Surfboard Bag .com » Surfing Causes

Concerns About The Short-term Water Pollution Impacts!!

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:50:37 +0000

SAS Pleased As European Commission Takes UK To European Court Of Justice Over CSO’s

It is time to step up and clean the beach

SAS are pleased to hear the European Commission (EC) has decided to take the United Kingdom to the European Court of Justice over non-compliance with EU environment legislation. SAS has spent the summer highlighting the inadequacies of the UK’s sewerage system, specifically with Combine Sewage and Stormwater Overflow drains (CSOs), culminating in the hard-hitting Panorama program “Britain’s Dirty Beaches”. The EC is concerned that the urban waste water collecting systems and treatment facilities in London and Whitburn in North East England and have deemed them “inadequate and a threat to human health.”

SAS have highlighted time and again concerns over the short-term pollution impacts CSOs have on our coastline, and stressed the potential impacts to water users and especially waveriders who are more at risk as they immerse and ingest more than the average bather. Some of the health risks associated with using sewage polluted waters include Ecoli, Hepatitis A, Gastro Enteritis and much more.

Our rivers, seas, bathing waters and surf spots are suffering from short-term pollution incidents from CSOs. The sewerage system is being over powered by the volume of water after periods of rain. There are solutions that can take the pressure off the sewerage system without relying on CSOs or resulting in sewage backing up in our homes. They include improvements in the efficiency of the sewerage system and/or an increase in capacity at sewage treatment works. Local planners need to embrace and promote Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) that slowly release surface rainwater runoff. And we can all use water more responsibly, taking small steps like turning the tap off whilst brushing our teeth, which will in effect increase capacity at sewage treatment works reducing the risk of overflow.

European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: “More attention needs to be paid to upgrading collecting systems to ensure full compliance with EU legislation on waste water treatment. Such investment will bring enormous benefits in terms of improving the quality of the environment.”

SAS Campaign Manager Andy Cummins says: “The EC are echoing SAS’s concerns over the frequency CSOs are used is discharge raw sewage and rain water rather than treating it in a sewage plant. This can be a serious threat to human health.”

http://www.sas.org.uk/campaign/index.php

http://www.peaksandbarrels.com/
http://www.mysurfboardbag.com/

Technorati Tags: al merrick surfboard, Beach, European Environment, North East England, Ocean, Oil, peaks and barrels, PeaksandBarrels, Surf News, surf spots, Surfaid

Pavones In Danger!!!

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:02:29 +0000

By mbauer – September 23, 2009 – 09:05

Tuna Aquaculture Project Threatens Wave at Pavones, Costa Rica

Tuna excrement, red tides, algal blooms, and hydrogen sulfide are not the first things that come to mind when planning a surfing vacation to Costa Rica. But the country’s recent approval of a tuna farm project could contaminate coastal waters and dismantle one of the areas best preserved surfing destinations.

A proposed tuna farm project at the mouth of the Golfo Dulce, located along Costa Rica’s remote southern Pacific coast, threatens the area’s water quality and the overall pristine state of the wave at Pavones – considered to be one of the world’s longest lefts.

The company responsible for the tuna farm project, Granjas Atuneras de Golfito S.A. (GAGSA), selected this section of coastline because the area’s swift running currents would bring a consistent flow of clean water to the captive tuna. However, these same currents could sweep the massive quantities of fish excrement and food waste produced by the tuna right up to Pavones’ doorstep.
Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court suspended the project’s approval in 2007, sighting inconsistencies in GAGSA’s environmental impact study. A part of the suspension, the court ordered a detailed independent investigation be done on the superficial and deepwater currents to better understand where the tuna byproducts would end up. This study was to be undertaken before any future environmental viability approval would be issued by the Costa Rican Environmental Ministry. However, in May 2009 Costa Rica’s environmental minister, Jorge Rodríguez, reopened the case and approved the project’s environmental viability without performing the court-mandated study.If the project is allowed to proceed, there is a high probability that the unappetizing mix of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and methane – all chemicals found in tuna excrement and leftover decaying food products produced at other tuna farm projects around the world – would reach Pavones. If this were to happen, algal blooms, decreased dissolved oxygen amounts, and wide spread dinoflagellate occurrences resulting in red tides and widespread fish kills could contribute to the dismantling of the area’s aesthetic beauty, artisanal fisheries, vibrant ecotourism businesses, and surfing industry.

