Surfers Against Sewage tackle climate change
Posted by lewisa on April 20, 2009
It’s true that in Point Break, Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves face a number of problems: not enough money to follow the big waves, a penchant for bank robbery, undercover cop issues and questionable shirts. But none are quite as dramatic as the problem surfers are now facing – climate change.
Yes, even the notoriously laid-back surfing community is getting irate about climate change consequences, as it’s far from just an urban problem.
Environmentally friendly dudes Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) have been campaigning for more pre-emptive action to fight the consequences of the climate crisis, and have organised a Sea-Grass Roots tour this May to help raise awareness of the need to protect our beaches and oceans.
Alongside the usual consequences listed whenever we talk about the effects of global warming, surfers are worried about a few in particular.
Water Quality
More frequent and intense rain will cause a handful of problems alone. Sewerage systems will be at risk of overflowing due to more water, and may leak untreated sewage straight into rivers and seas. Swallowing this contamination could cause gastroenteritis,hepatitis A and ear, nose or throat infections. Nasty. More rain will also increase the amount of water that runs off land into water systems, water that could well have picked up pollutants from the ground such as oil, metal, pesticides and fertilisers (which is often manure, yuck).
Rising water levels
Melting ice and the expansion of water as it heats up along with the planet will see sea levels rise considerably over the next few decades. It’s predicted that by 2080 global sea levels will have risen by anything between 9cm and 69cm depending on how emissions increase. Low-land areas could be flooded, obviously, but a change in the sea level will also affect the way waves and currents shape the land. So land erosion and a retreating shoreline could be a big worry – especially if you live on the seafront.
Changing wave climate
Hurricanes are fuelled by evaporated water being drawn into storms, which acts as energy for the stormy rampage. Global warming will mean warmer surface water and so more intense hurricanes becoming commonplace. Similarly, waves are created by winds sweeping across the ocean surface, and so their size is directly affected by the climate. Stronger winds could mean bigger and better surf, but it could also mean dangerous, confused seas with waves of different sizes all chopping against each other, which isn’t so great for surfing.
Ocean acidity
Oceans absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and so an increase in CO2 levels has a direct knock-on effect. More CO2 in the ocean increases its acidity, which won’t affect the surf here in the UK, but could do just that in places that rely on coral reefs. In popular places like Tahiti, the surf relies on waves that break over the coral reef below, but very acidic water could threaten the survival of many coral species.
Get involved:
- Join SAS and donate, campaign or inspire people to get ready for climate change.
- Join Kent Surf School on March 29 at Viking Bay.
- Help to clean up the kent beaches.
- SAS report on how climate change will affect surf and seas.
Other information:
The Sea Grass-Roots tour is the perfect opportunity to learn more about Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) campaigns, raise the issues you most want to see addressed at your local surf spot, and find out about the solutions to help clean up our beaches and oceans. Times and venues are still to be confirmed but the tour will hit:
- Firth of Forth – May 10
- Scarborough – May 11
- Aberystwyth – May 12
- Isle of Wight – May 13
- Plymouth – May 14
Swansea-based SAS friends,Undercurrents, have beenblogging clips of their film On the Push:A Surfer’s Guide to Climate Change month by month to inspire action against climate change.
