Hi, my name’s Eric, and I’m an Ocean Friendly Restaurants & Hotels Coordinator and volunteer with Surfrider Los Angeles. I grew up near the beach back in the ’70s, when the water was clean, the sand was quiet, and you could really feel at peace by the ocean. But over the years, I’ve seen such a huge change. Now there’s debris everywhere, just washing in and out with the waves.
That’s when I got involved with Surfrider and their Ocean Friendly Programs. For me, the ultimate goal is to help our culture move away from single-use plastics altogether.
Whenever I’ve got a free day or even just a couple of hours, I’ll go out and talk to local restaurants or hotels I know—places that might be a good fit for the Ocean Friendly certification. It’s all about encouraging businesses to use reusable items for dine-in service and to make choices that protect our beaches and waterways.
To me, that’s the most powerful part of this work: showing people that everyone can make a difference. You don’t have to be a scientist or an activist—just someone who cares enough to pick up a piece of trash or make a better choice.
Seeing the community come together like this gives me hope that we can protect our coastline, our ocean, and that feeling of peace I grew up with.
That’s when I got involved with Surfrider and their Ocean Friendly Programs. For me, the ultimate goal is to help our culture move away from single-use plastics altogether.
Whenever I’ve got a free day or even just a couple of hours, I’ll go out and talk to local restaurants or hotels I know—places that might be a good fit for the Ocean Friendly certification. It’s all about encouraging businesses to use reusable items for dine-in service and to make choices that protect our beaches and waterways.
To me, that’s the most powerful part of this work: showing people that everyone can make a difference. You don’t have to be a scientist or an activist—just someone who cares enough to pick up a piece of trash or make a better choice.
Seeing the community come together like this gives me hope that we can protect our coastline, our ocean, and that feeling of peace I grew up with.