Sustainable Surfing Camps and Surf Lessons

To share our love of the ocean through surfing, mutual respect for land, sea,and each other.

Tag Archives: plastic debris


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What do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

I thought I would share these simple steps,  I use this formula when creating in general and projects, camps, workshops, life, art, etc.

Amazingly simple step are both brilliant and effective.  They have staying power and make sense across the board. For me, simple is powerful.

I was honored to be given a similar soulful guide like this many years ago and yes,  it altered  my entire life.   There was such an awakening of what I truly wanted to accomplish in my life and a huge wave of passion and adventure began.  My sense of life direction like the tides turned, I so love the ride and am so very grateful.

So, ask yourself:  “What Will YOU Create that Will Make the World Awesome?”   Lovely steps below..

The link to the full article where these steps originated is below, mahalo Greg McKeown. Though I  brazenly did a bit of my own edits….everything brilliant is Greg’s.

Step 1: Sketch Your Career. It is so easy to get consumed by activities in our lives and careers. We get so caught up in living our lives that we don’t stop to think sufficiently about our lives. We are reacting instead of being strategic. When I find this happening, I use this simple tool to get a broader perspective. You start on the left at the beginning of your career and end on the right hand side (today). You draw a single line up if you were enjoying the experience and down if it was unfulfilling for you. Write down where you were working, what you were working on, and any other factors that shaped your experience.   It also works if you paint, or make a collage, or write a song, or a poem!!!

Now Breathe, no, c’mon really slooow breathe!

(See the original Harvard Business Review piece What Will You Create to Make the World Awesome? to see/use the sketch template for Step 1 and 2).

Step 2: Connect the Dots. Use the sketch from Step 1 as a launch pad into being an anthropologist of your own life. Go somewhere quiet. You might think of it like a strategic offsite for your own life and career.

Ask: When was I truly happy and why? What activity or theme do I keep coming back to? What is my gravitational pull? When was life and work effortless for me? What isn’t working for me? When do I seem most like myself? When was it meaningless and why? When was work meaningful and why? Don’t rush the process. Pause long enough to really listen. Write the answers down as they come so you can reflect on them later. I am visual so I started a simple collage to represent these happy things and ended up doing THREE monstrous collages that blew my mind. It not needed it!!!!

Step 3: Ask, “What Will I Create that Will Make the World Awesome?” This is WONDERFULLY wild question ( I LOVE IT!) but an essential element of strategy is, to state the obvious, thinking about what we want to create in the future.

Ask: What would I do if I could do anything? What would I do if all jobs paid the same? If I could only achieve one thing in my career, what would it be? What do I really want? Again, these are big questions. But my experience is that people spend far more time worried about their job than in creating a vision for their career and how they can uniquely contribute to the world.

(If you are looking for a pep talk, this three minute video from “Kid President” does a brilliant job challenging us to figure out what we can do to make the world awesome). Brilliant!!!!

From Greg: Many years ago I followed a process not at all unlike this one and, without exaggeration, it changed the course of my life. The insight I gained led me to quit law school, leave England and move to America to start down the path as a teacher and author. You’re reading this because of that choice. It remains the single most important — and strategic — career decision of my life.

It’s a simple process. But it can help us to break down some complex questions. Like the poet Mary Oliver’s beautifully haunting question: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Link to Greg’s story: What do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? | LinkedIn.

Someone brilliant who is changing the world..

Greg McKeown Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum


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Answering the call.. Colleen Kudo grew up in the desert, but she could still hear the sea

By Cindy Luis-Sports Section Star Advertiser

Some never hear the call of the ocean.

Others hear it even when living more than 100 miles from shore.

Even when growing up in Desert Hot Springs, Calif., Colleen Kudo still heard the ocean. And she listened.

It was a message of surfing and sustainability, of green living on the Blue Planet known as Earth. It led to the creation of “Because We Surf” and the “Ocean Girl Project,” which includes surf camps for girls 14 and under.

“It just all came together,” said Kudo, who moved permanently to Hawaii in 2004. “I was the manager of Diamond Head Market & Grill, working with a lot of young women, a lot of them ‘ocean girls.’ We had time on our hands after work so we’d all go out and surf.”

