Surfrider Foundation Europe is seeking to extend its range of actions in 2008 by organising a major clean-up of lakes and rivers! Coastal waters are the principal carriers of pollution to our coasts. Water systems, lakes and rivers carry waste and other types of pollution for many kilometres before discharging them onto beaches and into the ocean. It is therefore essential that we have a thorough clean-up of our entire coastline, rivers and lakes.

We must get across the message that sorting waste is a matter of great importance, that a plastic bottle or can thrown onto the beach or into a river or lake will take several centuries to disintegrate, and that this is everyone’s responsibility.

Our environment is becoming ever more fragile, and increasingly exposed to environmental damage caused by human activity. These Ocean Initiatives are an opportunity to highlight the problems surrounding waste management at both individual and community level.

Pilot projects will therefore be run in partnership with the Bouygues Telecom Foundation at various sites in towns including Bordeaux, Nantes, Tours, Bourges, Lyon, Ile de France and Strasbourg.

Their goals are to raise awareness in the general public and media about the impact of pollution on lakes and rivers and to get them working together in a spirit of good eco-citizenship.

If you do not live on the coast but wish to get involved and take part or organize a clean-up operation of a lake or river for the Ocean Initiatives 2008, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Example of a pilot project :

Operation to clean the banks of the Seine

Location : Boulogne-Billancourt

How many operations are carried out by Surfrider Foundation Europe? During 2007 in Paris there were 3 operations

In 2007, we were able to count on the support of more than 140 volunteers over the course of the 3 operations, along with the participation of the ACBB canoeing club in Boulogne.
Of these pilot projects, the first was run in partnership with the Bouygues Telecom Foundation and the second with the Boulogne Conseil Communal d’Enfants et de Jeunes (CCEJ - Children and Young People’s Community Council).

More than 50 employees of Bouygues TÈlÈcom and 40 children from the CCEJ in Boulogne were given an address on the issues in the presence of the Mayor and members of Boulogne Town Council.
Clean-up, education and awareness raising campaigns were carried out with the help of our local chapter in Paris and network of members.