The Surfrider Foundation Huntington Beach/Seal Beach Chapter’s float “Tidal Wave of Trash” took first place “Best in Show” honors in the 107th Annual Huntington Beach 4th of July Parade, the largest parade on the West Coast.
As a newcomer to the parade, Surfrider made a big splash with a massive tidal wave “sculpture” constructed out of 580 lbs. of trash made up of plastic bottles, caps and bags, styrofoam cups and plates and other debris that Surfrider CORE Volunteer Andre Faubert picked up along the Huntington Beach shoreline. The Chapter calls this the “30/30 Experiment Project” because Faubert gathered the trash for 30 days and 30 hours. Surfrider’s float was sponsored by Farmers & Merchants Bank and the music was provided by “The Fabulous Nomads.”
Tony Soriano, Surfrider Foundation HB/SB Chapter Chairman, said “Surfrider is a big organization world-wide that advocates a common goal to protect our oceans, waves and beaches. The message of our float is about getting involved… from kids to grandmas and grandpas doing their part to be aware and voice to others to keep our beaches clean for the future health of our planet.”
The HB/SB Chapter commissioned Laguna College of Art and Design students Hannah Cosner and Tierney Moses to create the distinctive wave centerpiece for its float. Choosing the wave shape to emphasize the damage that trash is doing to the oceans and beaches, the artists noted that while they were working the stench from the trash could be overwhelming, but they kept at it because they wanted to “jolt” viewers into an awareness of this environmental problem.
Soriano said that he was glad that the group’s float could make such an important statement. He added that the float was “a team effort…the result of planning, coordinating, assembling, and financing. Surfrider’s members and Farmers & Merchants Bank joined forces to help turn Faubert’s efforts and the ‘Tidal Wave of Trash’ sculpture into a great story. The float is having a tremendous impact in promoting our goals. We’ve already gotten calls from other chapters wanting to borrow it for their environmental awareness campaigns.”
The Chapter’s Vice Chairman Seth Matson said, “This float has a powerful message. Our members should be proud of what they accomplished. We couldn’t have done it without them. In addition to volunteering, they fund each and every one our programs with their annual memberships.”
Emily Lewis, with Farmers & Merchants Bank, said that the float embodies “the iconic nature of the city of Huntington Beach. If the ‘Tidal Wave of Trash’ represents the work of one man’s effort in just 30 days, think what we could accomplish together if each of us were to make the same commitment.”
Chapter Volunteers Coordinator Corey Fogel didn’t have any trouble rounding up volunteers to work on the float. “People were happy to participate,” he said. “Surfrider’s mission, Andre’s project and the artists’ unique sculpture made the float special.” He believes it was the float’s originality and Surfrider’s positive presence in Huntington Beach that helped it win the prize.
Watching the artists and volunteers turning beach trash into such a strong environmental statement was empowering. Those who decorated the float and/or rode in the parade include: Jeff Coffman, Andre and Summer Faubert, Seth Matson, Manuel Florence, Hannah Cosner, Tierney Moses, Corey Fogel, Tony and Alex Soriano, Merle Moshiri, Emily Lewis, Jay Fuller, Gary Horgan, Sunny Magdaug, and Patti Kishel.
Just a few really cool facts about the Huntington Beach/Seal Beach Surfrider Chapter
• It is a 100% Volunteer-based / non-profit organization
• Over 24 beach cleanups are held per year from Bolsa Chica to the River Jetties (the most cleanups of any Surfrider Chapter in the USA)
• The beach cleanups average about 250-350 participants and weigh in approximately 300 lbs. of trash per cleanup (over 6,000 lbs. of trash per year)
• The HB/SB Chapter has many programs such as:
1. Beach Cleanups
2. Rise Above Plastics
3. Education/Kids Education
4. Ocean Friendly Gardens
5. Blue Water Task Force
The Huntington Beach/Seal Beach Surfrider Foundation Chapter Website is: http://www.hsbsurfrider.org.
Follow Andre Faubert’s 30/30 Experiment Project on our blog at: http://hsbsurfrider.org/category/blog-8-3030-experiment/
Welcoming the opportunity to get its message out to the public, the non-profit Surfrider Foundation now has more than 60,000 members in the USA and 100 chapters worldwide. Committees focus on the foundation’s goals of “Conservation, Activism, Research, and Education,” with members speaking at schools, instructing homeowners in ways to plant “ocean-friendly gardens,” and working with communities to protect the environment.
To learn more about the Huntington Beach/Seal Beach Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation contact:
Tony Soriano
Chairman, SURFRIDER FOUNDATION
Huntington/Seal Beach Chapter
Phone: 949-355-4571
Email: hsbchair@surfrider.org
Written by Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel
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