12/30/2008
Turn Over a Green Leaf This New Years
Is your list of resolutions startingto scare you off before the new year is even ushered in? Well, try this on for size. Just be greener. :) Here is a list of top ten ways to live a greener life in 2009 and they are much easier to tackle than that pesky "holiday weight."
And if you are looking for a way to do more for your oceans, waves and beaches next year, we here at Surfrider are always here for you.
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12/30/2008
Make 2009 A Green Holiday Season
Tempted to run out and get all your holiday wrapping paper at half off? Well keep your bargain shopping monster at bay and look forward to a greener holiday season in 2009. Here is a list of tips that can help you reduce your gift-wrapping carbon footprint next year.
More Info.
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12/30/2008
Big Pay Out Doesn't Mean We're Ahead
The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA is reporting a record year for environmental settlement cases in 2008. However, the Bush administration was less than aggressive in pursuing criminal cases against polluters so the value of court-ordered environmental improvement projects is at a five-year low. While, the new administration has vowed to be tougher on environmental issues, there is no word on how the the struggling U.S. economy will impact this agenda.
More Info.
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12/30/2008
Pollution and Overfishing to Blame For Crab Decline
Pollution and overfishing are the two main culprits responsible for dwindling blue crab numbers in the Chesapeake Bay area (once a hot bed for blue crab populations). In 1990, 791 million blue crabs were estimated to live in the bay, but now those numbers are closer to 260 million.
More Info.
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12/05/2008
Florida Tourism Group Backs Offshore Oil Drilling
In a surprise move, the Florida Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus has flipped its stance on offshore drilling. Once opposed to it, the board is now supporting the idea of drilling 30 miles offshore claiming that the state needs the money (the federal government will potentially share royalty and lease revenue generated by offshore drilling).
More Info.
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12/05/2008
Beach Erosion Threatens Homes in Boston
A seven-member crew has been working for two weeks to try and save beachfront homes from disappearing due to beach erosion. One home on Plum Island was already lost last week.
More Info.
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12/05/2008
New Administration Likely To Push For Cleaner Water?
US News and World Report is reporting that President-elect Barack Obama will likely boost water quality rules. However, the article doesn't state any specifics about how exactly the new administration plans to pull this off (only that our Clean Water Act needs to be strengthened). The new administration has a long road ahead of them as our Clean Water Act has been systematically stripped of its power over the last eight years.
More Info.
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12/05/2008
Surfrider's Director of Chapters In Latest Issue of Wend Magazine
Surfrider's own Director of Chapters, Ed Mazzarella, was recently featured in Wend magazine. Ed has been with the Surfrider Foundation for 16 years and provides logistical support for all of our chapters. In other words, he's the guy your chapter chairman has on speed dial. Check out his profile in the new issue of Wend here.
Wend magazine is an outdoor adventure/sustainable travel publication and if you subscribe now 25% of all subscription fees will go back to Surfrider Foundation. Just enter Surfrider in the promotion code box.
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11/20/2008
Increased Protection For Monterey Bay Sanctuary
After nearly a decade of working with Surfrider Foundation's San Mateo Chapter and various other stakeholders, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is enacting new regulations designed to enhance wildlife protection in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The new regulations close an existing loophole that allowed unregulated usage of marine personalized watercraft (MPWC) within the Sanctuary. MPWC use will now be confined to four established zones, restoring the original intent of the law-protection of the National Marine Sanctuary. Additionally, a fifth seasonal zone was created to allow limited tow-in surfing at the world-renown Mavericks surf break, during certain times of the year when wave heights exceed 20 feet.
More Info.
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11/20/2008
Supreme Court Ruling Favors Sonar Over Whales
Last week, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the U.S. Navy in regards to its use of sonar testing in the waters off of California. The decision goes against conditions imposed by two lower courts that required the Navy to take several steps to reduce harm (believed to be caused by sonar) to marine life.
More Info.
Our Kauai Chapter is heavily involved in this issue and continues to fight for the protection of whales and other marine life against harmful sonar.
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