Whatever the canvas may be, Mike Losness continues to lay down his work with a truly unique style. Mike’s artistic interpretation of his vision of Lower Trestles will be on display at the California Surf Museum in Oceanside, California for the entire month of November. The Spy team rider Losness has offered up this incredible painting if Lowers in order to raise money for the Surfrider Foundation’s Save Trestles campaign. Anyone willing to kick down $5 to the Trestles campaign will be given a chance to win the painting. You have until the end of to get those donations in via Spy Optic’s website.

It’s always great to see the talents of surfers be put on display out of the water. It’s even better when those talents go toward benefiting an incredible cause. Mike has been on a tour displaying his paintings throughout surf shops all over Southern California throughout this past summer. All of the proceeds that were generated from raffles throughout the tour and on through November will be generously donated to Surfrider.

Mike Losness’ vision on land….

Mike Losness vision on water…

One of the grooviest enviro-blogs around, Rise Above Plastics, recently made a fantastic point about the need to work virally to protect and clean-up our environment. “I mean that in order to get our message across we need a combination of tonage (lots of hits, views, interactions) and targeted media (messaging that makes people go, “hmmm” and change their daily habits)” -Jim Moriarty.

Finding ways to spread much-needed awareness by the million is definitely a challenge, take a look at the top 500 websites and count how many have much to do at all with spreading this message.

With that said, the Trestles-battle has been an awesome example of viral-environmentalism. This is a saga that has been going on for quite some time now. While the support for the Trestles cause has always been strong, it has taken on a new life over recent years. The huge turnouts and overall level of interest at the most recent hearings can absolutely be, at least in large part, attributed to taking advantage of some of what’s available out there for getting messages out to the masses. Action Sports blogs, Twitter, videos such as this little gem on Youtube. All of this media is being used to drum up the support seen by the 241 Toll Road issues are great examples of the new ammunition we have in protecting our environment. It’s the new way to go about getting peoples attention an holding it, especially the younger, up and coming generations.

“There will never, ever be enough videos to educate about the impact we’re making on the globe” Hell no there won’t! And there are infinite ways of getting those crucial messages out to the people.

How is this little piece of gold from Surfrider Europe?

Just weeks after placement began on Europe’s first first artificial surf reef, the roughly quarter-century long saga of Pratte’s Reef off of Los Angeles, Ca. is officially coming to a disappointing end.

It’s been a long, interesting journey for all involved with the project. One that has been filled with varying thoughts and points of view from those throughout the surfing community.

The concept of the reef was brought about when a large rock jetty was built nearly 25 years ago to protect a marine terminal and underwater pipelines at a Chevron facility in El Segundo, California. The jetty interfered with incoming swells an put a huge damper on much of the surf in the area. Surfrider Foundation stepped up and led a battle to remedy this issue and, after years of perseverance, a deal was eventually put in place to create Pratte’s Reef. The reef, constructed by the placing of geo-textile sandbags, was named after legendary surfing activist Tom Pratte, one of the leading forces in fighting the jetty and eventually getting everything in place for it’s placement.

The first section of the reef was placed in the water in the fall of 2000. When results weren’t what everyone had hoped for, Pratte’s Reef was increased the following spring, an upgrade that did little to obtain the desired results.

Now, roughly seven years later, divers who surveyed the reef have found it in shambles. The bags are dislodged, falling apart, buried in the muck and sand, and Pratte’s Reef has been rendered useless as a means for wave-creation. It is now being pulled out of the ocean piece by piece.

There’s plenty of blame going around right now as to how exactly we’ve come to this point. A recent L.A. Times article included some very informative thoughts and points of view given by those who have taken up the cause that is Pratte’s Reef. If there is any lesson at all to be learned from this, it’s that no matter how smart we think we may be, we will never, ever be able to replicate that which Mother Nature has done on her own.

