Surf Day 2017
Stay Wild
Earth Day is the New Surf Day
By Lilly Woodbury
Photo by Scrappers
There is a constant push and pull that we experience on earth, an ebb and flow, like the ocean that is continually inhaling and exhaling with the course of its tide. Balancing this push and pull in life is always one of our greatest endeavors, and I believe one these balancing acts is represented in the way we understand, relate to and operate in our environment. On the one hand, it is essential we learn the hardships our planet faces, the extinction of species, loss of coral, landscapes excavated, coasts eroded. In dealing with these circumstances, it is healthy to grieve.
“Until we can grieve for our planet we cannot love it—grieving is a sign of spiritual health. But it is not enough to weep for our lost landscapes; we have to put our hands in the earth to make ourselves whole again. Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair.”
-Robin Kimmerer, poet and ecologist.
As Kimmerer points out, this balancing act means enjoying our sacred time on the earth, doing what we love, and getting active in making a positive difference. When we are proactive we are coming from an inspired place; a perspective that is both optimistic and productive. There are ingenious solutions constantly being developed all over the world that are a testament to this reality. We can be a part of this by taking part in solutions that resonate with the area we live in and the interests that we have.
At Surfrider, we practice this through a powerful activist network - we have 84 chapters around the world. We have the collective mission to protect and enjoy the beaches, coastlines and waves, but the different chapters have autonomy in deciding what issues are relevant to their location. We are also independent in choosing and creating solutions that fit in with our distinctive communities. We embrace our difference, but our goals remain the same! The fact that there is a spectrum of positive solutions being developed and practiced is something to celebrate this Earth Day!
Amazing solutions happening across every culture and continent. Find them, create them, get involved, and get ready for Surfrider’s upcoming beach clean ups, campaigns, entertaining projects and sweet events to get us involved in protecting what we love!
Together, we can accomplish anything!
Read Lilly's full story here >>>
Photo by Scrappers