Ideal Bite

Can't click onto "select a state" to check out the beaches. Advice? It just won't do anything when you click onto that pull down box.

I cannot support Surfrider as an organization. I applaud their willingness to supply people with supplies to help clean up beaches and their ongoing efforts to clean beaches; however, their mission, "promotes the right of low-impact, free and open access to the world's waves and beaches for all people. SURFRIDER acts to preserve this right of access." translates to a wish to allow people on ALL beaches EVERYWHERE. While this sounds good on paper, it means that beaches currently closed to human access for reasons such as harboring endangered species (be they plant, insect, or animal) would be required ("open access... for all people")to allow people and dogs to tromp around indiscriminately on them. These currently closed beaches are likely to be deemed cleanest because they have little or no human interference (read: we're not allowed on them in order to keep the beach and water clean for the endangered species). For some of these species even low-impact human interaction is a death knell. While I admire Surfrider's wish to clean up the beaches, I do not and cannot agree with their stated desire to allow/require access for people (and their pets) to all beaches everywhere. Perhaps if the organization concentrated efforts on consistently and continually cleaning the beaches that humans have harmed the most, the beaches that nature needs most will also reap benefits and remain pristine havens for those flora, fauna, and creatures who use and need it.

Surprised to see this tip doesn't even mention Heal the Bay's Beach Report Card -- the only weekly report for beaches on the west coast. Heal the Bay's been generating these weekly updates, as well as the annual Summer report for 19 years now.

To Ideal Bite editors, this should definitely be shared, as they have an SMS option for instant grade updates on any CA beach.

www.healthebay.org/brc for those interested.

Heal the Bay started the water testing years ago and give out beach report cards still. They planted the seed for clean water, and others followed.

A good way to help keep beaches clean (or make them a bit cleaner) is to pick up litter you see on the beach. If you take a walk, bring a bag to pick up trash. Every little bit helps, and this can be a great way to entertain kids and teach them about environmental stewardship.

Check out Ocean Champions - the first and only political organization for the oceans - working to get people elected to Congress who will work for ocean conservation. www.oceanchampions.org