But it wasn’t enough. When Kudo heard about critically ill neighbor island children in Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children whose families couldn’t afford airline tickets to visit during the holidays, “that became one of our first fundraisers,” she said. “We gave them tickets to be with their kids. Then someone told me about this high school coach who was cleaning out the channel in Ewa Beach by himself. So we decided to go help the guy.”

And so it has continued with the official launching of “Because We Surf” in 2008. Much like a wave builds, the organization continued to evolve, picking up momentum and adding the “Ocean Girl Project” to help meet the need for affordable and sustainable surf camps for young girls.

The lesson learned is that it does take a village to raise a surfer. The all-volunteer organization gives to the community and the community has given back.

Among the volunteers are pro surfers Nancy Emerson and Jeannie Chesser, and photographer Donna Welch. Emerson donates surfboards from her Nancy Emerson School of Surfing, Chesser passes along her expertise and Welch gives surf camp participants photos of their experiences.

The 52-year-old Kudo, the manager and an instructor for Emerson’s surf school, didn’t learn to surf until she was 30 and still living in California.

“I grew up in the desert but my family had ties to Hawaii,” she said. “During my teenage years, we spent time here. I never thought about surfing, but I always wanted to be in the water. The ocean is so healing. It is such a blessing.”

Kudo spent 17 years working with at-risk youth. That’s not the target group for the Ocean Girl surf camps.

“It’s for girls whose families are struggling but they’re in that gap where they aren’t considered at-risk,” she said. “A lot of them don’t have bathing suits, towels or can bring snacks. We’ve had people donate those, especially healthy snacks.

But honestly, I think all kids are at-risk without the love and support of all of us.

“But the camp is not about bikinis and playing. We start with a beach cleanup. Sometimes we have marine biologists speak, sometimes people from other non-profits do presentations. We teach CPR, ocean safety and respect for the ocean and reefs.

“We believe the ocean and surfing to be the ultimate classroom. What is very rewarding is when the girls who have gone through our program come back and help.”

The five-day camps are limited to 10 to 12 participants. The minimum requested donation is $100 but Kudo says financial aid is available.

The camps have been limited to summer months but there has been a discussion about adding one this winter.

“I think that sometimes the ocean just calls us,” Kudo said. “I teach surfing to people who are from everywhere, from Canada, Germany, Missouri. They could be 20, 30 or 60 (years old). What in the world would be their connection? It’s that strong desire to be in the water, just like I had.”


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Hawaii & Sustainable Solutions

Mahalo!

First day of Ocean Girl Project camp we do small beach clean-ups and learn about sustainability.

The girls are often curious as to why we do not use plastic bags or bottles or forks, spoons, or cups, do you get the idea??

After our first quick beach clean up, it becomes very clear and meaningful to all of us who love the ocean!

 

Hawaii & Sustainable Solutions Doing your part in Hawaii

What is sustainability? Simply, the responsible treatment of natural resources.

NO littering Be respectful and leave nothing but footprints on the beach and valleys. We are on small islands with finite resources, never ever litter.

Store Bags-plastic bags are the worst and most unnecessary plastic polluter of the ocean and easiest to replace.

Carry and shop with reusable sustainable bags. A single reusable bag can eliminate hundreds to thousands of disposable bags over its lifetime. Look for reusable bags that are made of strong sustainable material (not plastic), if the seller doesn’t know what the material is, go somewhere else, local health food stores, farmers markets and craft fairs are a good source or make your own. Bonus-many stores give discounts for bringing your own bag.

Plastic bottles- Plastic bottles along with plastic bags are the most common sources of plastic pollution found on our beaches and in the ocean. In the US alone, eight out of 10 (22 billion) plastic bottles will end up in a landfill-Container Recycling Institute.

The easiest solution is to carry reusable stainless steel water bottles and flasks and drink tap water!! It’s clean, safe and you already paid for it!! The Hawaii Board of Supply (hbws.org) states on their site: “The municipal water supply served to Oahu’s residents is safe to drink and use, and does not require treatment by a home filtration unit.” If you are still concerned you may want to purchase filtration systems. Buying soda and juice containers made from glass helps also.

