FOR A BETTER BEACH
For REEF, the beach is more than just the place we surf, swim and play, it’s a huge part of who we are as a company, and as individuals. With our headquarters based in the coastal town of Carlsbad, CA, and the beach lifestyle intertwined with our company’s roots, we care deeply about the health of our ocean and coasts— which is why since 2018, REEF has supported the Surfrider Foundation’s National Beach Cleanup program as co-founders of the Better Beach Alliance. To us, supporting Better Beaches means more than rallying our community to clean up our beaches after messes have been made, we’re committed to supporting Surfrider’s grassroots network in identifying and addressing pollution from the source, and we’re doing it from the inside out.
BRINGING BEACH CLEANUPS TO YOU
In 2020, when the Coronavirus pandemic made traditional, large-scale public beach cleanups challenging to host safely, the Better Beach Alliance pivoted to bring beach cleanup resources directly to you, by making Surfrider’s data reporting tool accessible to the public. Now, you can download your own data card, host your own cleanup with members of your household (or just pick up trash on your morning beach or lakeside walk!) and independently report it to Surfrider’s data portal. In 2020 alone, more than 8,665 volunteers just like you removed over 79,059 pounds of trash and recycling from U.S. beaches and waterways. Join the DIY cleanup movement by:
- Downloading your Surfrider data card here
- Heading out to your local beach or waterway, holding your cleanup, and recording your findings as you go using the data card
- Registering and recording your data in Surfrider’s portal here
For more information on safely holding your own cleanup, check out Surfrider’s Beach Cleanup Activist Guide here
CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITY
Later in 2020, when we heard that our local Surfrider chapter needed a new place to host a community water testing lab, the REEF HQ team stepped in to provide space right here in our headquarters office. Now, water samples from three new coastal sites here in North San Diego County are being tested regularly and reported in real time from right here in our office, to help keep our community safe and informed about local water quality and any pollution issues directly impacting our beaches. Check out the data being reported from the REEF HQ community lab through Surfrider’s national water quality database, below:
- San Luis Rey River Outlet in Oceanside
- San Elijo Lagoon Outlet at Cardiff State Beach
- San Dieguito River Outlet at Del Mar Dog Beach
To get involved with local water testing efforts, check out the Surfrider San Diego County Chapter’s website, here!
Huge thanks to all the volunteers who persevered through the challenges that 2020 posed to continue protecting our ocean and coasts. Join the ranks of activists and volunteers in your community by finding your local Surfrider chapter, here! Learn more about REEF’s commitment to the Better Beach Alliance here.