Partner Spotlight: The Surfrider Foundation

About Our Partnerships

At U-Konserve, our mission to protect the planet has evolved into a way of life regarding waste reduction and educating our customers about the growing movement to reduce single-use plastic. 

While committed to doing this work ourselves, we also understand that like-minded organizations dedicated to this movement need support. That is why we’re a member of 1% for the Planet, a network of thousands of mission-driven companies and organizations that share the same values of environmental sustainability, good corporate citizenship and responsibility. Through this membership, we pledge to donate at least 1% of our annual sales to non-profit organizations that benefit the environment.

Furthermore, in partnership with Beam, a company with the goal of shifting $10 billion to high-impact nonprofits, our customers can play a part in how we allocate our donations. When you make a purchase on our website, you’ll get a notification to choose a nonprofit, then U-Konserve will donate part of your total to that nonprofit, at no cost to you. Right now, when you check out at ukonserve.com, we will donate 5% of the sale to one of our partners of your choosing!

The Surfrider Foundation

The Surfrider Foundation is committed to the protection of the world’s oceans and beaches for all people. Their national network of volunteers acts as a first response to local threats in coastal communities across the United States. These volunteers work with experts on local and national levels to carry out missions through a variety of campaigns and initiatives in. Since 2006, the Surfrider Foundation has had over 700 successful campaigns.

The Surfrider Foundation Mission

Through five key strategies, Surfrider aims to utilize their network to protect the world’s oceans.

1. Plastic Pollution

Surfrider is determined to stop plastic at its source by advocating for better product alternatives to single-use plastics, as well as switching to reusables for everyday needs. Since 2005, they have worked to stop the flow of plastics into our environment. Through their Rise Above Plastics outreach and education initiative, the foundation aims to eliminate the impacts of plastics in the marine environment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution. They also founded the Ocean Friendly Restaurants program, which recognizes and provides resources to restaurants that are committed to making sustainable choices.

2. Ocean Protection

The Surfrider Foundation is focused on protecting our coasts from offshore oil drilling through grassroots advocacy at both federal and state levels. They also play a role in the planning and implementation of Marine Protected Areas around the country, and provide outreach by engaging locals about planning and stewardship efforts. The foundation has even developed a Policy on Renewable Ocean Energy that defines a set of ‘best practices’ for the implementation of potential renewable energy projects.

3. Beach Access

Surfrider is fighting for beach access in areas where private property owners have restricted access to long-standing publicly used sections of coastline. As a result, they have developed a Policy on Beach Access, which addresses their stance on the issue.

4. Coastal Preservation

The foundation also focuses on the protection of shorelines at state and local levels. With their Coastal Preservation Initiative, they proactively address threats such as coastal development, seawalls, beach dredge and fill projects to ensure the protection of our coast. 

5. Clean Water

The Surfrider Foundation’s Blue Water Task Force is a water testing, education and advocacy program led by volunteers, which provides water quality information to beach communities and helps identify problems with beach and coastal water pollution.

Surfrider also oversees an Ocean Friendly Gardens Program. This landscape education program has volunteers assist local communities in creating Ocean Friendly Gardens which utilize native plants that conserve water and wildlife habitats, as well as filter out pollution, which reduces the amount of polluted runoff reaching the ocean. By planting Ocean Friendly Gardens across the country, the Surfrider Foundation has prevented over 13 million gallons of urban runoff from polluting our coastal waters and the ocean.

The Surfrider Foundation, U-Konserve and you

The Surfrider Foundation has helped establish a network that supports campaigns, creates policy and fights legal battles that benefit our coasts, bring awareness to the issues facing our oceans, and raise money to make all of this happen. They have an appetite for adventure that is rooted in their passion, love and appreciation of our oceans and beaches.

That is why we at U-Konserve encourage you, our customers, to learn more about The Surfrider Foundation and how the work they do is aligned with our own values of adventure and environmental conscientiousness. You can also further support The Surfrider Foundation by donating to them directly.