Local surfers and conservation groups are vociferously campaigning against the tuna farm project (see related articles below). They are urging the international surfing community to write letters to Costa Rica’s Tourism Minister’s assessor, Marissia Obando, reminding her how important surfing is to the country’s economy and how crucial it is to protect coastlines and marine areas for recreational and economic opportunities.

Pavones was recently nominated to Save The Waves’ World Surfing Reserves program – an initiative designed to proactively protect the greatest and most threatened surf breaks around the world – because of its world class wave and the local community’s dedication to conserving the area’s natural surroundings.To get involved in the campaign and urge the Costa Rican government to protect the wave at Pavones – please send a letter to:

Sra. Marissia Obando
Minister’s assessor, Ministry of Tourism San José, Costa Rica,
Email mailto: mobando@ict.go.cr
Copy email: mailto: info@pretoma.org

Sample Letter:

Dear Sra. Marissia Obando,

I am extremely concerned about the fate the wave at Pavones, one of the most pristine surfing destinations in Costa Rica. Please act now and work with the Environmental Ministry to revoke the environmental viability given to the tuna farm project planned for the mouth of the Golfo Dulce and comply with the Constitutional Court’s resolution 2007-06315 to perform an extensive study of the areas currents in order to determine the environmental impact of the project.

Thank you.
–For more information please contact Andy Bystrom at mailto: andy@pretoma.org or visit the following websites:

Costa Rican Conservation Network: http://costaricanconservationnetwork.wordpress.com/

Pretoma: http://www.pretoma.org/

Please EVERYONE this is your call to action TODAY!!!

_________________________

http://www.mysurfboardbag.com/

http://www.peaksandbarrels.com/

Technorati Tags: Costa rica, Fish Farm, Pavones, Surf, Surf Cause, Surf News, Surf Trip, Surfboard, Surfboard Brands, Surfboard Rack, surfboardbag, Surfing, Surfing costa rica, Tuna Farm

The Surfboard Recycling Project

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 05:27:03 +0000

9Fish Tent & Jay Alders Board

Through the collaborative efforts of VERB TV, 9:Fish Surfboards , and PEAKSandBARRELS.com the Surfboard Recycling Project was established to raise awareness for Surf-Aid International & Save The S.D. Fire Pits. This partnership is proud to announce an innovative fundraiser at this year’s Vavi National Kickball Championship at NTC Park in Point Loma on August 15^th.

The Surfboard Recycling Project will be raffling off select prizes donated by local businesses and used surfboards donated by local surfers. Prizes will include the limited edition 9:Fish Surf-Aid Surfboard (6’2”) featuring the artwork of renown surf artist Jay Alders, gift cards from local shops like Muir Surf, free subscriptions to Surfshot’s digital Magazine, used surfboards and much more.

* All are welcome to donate or participate in the raffle!

* Proceeds will be donated to: Save the S.D. Fire Pits & Surf-Aid International.

* Please give back and assist the initiative by donating a surfboard.

Surfboards can be donated 7 days a week. Please email verb@verbnetwork.tv to make arrangements for pick up or drop off. You may bring your board to raffle at the event as well.

Jay Alders Art Board

The Surfboard Recycling project would like to thank Jay Alders for graciously donating his artwork to help the cause and Vavi Sport & Social Club for hosting this amazing event on August 15^th at NTC Park in Point Loma, 8am- 5pm.

Surfboard Rack and Set up

Technorati Tags: Amee Donohoe, Ocean, rerip, saving the waves, Surf Gear, Surf rack, Surfaid, Surfboard, surfboard bag, Surfboard Brands, Surfboard Rack, Surfboard recycling, Surfboard Recycling Project, Surfboard Shaping, Trestles, Verb media

Insanity Island! Help NY & NJ Surfers.

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:18:59 +0000

“A few years ago, energy industry executives who wanted to build natural gas plants in the New York region came up with a way around the perennial wall of neighborhood opposition to their plans. Place the projects in the open sea, far from troublesome neighborhood councils and community boards,”says Jim Rutenberg of the NY Times.

Surfers, Fisherman, boaters and most other beach dwellers are concerned and utterly upset about the possibility of a large scale gas station just out past the breakers. Surfrider foundation has been one of the loudest leaders regarding this new project.

Some of the arguments opposing project “Insanity Island” are: