Surfrider’s mission is to promote the conservation of our oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful network of activists. Coastal defenders collectively share knowledge and experience to achieve coastal successes, including first nations, environmentalists, ocean lovers, surfers, beach walkers and fishing enthusiasts.

Our Partnership with Surfrider Pacific Rim

Ocean Friendly Business Campaign

The Ocean Friendly Business Campaign works with local coastal businesses within Tofino & Ucluelet BC to transform current operations to ones that are more environmentally sustainable. Eliminating unnecessary plastics and materials, diverting materials from landfills and adopting regenerative and circular economic practices. 15 business are registered each year, and work with a Surfrider representative to establish creative & innovative practices that suit each individual business’s operations.

A mission of the campaign was to eliminate all single use plastic takeaway packaging and utensils in Tofino - Ucluelet district restaurants. As of 2022, this has been achieved, with ample community support.

Hold Onto Your Butt Campaign (#HOTYB)

Cigarette butts are the MOST prevalent type of debris collected on beach clean ups around the world, and the #1 form of litter found on local beaches in Pacific Rim with over 6,000 butts collected last year. Cigarette butts leak toxins when wet and are mistaken for food by sea birds and other marine mammals. Creating digestive blockages once ingested.

The HOTYB campaign raises awareness of the impact of cigarette litter in our oceans, beaches and ecosystem. A cigarette recycling program was established to completely eliminate cigarette litter in Tofino & Ucluelet. Partnering with Terracycle to recycle cigarettes into new products, Surfrider designed canisters for designated smoking areas to collect and recycle.

1,256,663 Cigarette Butts have been recycled to date

Foam Free Docks

Surfrider is working with the District of Tofino & Tribal Parks to eliminate EPS floatation devices from docks in the Clayoquot & Barkley sound. Replacing the Meares Island Big Tree Trail dock & Tofino First street Dock with air filled HDPE pipes. The old environmentally impactful polystyrene foam is to be recycled with Ocean Legacy Foundations Pacific Rim Ocean Plastic Depot.

Polystyrene is the most prevalent plastic debris found on Canadian beaches. Made from petroleum, it is very difficult to recycle. Polystyrene does not biodegrade and breaks off into tiny particles overtime, making it hard to clean up.

#5minutebeachclean

Launched in 2019, The 5 Minute beach clean program encourages the local community to keep an eye on debris when at the beach. The program includes education sessions with schools & Surfrider supported events. Surfrider has partnered with the Marine Debris Tracker App to collect and share #5minutebeachclean data.

Wetsuit Reincarnation Program

Surfrider has partnered with Shred Neoprene’s wetsuit recycling program as a solution to old neoprene waste entering local landfills. Shred recycles the wetsuits into a granulated material to to re-purposed. 4.5 tonnes have been recycled to date at designated drop off locations.

Rise Above Plastics (RAP)

The RAP program focuses on reducing the impacts of plastics within the marine environment and advocation against single use plastics. The RAP program uses campaigns, education and event outreach to increase coastal awareness.

In 2018, district of Ucluelet and Tofino passed a collective motion to regulate single use plastics, which now bans single use plastic between both towns.

Youth Environmental Stewardship Program

  • Surfrider has developed an education program to, “educate, inspire, and empower young people to step up as leaders in their community, instigating much needed change for a sustainable future”. The curriculum effectively uses hands on practical engagement to educate students.

  • Students are educated on the issues of single use plastics & the effects of coastal debris in our ecosystem.

  • Youth learn methods of how to effectively clean a shoreline & collect the correct data.

  • Discover leadership styles and develop campaigns to make a change within your school & community.

  • It is essential to offer students opportunities to influence environmental action on coastal issues within their communities. Since Surfrider’s first club in 2018, the network has grown in strength. With youth-led beach cleans, fundraising activities and waste reduction initiatives.

84 volunteer network chapters have been built over the past 30 years. Pacific Rim’s chapter is proud to be dedicated to defending Canadas western coastline.

Help Fund Surfrider’s network to support coastal communities and costal conservation.