Surfing involves an inherent connection with the ocean, one that must be protected and conserved so that others may enjoy the waves as well. When Tulane Surf Club began to plan their trip lineup for the semester, they felt compelled to incorporate sustainability events into surf trips. This way, members could have fun in the sun riding the waves while contributing to environmental goals through service projects.
On Sunday October 19th, nearly thirty members of the Tulane Surf Club travelled to Gulf Shores, Alabama for the first ever Surf & Sustainability Event. The club partnered with naturalists at Alabama State Parks to involve Tulane students with existing projects at the park.
At the forefront of the club’s mission is educating members on the importance of sustainable practices and simple ways they can leave the water better than they found it. The method is simple, through a travel grant made possible by the Lavin-Bernick Center’s Allocations Committee, the club was awarded funds to collaborate with Gulf State Park and their beach clean up initiatives. Members received supplies such as gloves, shovels, and plastic bags to clean up the beachfront at Gulf State Park.
After the service project and the beach was spotless, surfboards were provided by a local surf shop. Conditions were awesome and waves were around 2-3ft with blue skies and a high UV. Other ways to be conscious of one’s environmental impact while surfing were also discussed, such as wearing reef safe sunscreen and not bringing single use plastic to the beach.
Tulane Surf Club organizes at least once a month and is working towards more eco-friendly events in the New Orleans area. Currently, we are working on arranging speakers to come and talk about careers in sustainability fields and water-sports management. We welcome both undergrad and graduate students of all surfing abilities to join our trips and learn more about coastal conservation and sustainability.