 

Mahalo Nalu Hawaiian Spirit for providing reusable bags for the girls to use!


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Surfers, Plastic Pollution, & Sustainable Solutions

 photo by Clark Little used by permission

Surfers spend a lot of time in and around the ocean and are often referred to as  “guardians of the sea”.  But whether you are a surfer or not,  we are all sustainable guardians of the planet and we truly need to keep our oceans safe, healthy and our cherished ocean beings thriving!

Pla-stuck and Ocean Pollution

Plastic is relatively cheap to produce, versatile and above all durable to the point of near indestructibility. Unfortunately it is this durability that makes plastic completely unsuited for disposable items.

Plastic pollution as referred to in this article is the result of single-use plastics that are discarded and enter the ocean. Single-use plastic items include but are not limited to :  juice containers, packaging, sandwich bags, milk jugs, disposable utensils, soda/water bottles, cold cups, straws, drink lids, and plastic bags to name a few.

Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine mammals die every year from eating discarded plastic. Sea turtles think plastic bags are jellyfish, their primary food source. There are economical health and health issues too; disposable plastic bags for example cost up to 17 cents per bag for disposal and the material used to make many single use plastic items are made from toxic substances that leach into your drinks and food.

Why not call it marine debris? The term “marine debris” is overused, unclear, and at times ineffective. Let’s call it what it is, plastic pollution.

What about recycling? Recycling is a positive step, and recycling drives raise awareness and funds for schools and non profits, but it is not a truly  sustainable solution for the long run.

Have you ever seen a recycling bin full and over flowing? Plastic bags and bottles flying and falling out of the bins easily find their way into the ocean especially on an island. The problem of single use plastic pollution is not a simple matter of more bins or sites.

Recycled plastics are land based, often washed out to sea (especially on  an island) or they are expensively exported to other countries where they are land based and are often washed out to sea.

What about doing ocean clean ups? Even if all the boats in the world were somehow able, a cleanup in the ocean would not only remove plastic but also plankton, which is the base of the food chain, and is responsible for capturing half of the CO2 of our atmosphere and generating half of the oxygen we need to breathe.

And even if that were to magically happen it would only be ‘a drop in the ocean’ compared to the amount of plastic pollution that flows into the ocean every single day.

This isn’t to say that helping clean up plastic debris from your local beach or parks is not a worthwhile thing to do. By participating in beach cleanups you are helping to bring about important awareness of a serious problem.

Solutions – Doing our part in Hawaii

 

 

Sustainable-Very simply put, the responsible treatment of natural resources.

 

Solutions-There are literally 100’s of solutions, you can visit our web site: www.becausewesurf.com for more  sustainable ideas and simple things we can do. We will be adding many more sustainable solutions on this blog, sign up on the top right to receive updates. Here are some to start with…

Never, ever, ever litter- Be respectful and leave nothing but footprints on the beach and valleys. We are on very small islands with finite resources, please don’t litter and report those that do.

Plastic bags are one of the worst and most unnecessary plastic polluters of the ocean and the easiest to replace. Carry and shop with reusable sustainable bags. A single reusable bag can eliminate hundreds to thousands of disposable bags over its lifetime. Look for reusable bags that are made out of strong sustainable material (not plastic), if the seller doesn’t know what the material is, go somewhere else, thrift stores, local health food stores, farmers markets and craft fairs are a good source or make your own. $$Bonus$$ many stores now give small discounts for bringing your own bag.

Write to colleen@oceangirlproject.com if you can’t afford  a reusable bag and we will send you one -100% FREE!

Plastic bottles- Plastic bottles along with plastic bags are the most common sources of plastic pollution found on our beaches and in the ocean. In the US alone, eight out of 10 (22 billion) plastic bottles will end up in a landfill-Container Recycling Institute.

The easiest solution is to carry reusable stainless steel water bottles and flasks and drink tap water!! HELLLLOOOO PEEPS!!! It’s clean, safe and you already paid for it!! The Hawaii Board of Supply (www.hbws.org) states on their site: “The municipal water supply served to Oahu’s residents is safe to drink and use, and does not require treatment by a home filtration unit.” If you are still concerned you can easily purchase filtration systems from almost any super market, Longs, etc. Buying soda and juice containers made from glass helps also.