To say yesterday’s Save Trestles hearing was anything but a success wouldn’t be doing it justice. As I sat there with an open mind (ok, I lie), listening to both sides plead their case in front of a thousand plus people, I couldn’t help but think this rally shouldn’t even be happening in the first place. The overwhelming majority of people are obviously opposed to building the toll road through and along the San Mateo Creek and if these politicians were really “for the people” they wouldn’t even think twice about this decision. But I’ll keep politics out of this one…

What became very apparent by listening to the speakers who oppose the 241 toll-road is that there’s a lot more at stake here than a worldclass surf break. From protecting one of the last, pristine coastal parks in the country, to saving a species of mouse, to the Panhe People losing more sacred land, the number of common sense reasons why we don’t need this road are and should be pretty obvious.

The developers, union workers, big corporations, and lobbied politicians on the other hand had their own selfish reasons for supporting the 241 Toll Road. From saving time in traffic, to creating jobs, to making money off new cable TV subscribers(hint: Cox Communications), they didn’t seem to care they’d be destroying one of mother natures few remaining gifts in return for the all-mighty dollar or saving a couple minutes in the car everday. And if I understand correctly, the road won’t positively affect people traveling in that direction. These issues were still heard, despite being met with plenty of ‘booos’, thumbs down, and dollar bills waving in the air that signified their being paid to be here, which as one speaker noted, “ethically voids out any argument they have.”

Surfrider did a wonderful job of showing appreciation to the supporters - free t-shirts, a concert, face painting, and food coupons that they were handing out by the dozen. I could have eaten $100 worth of free fair-food, had I wanted. To bad they didn’t have a beer garden or I just might have.

A couple of standout moments from the event were…

Jim Moriarty’s quote: “you can never save the oceans, but you can always be saving them”

The guy holding up the sign that read: “live better, get barreled” opposed to “live better, build roads”. For some reason getting barreled does sound like a better life to me than laying concrete.

92 year old Eloise who got up on the podium and shouted NO!

The young boy, who couldn’t have been more than 10, pleading the case for both himself and his whole generation.

The lady from San Bernadino who drove 100 miles to save the campground, saying her family is too poor to afford a normal vacation with hotels so their summer vacation every year is camping at San Mateo, something they’ve been doing their who lives.

All the other people who graciously gave up their time to support more than one noble cause.

Saving Trestles is a fight that’s not over yet and may never be. But as more and more people get involved and act on this issue, one can’t help but be very confident that the people will be heard and the right thing will done. I’d say we outnumbered the other side by 10x, and if that’s not power in numbers I don’t know what is.

The long awaited next round in the battle to protect Trestles and surrounding areas will finally take place today. It’s been an interesting last few months leading up today’s public hearing being held by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, but the hearing definitely will take place today in Del Mar, Ca. Anyone in the Southern California area is encouraged to attend and let their voices be heard, however that may be.

For info on car pools, speakers, and the hearing agenda head on over to Save Trestles.

SAVE TRESTLES: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

WHO: Surfrider Foundation activists, surfers, hikers and everyone who opposes the extension of the 241 Toll Road.

WHAT: It’s time to defend Trestles! On September 22, the Secretary of Commerce will hold a public hearing for the appeal of the 241 Toll Road. This is the time to show the Federal Government that we do not want a toll road running through a State Park and ruining the camping, environment, Mother Ocean, and surfing experiences at San Onofre State Beach.

The hearing is expected to go all day, and the Surfrider Foundation is hosting interactive stations and activities outside the hearing such as face painting for kids, Frisbee, hacky sack, sign making and letter writing. There are letter “drop boxes” at the hearing and Surfrider plans to fill the boxes with letters opposing the toll road.

