Protecting the Ocean: Simple Ways Surfers Can Help

6 min read

The ocean gives surfers so much. Here are practical, everyday ways to give back, from beach cleanups and reef-friendly habits to respecting wildlife and supporting conservation groups.

Surfers have a special relationship with the ocean. We spend hours in it, watching it change with the tides and seasons. That closeness comes with responsibility.

You don’t have to be a scientist or an activist to help. Small, everyday choices, made by lots of people, add up. Here are practical ways anyone can help protect the ocean, whether you surf every day or simply love the beach.

Leave the Beach Better Than You Found It

The simplest habit is also one of the most powerful.

Pack out everything you bring. Snacks, wrappers, bottles, wax wrappers, broken leashes, all of it.
Pick up a few pieces of trash every time you visit. Many surfers make it a ritual to grab a handful of litter on the way back to the car.
Never leave anything behind on the beach, including cigarette butts, which are among the most commonly found items in beach cleanups.
Use trash and recycling bins, and if they’re full, take your trash home.

Take three for the sea: pick up at least three pieces of trash every time you leave the beach.

Join a Beach Cleanup

Organized beach cleanups are a great way to make a bigger impact and meet people in your community. Many local surf shops, surf clubs, environmental groups, and towns host regular cleanups.

Organizations like the Surfrider Foundation, founded by surfers in Malibu in 1984, run beach cleanups through local chapters across the United States. Cleanups also help collect data about what kinds of trash end up on beaches, which can support efforts to reduce pollution at its source.

Cut Back on Single-Use Plastic

A lot of ocean plastic starts on land. You can help by:

Carrying a reusable water bottle and coffee cup
Bringing reusable bags and food containers
Skipping plastic straws and utensils when you don’t need them
Choosing products with less packaging
Supporting businesses that reduce plastic use

None of these changes are dramatic on their own. Together, they keep plastic out of storm drains, rivers, and eventually the sea.

Choose Reef-Friendly Sun Protection

Sun protection matters for your health, and how you protect yourself can matter for the ocean, too.

Some sunscreen ingredients, including oxybenzone and octinoxate, have raised concerns about their effects on coral reefs. Hawaiʻi passed a law banning the sale of sunscreens containing those two ingredients, which took effect in 2021.

Ocean-friendly habits include:

Choosing mineral sunscreens made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide
Wearing a rash guard, wetsuit, or surf hat to reduce how much sunscreen you need
Applying sunscreen well before getting in the water so it can absorb
Checking local rules, since some places restrict certain sunscreen ingredients

Respect Marine Wildlife

When you surf, you’re a visitor in the home of countless animals. Treat them that way.

Give animals space. In Hawaiʻi, for example, NOAA recommends staying at least 10 feet from sea turtles and at least 50 feet from Hawaiian monk seals. Follow the guidelines wherever you are.
Never touch, chase, ride, or feed marine animals.
Don’t stand on or touch coral reefs. Coral is a living animal and is easily damaged.
Watch for nesting areas on beaches and follow posted signs.
Report injured or stranded animals to local wildlife authorities rather than trying to help them yourself.

Practice Leave No Trace at the Coast

The Leave No Trace idea works at the beach just as well as on a hiking trail:

Stay on marked paths through dunes. Dunes and coastal plants protect beaches from erosion.
Don’t take rocks, shells with living animals inside, coral, or plants from protected areas.
Keep fires only where they’re allowed, and fully put them out.
Clean up after your dog and follow local pet rules.
Keep noise and crowds respectful, especially around wildlife and neighborhoods.

Make Smarter Gear Choices

Surf gear doesn’t last forever, but you can reduce waste:

Repair before replacing. Dings can be fixed, and wetsuits can often be patched.
Buy used or pass gear along. A board you’ve outgrown can become someone else’s first board.
Look for more sustainable options, such as boards made with recycled materials or lower-impact resins, and wetsuits made with alternative materials.
Recycle or repurpose old wetsuits and leashes where programs exist.

Learn how surfboards have changed over time in Surfboard Evolution.

Pay Attention to Water Quality

After heavy rain, runoff can carry bacteria and pollution into the ocean, especially near storm drains, rivers, and creek mouths. Check local water-quality reports and advisories before you paddle out. In many places, surfers wait a few days after big rains before surfing near urban runoff.

Some conservation groups run volunteer water-testing programs, which help communities understand when and where the water is safe.

Support Conservation Organizations

Many nonprofit groups work to protect oceans, waves, and coastlines. You can support them by volunteering, donating, attending local meetings, or spreading the word. Groups led by or popular with surfers include:

Surfrider Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit with local chapters focused on clean water, beach access, plastic pollution, and coastal protection
Save The Waves Coalition, which works to protect surf ecosystems around the world
Surfers Against Sewage, a UK-based charity focused on clean water and plastic pollution

Local groups are often the most powerful of all. Look for beach, dune, reef, or watershed organizations in your own community.

Speak Up for Your Coast

Beaches and surf spots can be affected by development, pollution, and changes to public access. When local decisions come up, surfers’ voices matter. Attending a public meeting, signing a petition, or writing to local officials can help protect places you love.

The White Belt Approach to Ocean Care

You don’t have to do everything at once. Start with one or two habits, then add more as you learn.

Start small. Pick up trash every visit.
Stay curious. Learn about your local beach and its wildlife.
Share what you learn with friends and family.
Keep showing up.

The ocean has been teaching surfers for centuries. Protecting it is how we say thank you.

Want to dive deeper into surf culture? Read What Is Surf Culture?, explore beaches in our Surf Atlas, or begin your journey with our Learn to Surf guides.