JOLYN x Surfrider Foundation Partnership
When you make a purchase at jolyn.com you can choose to round up to support the Surfrider Foundation's mission to protect our ocean, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network.
You can contribute too!
When you make a purchase on JOLYN.com, you can select to round up your purchase price to the nearest dollar to help us donate even more.
WHY THE SURFRIDER FOUNDATION?
As lovers of all things water, especially the ocean, the Surfrider Foundation’s work is very close to our heart. Our donation option is the kick-off of our partnership with the foundation and we can’t wait to let you know about more programs we will launch in the months to come. In the meantime, learn about the Surfrider Foundation’s work below. You can also get involved in your own community by volunteering at a local Surfrider chapter!
ABOUT THE SURFRIDER FOUNDATION
The Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots, non-profit organization. Their mission is to protect our ocean, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network.
Our ocean faces growing challenges from pollution, offshore development and climate change. At the same time, expanding industries, such as offshore oil drilling, threaten to crowd our ocean and degrade its health (and those who call it home!).
Our ocean and special places must be proactively protected and this is precisely why Surfrider has built a network of passion-driven people who are on the ground and are the voice for our ocean and beaches.
PLASTICS IN OUR OCEAN
While donating money is a crucial part of helping activate change another important part is creating the awareness that will motivate change. As part of doing our best to further the Surfrider Foundation’s work, we want to share a few important facts about plastic in our ocean.
- Plastic is the most common type of marine litter worldwide.
- Once plastic enters the marine environment, it breaks into tiny fragments that are crippling marine ecosystems, disrupting the food chain and accelerating climate change.
- This Surfrider blog post on a 2018 study shows that plastics in the marine environment release greenhouse gases as they photodegrade
- Up to 80% of the plastic in our ocean comes from land-based sources.
- Plastics do not biodegrade in our lifetime, but instead break down into small particles that persist in the ocean, adsorb to toxins, and enter the food chain through fish, sea birds and other marine life.
- Plastic bags, which resemble jellyfish, are the most commonly found synthetic item in sea turtles’ stomachs.
- Researchers found that 80 percent of seabird species that spend most of their time at sea (of the order Procellariformes), which include petrels, albatross, and shearwaters, have plastic in their stomachs.
- Recent studies estimate that fish off the West Coast of the United States ingest over 12,000 tons of plastic a year. References
HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
So, what can you do to make a change every day?
- Choose reusable. Rather than purchasing single-use water bottles and accepting single-use cups for coffee or smoothies, bring your own reusable one! Choosing reusable items over single-use ones is an easy change to make, and it significantly reduces your environmental footprint. (This applies to cups, bottles, straws, utensils, bags and beyond!)
- Skip the straw. When dining out, skip the plastic straw! Ask your favorite spots to switch to a more sustainable alternative, and if you prefer to use a straw, bring your own reusable one!
- Shop local. Buying your produce from a local farmer’s market is not only a fun way to engage with your community, but significantly reduces your food’s environmental footprint by reducing the carbon emissions needed to get it to your plate.
- Ride your bike, skate or walk when traveling locally.
- Volunteer with your local Surfrider chapter!
- Eat at an ocean-friendly restaurant. Head to go.surfrider.org/ofr-app from your mobile device to find an Ocean Friendly Restaurant near you.
- Become a Surfrider member! Join us in protecting our ocean and coasts, and stay informed about what we’re up to and how you can help.
STUDENT CLUB NETWORK
The Surfrider Foundation launched the Student Club Network in 2008 in response to overwhelming interest across the country from young people that wished to become more involved in the Surfrider Foundation’s activities on their campuses and communities. The program has grown to a wide range of activities including organizing school clubs and initiatives based on project-based learning. These range from beach cleanups to eliminating single-use plastics on campus to greening campuses.
