To us, Earth Day is every day — but this year was something extra special. We spent Earth Day weekend cleaning up a local beach, connecting with our community, and learning more about ways we can take action to protect our oceans and environment. Alongside our sustainable brand co-hosts, Avre and Nomadix, we had over 100 local volunteers from around Los Angeles join us in support of ocean conservation. Collectively, we cleaned up over 250 pounds of trash from Dockweiler State Beach, more proof that we’ve got real power to help our planet.
Every year 11 million tons of plastic waste enter our oceans and without immediate action, scientific experts expect that plastic waste will triple by 2040. Which is why collective action is so important, and why all of us at Wolven, Avre, and Nomadix are dedicated to making a difference. As the event began, Java Jaws Coffee, official sponsors of USA Surfing, were serving up hot drinks for attendees to enjoy as they collected their clean up supplies. With the help of our sponsors, we were able to provide reusable bags from The Sunshine Series and reusable fabric gloves, to ensure we were not creating more waste than we were collecting. After everyone got a chance to mingle we gathered to discuss the impact of plastic pollution and the impact climate change has on our oceans with Wolven’s Sustainability Specialist, Amanda.
With the guidance of our lead volunteers, Stephanie and Frank, long-time volunteers with the Surfrider Foundation we were able to hand collect, sort (for proper disposal), and dispose of over 250 pounds of waste found on the sand and surrounding areas. Once teams had their bags full we’d weigh them. Soon enough it became a competition to see who could bring back the most trash and who could find the most interesting “treasures”. You would never believe what people left behind. We found hundreds of bottle caps, straws, and plastic cups. One local LA couple collected 19 pounds of trash, which included a pair of crocs. Some other interesting finds included a stress ball shaped like planet earth, a ring with a fake dragon eyeball, and a full can of lighter fluid.
The next time you are at the beach, on a hike, or just outdoors in your own neighborhood— remember that even the smallest act of picking up some trash can go a long way. But the work is not done. With the impacts of climate change becoming more and more apparent each year, and our oceans becoming increasingly polluted with waste and plastics, it’s important to learn more about these issues, support sustainable brands who are committed to doing more and changing the status quo, and support efforts to combat climate change and combat pollution. Check out and support the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act and learn more about Our Ocean Tribute.
For us, there’s no better way to spend Earth Day than connecting with our local community and getting our hands dirty to combat pollution. Thank you to everyone who helped make the day a success. We’ll sea you next time.
Authors:
Stephanie Tarr, Wolven Community Manager
Amanda Lapham, Wolven Sustainability Specialist