*Photo and interview opportunities will be available at the hearing*

WHEN: Monday, September 22
10:30 AM – 8:30 PM

WHERE: O’Brien Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.
Del Mar, CA 92014

INFO: Please note that there are several hearing procedures in place for the hearing. To read a full list, go to http://www.surfrider.org/savetrestles/files/Hearing_FAQs.pdf (PDF). Hand-held signs cannot be larger than 13×22 inches, and to ensure that all signs are appropriately sized, the Surfrider Foundation will be setting up sign-making stations and passing out pre-made signs.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: STEFANIE SEKICH SURFRIDER FOUNDATION – SSEKICH@SURFRIDER.ORG

When all is said and done in regards to the curious decision to postpone the July 25 federal hearing on the proposed 241-toll road extension, a.k.a. Trestles toll road, we may be looking back on that decision as a blessing in disguise.

The latest stop in this seemingly never-ending battle was set to take place just about a month ago at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine. When the fear that those in opposition of the proposed toll road would show up in the form of 10,000 plus, the meeting was abruptly postponed until further notice. Those who had planned to make their voices heard once again were thus left without any answers and no clear time line for the scheduling of a new hearing. A massive ‘make your voices heard’ effort was set-up by our friends at Surfrider Foundation, as well as many other diligent groups and individuals, and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce obliged. The public hearing has now been rescheduled for September 22, 2008 in O’Brien Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds from 10:30 am until 8:30 pm. It was in Wyland Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds back in February where the proposed road took one of it’s biggest losses to date when the California Coastal Commission voted 8-2 against the project.

The aforementioned blessing in disguise? In the weeks leading up to this next stop on the journey to defeat the Trestles toll road project the ASP world tour will be making it’s annual stop at Trestles with the 2008 Boost Mobile Pro. The holding period for the event is scheduled for September 7-13. The opportunity this will provide to once again rally the surf community around this cause will be immeasurable. With many of the surf industry leaders, thousands of fans who will be attendance, and even more watching online via webcast getting set to fix their eyes upon the revered break, the Boost Mobile Pro is set-up to be the ideal rallying point for the Sept. 22 hearing before Secretary Carlos Gutierrez.

As much as the surf contest itself, there will undoubtedly be a focus on the celebration of Trestles and the necessity to preserve the area. This will be Trestles time to shine and you can be sure the upcoming hearing at O’Brien Hall will be filled to capacity, and then some, by one hell of an energized and passionate group of those who fiercely oppose the proposed Trestles toll road. 5ones will be sure to keep you updated upon any further notices.

If you wish to speak at the hearing, you must mail your request* via USPS or commercial carrier (no email) to:

Thomas Street, Attorney Advisor
NOAA Office of General Counsel for Ocean Services
1305 East-West Highway, Room 6111
Silver Spring, MD 20910

*Written requests must be received by September 12th and include the individual’s full name, address, and declare that they are speaking as an individual, not an organization.

*If you wish to express let your voice be heard via signs, there is a size limit to the signs allowed in the hall, which is 13 inches x 24 inches.

Although the fight to keep the highly controversial 241 Toll Road extension has been going for years and has at times seemed endless, those who oppose the project don’t appear to be backing off any time soon.

Last week the Secretary of Commerce announced that a public hearing regarding the proposed extension is to take place July 25 at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine. This comes on the heels of what was a major victory for Trestles, San Onofre State Park, and all those who oppose the development of the proposed toll road when the California Coastal Commission voted 8-2 against the project. This hearing marks the next battle between the Transportation Corridor Authority and opponents over the continuation of the road, which would essentially lead to the closure of the popular campgrounds at San Onofre State Park as well as putting surrounding breaks, including Trestles, at great risk.

For those who have yet to see it, there was a beautiful section done covering the Trestles battle in the most recent Teton Gravity Research film - Out There. It illustrated the importance of keeping this stretch of coast as is and covered why this is such a vital battle for us to become involved in. Over 3,000 strong showed at Wyland Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds to let there voices be heard. This time around there are hopes for an even larger showing. “We are looking forward to the Department of Commerce hearing,” says Mark Rauscher, Assistant Environmental Director for the Surfrider Foundation. “The Department of Commerce has already heard from the experts, now it is time for them to hear directly from the public how the TCA’s proposed alignment for the Foothill-South Toll Road is fundamentally flawed.”

