Cleanline Surf Earth Day 2024

April has a special place in our hearts because it’s the month of one of our favorite holidays: Earth Day. Every day should be treated as an Earth Day, where we each do our small part to help with the bigger picture. As a surfer and lifelong resident of a seaside community, my partner Nancy and I (Josh) have witnessed firsthand how Earth Day initiatives help keep our oceans and beaches clean - not only providing a safe environment for us to play in but, more importantly, providing a safe habitat for our local wildlife to thrive.

2024 has brought with it some exciting new initiatives for Cleanline Surf. We’ve teamed up with Surfrider and the Wildlife Center of the North Coast to offer our local community two hands-on opportunities to give back on Earth Day. As the owner of Cleanline Surf, I couldn’t be more proud of the staff and local community volunteers who are taking steps to cultivate the earth and continue to make it a beautiful place to live for current and future generations.

Oregon Solve and Surfrider Beach Cleanup Day

On April 20th, Solve Oregon and the Surfrider Foundation partnered with Cleanline Surf to host a beach cleanup day here in Seaside, Oregon. Surfrider was founded in 1984 with the mission “to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches, for all people, through a powerful activist network.”

40 years later, Surfrider has become one of the largest non-profit organizations dedicated to protecting the sea and beaches. With over 200 chapters throughout the US, including 5 in Oregon, Surfrider campaigns encompass everything from community-based beach cleanups to working with the Oregon Department of Agriculture to limit single-use plastics.

Solve Oregon has existed since 1969, “uniting thousands in Oregon and Southwest Washington to restore and protect our environment for future generations.” Solve supports projects that range from beach and neighborhood cleanups to trail maintenance and invasive plant removal.

The Surfrider North Coast Chapter Earth Day Beach Cleanup was a massive success. Yasemin, our shop manager, graciously helped organize a team of nearly 100 volunteers. Armed with buckets and trash grabbers, they combed the Seaside beach for litter destined for the ocean. After it was all said and done, over 100 lbs. of trash was collected and disposed of in a safe manner.

Working alongside Solve and Surfrider for the Earth Day beach cleanup was an incredible experience. The huge turnout was inspiring, and it was amazing to collaborate with organizations that passionately share a common mission and dedication to preserving our ocean and beaches."

Yasemin: Cleanline Surf Shop Manager

Are you interested in participating in a Surfrider campaign in your area? Check out Surfrider’s website for volunteer opportunities throughout the country. It’s people like you and me making small choices to help out that impact the greater good. If you don’t have time to volunteer, try a simple donation. In fact, $10 per month helps protect a quarter mile of your local coast. 

Wildlife Center of the North Coast Donation

In addition to the beach cleanup, Cleanline Surf generously donated a portion of the shop's sales from April 20-22nd to the Wildlife Center of the North Coast. Based up the road in Astoria, Oregon, the Wildlife Center is a non-profit organization that helps rehab injured or orphaned wildlife. Their mission, “promoting compassion, empathy, and respect for all life through wildlife rehabilitation, ecological teachings, and wildlife conservation,” has helped over 25,000 animals since its inception 24 years ago. 

The Wildlife Center relies heavily on a team of over 80 volunteers to keep up with the demand. Looking to get involved? They're continually looking for volunteer help with animal care, rescue and transport, and facility maintenance, to name a few. In addition, financial donations go a long way. A small donation of $5 can cover a diagnostic x-ray, while $50 is enough to feed a white pelican fresh fish for an entire month. 

Final Thoughts

In addition to the initiatives listed above, Cleanline Surf is proud to participate in the Oregon “Adopt a Highway” program by sponsoring a stretch of state Highway 101 encompassing Falcon Cove, Short Sands Beach, and Neahkahnie Mountain. We’re committed to keeping our beautiful coastal highway clean for years to come.  

It's our job to be good stewards of this beautiful place we are blessed to call home. We’re proud of our crew and this community for the love and hard work they put into making our Earth Day Beach Cleanup such a success. Today and every day, LEAVE IT BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT!"

Josh and Nancy

Whether you live on the Oregon coast or elsewhere, what can you do to play a small part in taking care of the earth? We challenge you to do what you can. As surfers, many of us go out of our way to do the little things, such as walking the beach after a surf session and picking up small pieces of litter. It only takes a few minutes, and each piece of litter that is picked up is one less piece destined for the ocean. Thank you for partnering with us. From Cleanline Surf to you; have a great Earth Day today and every day.