Chapter Meeting: Join us tonight, February 1st, from 6:30-8pm on Zoom for updates on all things Surfrider VC, including new volunteer opportunities and upcoming events. At the meeting we will also be joined by two inspiring guests: Kevin Brannon and Dr. Anna Cho. 

In honor of Black History Month, we are amplifying activists, friends, and organizations working to protect the ocean and ensure equitable beach access for all. First up: Reel Guppy Outdoors, a local nonprofit committed to cultivating youth appreciation of natural resources and spawning the next wave of sportfishing and outdoor enthusiasts. President and Founder Kevin Brannon will join us at the start of our meeting to speak about his organization's valuable work (check out the video below to see the Reel Guppy team in action!).

Volunteer Spotlight: This month we're sending out a big wave of Surfrider VC gratitude to Marie Martin. Marie's approach to her volunteer work is simple: "the Earth is our neighborhood" (which explains why she volunteers from Port Hueneme all the way up to the Rincon, even though she lives in Oxnard). Marie joined Surfrider VC in August 2021, and since then has participated in almost every Surfrider beach cleanup - piloting solo efforts, hauling debris from Ormond Lagoon, helping out at "C" Street, and lending a hand at the Rincon Parkway. She is also a member of our Hold On To Your Butt program, and works with the Sierra Club and Channel Islands Restoration as well. Her goal is to volunteer 200 hours this year. Thank you, Marie, for your incredible ocean and beach stewardship! We're so lucky to have you as our neighbor.


AmazonSmile Opportunity: When you shop at smile.amazon.com and select the Surfrider Foundation as the benefitting nonprofit, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to Surfrider. Click here to get started today, or visit our helpful blog post to learn more about this free and easy way to donate! To date, AmazonSmile has donated over $50,000 to Surfrider Foundation.

Monthly Cleanups: Although our group event was unfortunately cancelled in January, we were still happily inundated with trash data from our amazing volunteers who set out to keep the good vibes rolling by performing solo beach cleanups. Luckily, we're back on again at "C" Street this month and we hope to see you there Saturday, February 26th, from 9am-11am (sign up here). As a reminder, if you can't make the monthly meetup, solo cleanups can still be performed on your own time for volunteer student credit. E-mail beachcleanups@ventura.surfrider.org for more information.

Truck Needed: We're still actively seeking volunteers with trucks or large vehicles to help transport supplies to our cleanups and are also always looking to expand our team of core volunteers. Please reach out if this might be a good fit for you!

Restaurant Recertification: Our OFR team is happy to announce the recertification of Revel Kombucha Bar in Ojai as an Ocean Friendly Restaurant! Not only does Revel easily meet all of the OFR requirements, but they've also checked off the majority of our optional categories, like discounts for customers who bring their own containers and composting at their production facility.

New Restaurant Certifications: What a start to 2022! Two new fantastic restaurants have joined the OFR family: Frontside Cafe in Ventura and Farmer and the Cook in Ojai. Fun fact about Frontside - in addition to meeting all of our OFR criteria, they also recycle the oil from their fryer into biofuel! Be sure to check out both of these incredible spots and enjoy their friendly staff, delicious food, and beautiful indoor/outdoor dining. As always, we encourage our members to support OFR restaurants whenever possible so these local businesses can continue to support environmental stewardship in their work!

Volunteer Opportunity: Our OFR team is continuing to recruit new restaurants to the program, so if you have a suggestion for a restaurants we should put on our radar please reach out! If you are interested in participating with this effort send an email to ofr@ventura.surfrider.org to learn more.

Ongoing Testing: Our BWTF is now halfway through the winter testing season - continuing through high wind advisories, storm surges, and even a tsunami advisory! The December storm surges brought anticipated high bacteria counts at all our local testing sites, but bacteria levels have mostly returned to pre-storm standings. Weekly reporting data is available on Instagram (@surfridervc), Facebook (Surfrider Foundation - Ventura County), and email blasts. We are also happy to report that Ventura County’s Environmental Health Division ocean water sampling program is again in operation for year-round testing for our local Ventura County beaches. As a reminder, you can make a difference, too! Checking and clearing out storm drains before rains come helps to keep trash out of our barrancas and culvert systems, which drain out to the ocean. Debris is associated with bacteria counts and is harmful to wildlife and beach goers alike.

New Ashcan Installations: Respect the Rincon Parkway’s team is thrilled to announce the placement of eight cigarette butt ashcan containers throughout the Rincon Day Use section. These ashcans were installed in partnership with Surfrider’s Hold On To Your Butt program and by special use permit provided by Ventura County Parks Deputy Director, Colter Chisum. Thank you! RRP cleanup teams routinely pick up hundreds of cigarette butts which would otherwise make their way to the ocean and introduce plastic pollution and toxins into marine life. The goal of these new ashcans is to help stop the problem further upstream and encourage more mindful disposal practices. Collected cigarette butts are recycled through TerraCycle, which repurposes the plastic in cigarette butts into art and building materials - like the bench at Ventura's Promenade (made out of 15,000 butts)!
 
Monthly Cleanups: Join us where the land meets the sea! Our growing team joins together as a community to help keep the 14-mile parcel of Rincon coastline clean for marine life, recreation, and future generations. Cleanups are held every second Saturday of the month from 8:30am to 11:30am. Sign up for your spot here (waivers available in advance here). If you are interested in receiving a free pocket-sized cigarette butt holder, please email rrp@ventura.surfrider.org with your shipping address to help keep cigarette butts off the ground near culverts and the ocean.