The Surfrider Foundation has been at the forefront of this battle from the beginning. They, along with other groups opposing the Toll Road extension, will be running busses to transport supporters to and from the hearing.

This is truly a battle of epic proportions. It may very well set a precedent for years to come and for that reason is so important to become involved in. If you would like to check out more information you can check out savetrestles.org or surfrider.org.

With so much going against us as we fight against the demise of our environment, it’s both motivating and inspiring to watch natural leaders rise up and open paths for those who are new to this battle. The massive success of Jack Johnson’s annual Kokua Festival has led to a partnership with Surfrider Foundation as one of a select group of non-profit organizations chosen by Jack to participate in his 2008 world tour and help launch his All At Once campaign.

The All At Once campaign and online community take a page out of the Kokua Festival by bridging the gap between Jack’s fans and local, as well as national, organizations who make saving the environment their life’s work. Surfrider CEO Jim Moriarty has coined the term “on-ramp” when describing methods to get the average joe like many of us onboard and passionate about doing what we can to help. Creating these on-ramps is what the All At Once campaign is all about. The A.A.O. campaign puts concert-goers face to face with these organizations in order to provide steps of environmental actions they can take, both large and small. Once the show is over, the online community will ensure the work will continue by providing a network for those who are already involved to stay connected with those just getting their feet wet.

“I can’t think of a better reason to put on a concert than to bring people together to create positive change,” said Johnson. “With this year’s tour we are bringing together all of our resources All At Once to give back to each community that we visit.”

Jack’s continued efforts to aid in this cause are remarkable and open up the door for so many who otherwise may not know where to start. This partnership with Surfrider is ideal and goes to show that the surfing community as a whole are leading the way when it comes to cultivating the culture of global activism.

If you’re searching for an on-ramp, the All At Once campaign is a perfect way to get onboard.

There are few communities who have taken a stand and gone to the lengths that the surfing community has when it comes to making a difference in our rapidly deteriorating environment, in particular the ocean. It has become a movement, yet there is still so much more that needs to be done.

I’m guessing there are quite a few like myself who know they need to do more when it comes to preserving the earth, we just may need a little guidance to get us going more toward that direction. Who better to give us a push down the right path than Surfrider CEO, and inspiration to us all, Jim Moriarty.

Moriarty has dedicated his life to being on the front lines on this battle against those who would take the very last breath from this beautiful planet. His, as well as the tireless efforts of all at Surfrider are truly amazing.

For us who need the aforementioned push in the right direction, I decided to ask Mr. Moriarty what some basic steps would be that all of us could take to help in preserving the ocean for generations to come. He kindly provided me with this very interesting ‘beginners guide to going green (PDF),’ and had this to say when asked what one basic effort he would recommend all of us take when trying to improve on our lackluster environmental habits - “If you ever do one thing, never…ever buy or accept another plastic water bottle as that bottle will most likely never be recycled and the largest pollutant in the ocean is plastics.”

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and without a doubt this is a step that all of us can take.

surfrider foundation

My, how those bureaucracies can be sneaky little buggers!

After February’s victory over the proposed Trestles toll road, I kind of put that issue on the backburner. And to be honest, I really hadn’t thought too much about it until I began noticing ‘Save Trestles’ signs once again popping up around many of Southern California’s beach cities. After reading one of Jon Coen’s recent posts on EXPN, I now understand why.

Apparently the Transportation Corridor Agency has filed an appeal of the California Coastal Commission’s decision to deny the proposed project. I’m sure their hopes are that with this back-door approach they will quietly go about having this decision overturned. If that is the case, they are underestimating us in a big way.

In order to have another public hearing, the surf community has to write to the CCC to ask for a public hearing. Our friends at Surfrider have simplified that process, and you can let your voice be heard once again, or for the first time, by contacting Secretary Carlos Gutierrez here. Trestles is truly an icon. This is a battle that we simply cannot, and will not lose.

surfrider foundationtrestles