Book Online | Call (+44) 1637 879571

Search

Turning the tide on plastic pollution

 

At Bodyboard Holidays we are committed to improving as an organization, and so we are proud to announce our latest partnership with Waves Not Plastic.

Together we aim to create awareness around plastic pollution for our clients, followers and the local communities where we run our trips, and ultimately turn the tide on plastic pollution.

We caught up with the founder of Waves Not Plastic, Jeff Lenore, to tell us a little more about this admirable organization; how it all started, what it’s fighting for and where it’s heading.

Jeff, tell us a little bit about yourself:

Growing up in California, I started surfing at a young age and quickly found a passion for the ocean. In fact the ocean is the only place that feels like home and pretty much every major life decision has been dictated by the waves! When I’m not traveling with Waves Not Plastic or working at events in California to fund our projects, I love to fish, snowboard, hike forest trails, body surf, and travel the world to explore new waves, cultures, and languages.

How did the charity come about?

It started as an observation on a surf trip to Northern Africa. I was enthralled with the amazing surf, food, and landscape had me puzzled as to why I had never been there before. But while surfing perfect waves, something that didn’t belong kept catching my eye out in the lineup… Plastic!

Plastic was everywhere. Littered on the beaches, buried between rocks, and floating in the water. One afternoon, my friend paddled up to me and laughed as he told me that after duck diving a wave a plastic bottle cap had found its way into his wetsuit. It was at this moment that I knew I could no longer sit back, catch great waves, and ignore this alarming problem. The ocean gives us so much and I desperately wanted to give back!

What is the mission of the charity?  

Our mission at Waves Not Plastic is to support the growth of a generation that will heal our oceans. Through education and outreach, we bring awareness to the devastating effects that plastic pollution has on our environment and inspire alternative action. We strive to clean up our waterways and change the mindset on how the world refuses, reuses, reduces, and recycles plastic.

What interesting projects have you worked on recently?

One of my favorite components of Waves Not Plastic is travelling to remote parts of the world to spread the important story of Ocean Conservation with communities that share a close relationship with the ocean. Often, people in these regions have not had access to information on the cause and effect relationship between a healthy marine environment and their own social, economic, and personal health.

In this last year we have been really productive and worked on some awesome projects that have been making a real difference. We embarked on outreach programs to Northern Africa, Central America, and Indonesia.

As part of our education platform, we published a children’s activity book that was translated and printed in Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese and English. What’s more, we’ve partnered with children’s author Joel Harper, and brought his books Sea Change and All the Way to the Ocean with us everywhere. In each location, we visited schools, community centers, and beaches; engaging with the kids and locals, donating activity books, reading stories in the classroom and sharing our passion for the ocean.

Along with the education projects our organization donated and installed water purification units, which will provide clean drinking water to over 1,800 individuals for the next five years.

Have you seen a change in plastic pollution awareness in the time you have been campaigning?

Absolutely! Change is happening the world over.

In my own social circle, I see friends refusing single-use plastic in favor of reusable canteens and reusable shopping bags.   Better yet I see those same friends teaching sustainable practices to their kids. I see growing numbers of conservation groups around the community organizing beach cleanups, promoting eco-friendly solutions, and helping to sustain positive changes.

Further afield, a couple I had met on my first Morocco trip wrote to me about a year or so later excited to tell me that all their local beaches have become really clean with virtually no plastic bottles or litter anywhere.

Worldwide, I am seeing a culture grow that does not want to make the same mistakes that have damaged our blue planet. Now they’re working to heal it.

How do you hope to see the environment in 20 years from now?

In twenty years I want the environment to be healthy. My goal is that it will no longer be polluted and manipulated by man for short-term financial gain. My hope is for a clean and functioning water system, clean air, and a healthy ecosystem that is viewed by man as essential for our survival and treated with respect. A quote that I find incredibly important in today’s day and age, “When the last tree is cut down, the last river poisoned, the last fish caught, then only will man discover that he cannot eat money.” – Cree Indian wisdom.

What is the ‘Refuse single use plastic’ campaign all about? And where can we all start?

You don’t need to travel halfway around the world to make a difference. Change begins at home. It starts with our daily decisions on how we live our lives, the products we choose to purchase, and the ways we consume.

Our refuse single-use plastic campaign is meant to raise awareness on the effects that single-use plastic has on the environment and provide a few changes that you can make to be a part of the solution. Single-use plastic is everywhere – from drink bottles and cups to food packaging of even the healthiest snacks. Plastic packaging is an epidemic.

Here are a few simple ways to Rethink Disposable and join us in removing single use plastics from your everyday activities.

  1. Bring your own shopping bag.
  2. Reduce the use of plastic bags for produce and bulk items.
  3. Bring your own food containers and utensils.
  4. Carry a reusable water bottle.
  5. Pack a waste-free lunch.
  6. Bring your own reusable coffee mug.
  7. Slow down and dine in.
  8. Say no to disposable straws.
  9. Avoid heavily packaged foods.
  10. Share these tips with friends.

Source: Clean Water Action – ReThink Disposable Campaign

Make the pledge today and start refusing single-use plastics! Or for more information about the organization and/or what we are getting up to, then check out our webpage: http://www.wavesnotplastic.org

Like this article?

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
WhatsApp
Email
Share on Pinterest
LinkedIn

Leave a comment