Cartoon used with Permission all rights reserved Steve Greenberg (greenbergart.com) is an editorial cartoonist & news artist.

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Art with a purpose, underwater people reef complete

‘The Silent Evolution’ by Jason deCaires Taylor is comprised of 400 permanent sculptures in Mexican waters.

Isla Mujeres in Cancun, the site of “The Silent Evolution” Photos courtesy of Jason deCaires Taylor

Coral reefs are an integral part of oceanic wildlife. They make up less than 0.2 percent of the world’s oceans, but they are home to one-fourth of all marine life. They filter the water, feed the fish, buffer coastal areas from storms, and provide homes for oceanic life. And as the Los Angeles Times recently reported, a coral reef-like structure can also take the form of an impressive underwater art exhibit.

Taylor views the statues as a metaphor for the evolution of human life, but they also exist as part of actual marine life, operating as an artificial reef. The installation will be inaugurated on November 27, 2010 to coincide with the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico.
Artist Jason deCaires Taylor recently completed “The Silent Evolution,” an underwater museum and permanent sculpture exhibit set up in the waters near Cancun, Mexico. It is located in the National Marine Park of Isla Mujeres, Cancun and Punta Nizuc.
Experts hope that the exhibit, easily accessible by snorkeling, will alleviate some of the tourist traffic on the nearby natural coral reefs. Cancun Marine Park is in close proximity and receives up to 750,000 tourists annually.
Called “awe-inspiring” and “surreal” by the L.A. Times, the exhibit is 400 sculptures of people standing silently on the ocean’s floor, eyes closed, heads tilted towards the surface. As deCaires Taylor shared with the Times, the exhibit has “taken 18 months, required 120 tons of cement, sand and gravel, 3,800m of fiberglass, 400kg of silicone, 8,000 miles of red tape, 120 hours working underwater and $250,000.”
Coral reefs are under assault all over the globe. Sewage and agricultural run-off from coastal areas poison many reefs via toxic algae blooms that can cut off their much-need oxygen supply. Human visitors also cause extensive damage by literally knocking into the ecosystems, breaking off pieces of souvenir coral, and dragging boats and anchors across its fragile surfaces.

"underwater sculpture", "artificial reef", "marine life", Mexico, "Jason deCaires Taylor"

We probably don’t have to mention the life-threatening conditions natural reefs are under today due to human behavior. However, artificial reefs, which are quite a new phenomenon, have proved to be a very good alternative as they are durable, environmentally friendly and offer relief to the natural ones as they can regenerate. With 400 life-size human sculptures installed 9 meters below sea level, Silent Evolution plays many roles, but it is foremost an artificial reef encouraging the growth of marine life. Taylor’s sculptures are created with a pH-neutral concrete, reinforced with fiberglass, which (surprisingly) attracts marine life. Taylor also ‘rescues’ coral damaged in storms or by humans, and replants these on his sculptures.

In all its beauty there’s something a bit eerie about The Silent Evolution. Is it the closed eyes, the surrounding blue hue of the sea, or perhaps the emotions the lifeless sculptures still seem to express? There’s a strong feeling of hope in the work, even though the physical structure of the sculptures look as though the people have been tied together. Taylor’s message can be read in many different ways and voices, but what he does succinctly is to remind us of our close relation to – and not to mention dependency on – nature. It definitely causes one to pause.

Made from environmentally friendly materials, deCaires Taylor’s sculpture promotes awareness of the plight of coral. The artist says his sculpture garden in Mexico is only in the first stages of development. As he told the Los Angeles Times, “I would also like to point out that this installation is by no means over and the second phase is dependent on nature’s artists of the sea, to nurture, evolve and apply the patina of life.”
Jason de Caires Taylor’s underwater sculptures create a unique, absorbing and expansive visual seascape. Highlighting natural ecological processes Taylor’s interventions explore the intricate relationships that exist between art and environment. His works become artificial reefs, attracting marine life, while offering the viewer privileged temporal encounters, as the shifting sand of the ocean floor, and the works change from moment to moment.
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