Surfers Against Sewage are a UK based, like-minded group of climate-conscious activists that are striving towards making a change in water quality, plastic pollution and ocean recovery within the British Isles.
Rebecca Lee, Ocean activist, said: “Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) is a marine conservation and campaigning charity that inspires, unites and empowers communities to take action to protect seas, beaches, and wildlife.
“SAS is not simply just about surfers, or sewage, it is about creating a network of ocean activists across the UK to confront the ocean and climate emergency and protect our waterways for future generations.”
On Saturday, Surfers Against Sewage coordinated their biggest appeal yet. Rebecca, who was at the event said: “Saturday 18 May saw thousands of people across the UK rally on our beaches and paddle together in our seas to make the message clear – we don’t stand for sewage pollution.”
The damming figures…
Every year, the activists create an audit, holding the largest polluters of UK waters accountable. Some of the harrowing statistics that can be found on their site include; 100,000 marine mammals and turtles and 1 million sea birds are killed by marine plastic pollution every year (UK Government, 2018). In addition, 90% of fish stock are either fully exploited, overexploited, or have collapsed entirely (United Nations Development Programme),.
More than 90% of the warming that has happened on Earth over the past 50 years has occurred in the ocean. (NOAA, 2020), and A global rise of 2˚C would result in the destruction of 99% of the world’s coral reefs. (UNFCC, 2021).
There are ways you can get involved with the SAS intiatives, Rebecca says, “SAS run campaigns, such as the recent ‘Paddle Out Protest’ that saw thousands of people across the UK protesting at our local beaches against the sewage pollution put into our rivers and seas by the water industry.
“You can follow the SAS social media (@surfersagainstsewage) to look out for future events and join a community of individuals working to improve our water quality.”
The ‘SAS’ are always attempting to fundraise and appeal. Last Saturday, they took to the waters in a protest for awareness about the status of UK water.
Their 2023 audit report – Surfers Against Sewage • Brand Audit 2023 – The Plastic Pollution Crisis (sas.org.uk)
The solution to cleansing British waterways is not simple. What is simple, however, is understanding that something needs to be done so that we can enjoy our waterways,” Rebecca, says:
“Having safe, clean waterways is important for both people and nature, so it is crucial for the UK government to prioritise this issue.
Enhanced protection measures should include habitat restoration projects and stronger penalties for environmental violations. By prioritising clean and healthy waterways, we can safeguard public health, support biodiversity, and ensure the sustainability of these vital natural resources for future generations.”
