It all starts with a first step. In 1990, a single thought, followed by a decision to act, brought Surfrider Europe to where it is today. The fight for the protection of the Ocean took root in one action which then became the DNA of the organization. This is the third part of a series dedicated to celebrating 30 years of Surfrider Foundation Europe. Let’s look back at the men and women behind the association.
Back to 1990: everything began with one man’s vision to create Surfrider Europe.
→ One founder: Tom Curren.
→ One year: 1990.
→ One event: The Planet Surf Initiative Competition in Menakos, Spain.
→ One place: Biarritz, where Tom Curren founded Surfrider Foundation Europe following this event.
→ One project: protecting surfers’ playground.
Citizen involvement: the core of Surfrider Europe’s identity
From the very beginning, citizen involvement has been the fundamental building block for Surfrider Europe. In 1997, the first survey appeared. A questionnaire was included in an issue of Planet Surf asking for testimonies from people who had gotten sick after being in the water. The same interest for public testimony was reflected in the 2019 Surfrider Europe survey on the revision of the EU bathing water quality directive, in which 980 people took part, as well as the the public consultation on water quality, launched by the organization in 2020.
Public opinion is taken into account not only for water quality issues, but also for the general operations of the association. An example of this was in 2006 when a consultation was posed to all Surfrider Europe members and subscribers asking to contribute ideas to the 2007/2011 strategy. It received over 3000 answers. More recently, in 2018, the Voice for the Ocean citizen consultation got close to 7000 answers.
Citizens’ involvement in the association reaches far beyond answering polls. It is, first and foremost, everyday men and women who made the association what it is today: the board, employees, partners, volunteers and civilian services, all play an important role in helping the organization reach its mission. Several key players are profiled through a series of “Inside” articles found on the blog.
The association would not exist without the power of its volunteer network and the strength they demonstrate through field actions. Surfrider Europe has 46 volunteer chapters operating in 12 countries. They raise local awareness, organize events and do realize the NGO’s mission on the ground. In 2019, 10 new chapters were created, 90 volunteers joined and 6 new languages became available for translations.
What Surfrider Europe’s history teaches us all is that everyone, has the possibility to do something for the environment. This is the message of the Just One Thing campaign which prompts everyone to get involved little by little. What about you? What will your first commitment? Share your journey on social media by using the hashtag #Just1Thing.
