A Good Way to Start the Year?
I think not. And this is why I'm about to start changing the conversation we surfers have about polluted water. Why do we tolerate it? Why do we surf in it? Why don't we do more to protect our oceans? Why do we continue to act as if the ocean is only their to serve our needs? When will we recognize that it's not about us?Silence equals assent. We, as a tribe, are guilty of not raising our voices on a daily basis. Therefore, it's as if we've said nothing at all. No one hears us because we're not even trying to be heard. That.is.just.wrong. And we should all be ashamed of ourselves.
This is still a surf blog. It's still my surf blog. I will continue to do "my thing" as a blogger, but I will also give some food for thought. I think our oceans are in peril. I've not had to do any research to prove this. The news is out there for all of us to hear. Hey, the big fucking insurance companies have lobbyists that speak for them and convince our lawmakers to protect them. Who is lobbying for the ocean? It's not asking for our money. It's not a greedy corporation. It gives us waves and we give comparatively little in return.
People, it's time to flip the script. It's not about us. The next time you paddle out, think about the fact that humans pollute the ocean with impunity. The ocean is already to the point where, in some locales, it can't clean itself. Did it ever occur to you that this may become a reality for us as well? Will you still be a surfer if your favorite spots consistently rate an "F"? Instead of worrying about yourself, your waves, your gear, your surf trip, spend some time thinking about a dying ocean that can't protect itself. Just sit with that thought for a time. Remember, it's not about you.
posted by Surfsister @ 20:44
12 comments
12 Comments:
Do you get The Surfer's Path which is the pre-eminent environmentally conscious surf rag with heaps of info on the state of the oceans and surf breaks all over the world.
I look at it every once in awhile. I don't like any of the surf mags. With that said, I think we need to be having grass roots discussions among ourselves about the problem. We've spent too long expecting others to speak for us as if we can't raise our voices to help them help us be heard. I believe we need as many voices as we can get, therefore The Surfer's Path, The Surfrider Foundation, etc. would only be a starting point for our discussions about the ocean.
How do you propose eliminating the entire storm drain system? The water that runs down the gutters of the streets goes directly into the ocean. Impossible to change.
I did this blog about the rubbish in the oceans.
http://michellefrantom.blogspot.com/2010/07/great-pacific-garbage-patch.html
I agree with you completely re what we give and don't give back to the sea.
We can't change it, Anonymous. That doesn't mean we sit idly by while the ocean is poisoned. I just don't believe we should throw up our hands and give up.
cosmic change always begins on a personal level: stop flushing your toilet.
Malibu lagoon is always the worst and is a direct result of over building. The city fathers don't care.
SS: The filth we surf in disgusts me as well. I pick up trash after every session. Several of us do at my home break. The water quality is ruined by cities 50 miles, 80 miles or farther from the beach by people who could care less about our oceans. I do not let that affect me because the problem is so far removed from anything we do near the ocean that it will never go away. I pick battles that can be won (no matter how difficult). Water running to the ocean from miles inland is not a battle that can be won. Thanks for listening. Love your blog. Tony.
karma
http://www.3slobs.com/2011/01/why-does-ocean-hate-us.html
As of yesterday, we have a new Governor - one who is both pragmatic and ethical. (Thank God he won the election - I don't think California could've survived being governed by The Fascist In The Sweater Set and Pearls!) We also passed an initiative last November to stop a minority of legislators from holding the state budget hostage. Maybe, just maybe, there will now be a reality check that California's infrastructure is deteriorating, and that the wealthiest individuals and corporations need to be paying their fair share of TAXES - yes, that's right, TAXES! - so we can rebuild our state.
Yes, "Anonymous", it's true that storm drains run from miles inland - but there is NO reason for that untreated runoff water to be fouling our sacred ocean. Those storm drains, every single one of them, should be routed to SEWAGE TREATMENT facilities. Not only would this infrastructure improvement keep the oceans clean, it would create JOBS in construction as well. I think Surfrider, Heal the Bay, and all similar organizations, plus all of us as citizens, should make it a priority to lobby for this during the next four years.
Val in 2012!
Thanks Sista!
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