While taking my daily news-cruise I came upon another story of surfers putting themselves on the front line against the all-out assault on our environment. This time it was 15 Aussie surfers and kayakers that went as far as to put their lives at risk in order to protest the dredging of a channel off of Port Phillip Bay. They paddled out right through the ships exclusion zone and came within yards of the massive ship and it’s dredging equipment. They all ended up with a $176 fine and a scolding from the local police, but were successful in making sure that their voices were heard.

Did they take it to far by risking their lives to make their point? There are points to be made on either side. What is clear is that the surfing community is as in touch, if not more so, with what is going on with the environment as any other. After recently receiving tickets to Jack Johnson’s Kokua Festival I checked out their site was extremely impressed with the measure’s they have taken to be ‘green’. Some of the methods they have implemented in order to be bio-friendly include offering eco-friendly merchandise such as reusable tote bags, bottles, and organic cotton clothing, as well as a $2 option used to offset emissions from their personal travel to and from the show. More and more surf contests are being fueled with bio-diesel and clothing companies are making a point of using recycled materials in the production of clothing and shoes.

The success of The Surfrider Foundation and local communities coming together and stopping the proposed Trestles toll-road has been a well-documented example of how closely knit and well-informed the surfing community as well as its industry really is. Surfers continue to rise up for cause after cause and I imagine this trend will only continue to grow as more awareness is risen in regard to the damage being done against the environment.

Tags: Jack Johnson, Surfrider Foundation

Posted by Shaun on Monday, February 18th, 2008 in Surfing.

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