And that is a wrap… we have just finished our “Surf camps summer tour” where we have talked with 226 future surfers about the biggest threats to our oceans.
For the last two weeks we’ve been traveling around Cantabria, Galicia and Asturias to visit different surf camps and surf schools to talk with the future surfers. It’s been an intense tour with 7 stops, 226 kids and more than 70 instructors/parents/surfers, but worth all the efforts.
The aim of the tour was to combine two of our favourite projects: Kids for the Future + Ride & Respect. While Kids for the Future is focused on the education of the youth and the main environmental challenges we are facing, Ride & Respect focuses more on the education of the riders on specific topics concerning the sports such as the gear, traveling imprints, etc. Therefore, surf camps are the perfect place to mix both projects.
During the sessions talks focused the biggest threats to our oceans, we’ve gone deep into the micro-plastics issue and its different sources. Additionally we have screened the short-documentary ‘Mediterráneamente Plástico’ and finally presented and explained the different surfboards constructions and their environmental impacts.
Eco-boards test ride
There is not only one solution or path, but we feel the necessity to talk about REDUCING, an easy action that can be done by anyone.
As you can imagine, most of the kids are aware of the environmental crisis, because they have seen in on TV, on the internet or at school, but it seems there is not much known about the solutions. There is not only one solution or path, but we feel the necessity to talk about REDUCING, an easy action that can be done by anyone. Unlike recycling or cleaning, reducing is a preventive action that tackles the source of the problem. Some easy examples include: the use of a reusable water bottle, using a reusable bag, thinking twice before you buy a new t-shirt or repairing your broken surfboard…
If everyone understands how powerful all these small actions together could the script be flipped?
After taking into discussing the easy examples alongside the extreme examples, with Greta Thunberg who is 16 years old. It is clear to see that this is the only push the younger generation need to start taking action. Because they want to be part of the solution, and they will!
Thats why, presenting the problems on one hand with the solutions on another with a positive approach should be the formula used by everyone.
Thanks to all the surfcamps and surf schools visited and all the people who was there!
Cantabria:
Galicia:
