Ocean

Healthy Living = Healthy Planet

If we really want our world to have a cleaner, safer environment the most effective action we can take involves a simple thing we do every day: choosing what products to eat and to use. A healthy vegetarian diet based on organic, natural foods and the use of non-toxic household products work together to promote sustainability and a clean environment in a host of ways. When we make eco-friendly choices we foster clean air, water, and land, which benefit us in return by supporting our good health as individuals and communities. Healthy living and a healthy planet go hand-in-hand. Keep Reading →

Is Your Sunscreen Killing Coral?

The hottest season of the year is arriving in the Islands, and although school is starting, it doesn’t mean that swimming and surfing have stopped! As you head to the beach for a refreshing after-school or after-work session in the water, remember to use sunscreen – but be aware that although sunscreen helps to protect our skin from cancer, some formulations are far from helpful to the marine environment. A recent study reports that many brands contain chemicals that can seriously harm the very reefs we are attracted to for their beauty and their surf breaks. Keep Reading →

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It's Big and Growing: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Out in the ocean, thousands of miles from land, floats the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Here, currents in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre converge and drift slowly in vast circles, concentrating debris into a huge garbage vortex. Trash has been accumulating in this Patch for decades; its size could now exceed that of the continental United States. Keep Reading →

Marine Debris

Most people never see it until it washes up on shore… but debris in the ocean damages more than just the beauty of our beaches. Bits of plastic, myriad containers, and derelict fishing gear are a serious threat to ocean and coastal ecosystems, killing marine mammals, fish and seabirds, even as they create a hazard to human health, safety, and navigation. Keep Reading →

Ocean "Dead Zone" Solution: Buy Organic!

The basic principle of organic farming is to work with the natural environment, rather than against it, employing Earth-friendly techniques that eliminate the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Organic methods are widely recognized as protecting land, ecosystems, consumers, farm workers, and communities from the hazards of exposure to toxic agricultural chemicals. But did you know that organic farming can also play a life-or-death role in the sea? Keep Reading →

Ocean-friendly Gardens

Gardening in Hawaii can be a joy and a challenge. Our perpetual growing season allows us to cultivate plants year-round, but it also puts our green thumbs to the test by allowing pests to thrive and soil to become compacted. In its Ocean Friendly Gardens program, the Surfrider Foundation points out that even if you don’t live near the ocean, your garden – and how you manage it – impacts the health of Hawaii’s marine environment. Keep Reading →

Our Living Reefs

Coral reefs, and the waters they shelter, are closely tied to our lifestyle and cultural traditions in Hawaii – and they are home to roughly 7,000 varieties of marine life, many that exist nowhere else on Earth. Coral reefs are huge, hard, and sharp… but, amazingly, they are created by delicate life forms: tiny algae and polyps working in partnership. Keep Reading →

Saving the Reefs

Coral reefs are known as the “Rain forests of the Ocean.” Countless varieties of marine life depend on them for their survival. And as they are dwindling away, it is important that every person respect the reefs and do what they can to help. Keep Reading →

Say No to Factory Farms: A Triple-Win Solution

Huge factory farms, known in the industry as “Confined Animal Feeding Operations” (CAFOs), raise thousands of animals under severely crowded conditions for the purpose of slaughter. CAFOs have long been recognized by scientists as potential sources of new and dangerous influenza viruses that could infect humans. Keep Reading →

Surfing Eco-Revolution: Ride Green!

Surfing is great for health and fitness. But for the environment, Hawaii’s signature sport has two serious downsides: first, surfboards are made of highly toxic materials; second, the sport generates a vast amount of unusable waste, from production scraps to old, broken boards. The good news is that eco-surf innovators on Oahu and in California are changing all that – and they’re leading a green revolution in the surf industry! Keep Reading →