.


Mahendra Kumar surfaces to catch his breath as he dives into a polluted section of the River Yamuna to scavenge for ornaments and coins left by Hindu rituals at the river bank, in New Delhi, India, Monday, March 22, 2010. Officials say factories are ignoring regulations and dumping untreated sewage and industrial pollution, turning toxic the river that gives the capital much of its drinking water.
4,000 baby bottles containing polluted water stand on the Bundesplatz in Bern, Switzerland, Monday, March 22. 2010. The action was organized by the Swiss association for International Cooperation Helvetas to highlight the UN's World Water Day.
A boy swims in the murky waters of Manila Bay March 21, 2010.

A selection of Images from World Water Day. (March 22nd) The photo's from the National Geographic aim to raise awareness of the fact that although we live in such a water covered planet, only 1% of it is available from human consumption, with the rest being held in the oceans, atmosphere, and ice.