Surfrider Foundation Eco Challenge Gold Coast 2015

The Surfrider Foundation Eco Challenge Gold Coast 2015, presented by Climate Wave Enterprises & Tugun Community Bendigo Bank, held Sunday 15th of March was an outstanding success. The event raised $1000 mainly through the raffle for which prizes were donated by Sea World & Alaya Earth and consisted of 2 nights accommodation at Sea World Resort & 4 VIP passes and a beautiful Alaia wooden surfboard; it was an easy sell. Funds raised will go towards environmental campaigns like “Rise Above Plastics”, regular dune care and educational activities.

A perfect windless autumn day saw challenging but not huge swell that brought out the best in those attending – on land and water.

With a wide gutter meaning the outer bank was a long way out and, the organisers judged, a bit too full-on for some of our junior Roots of Surfing wooden surfboard team competitors, a fun tag team event was organised instead.

Roots of Surfing Wooden Surfboard Teams Challenge

Team members from Wave Rats, Currumbin Vikings, Barrel Time and Krurungal Jalumm ran 50 metres up the beach, then headed into the water for a paddle back before surfing one wave in on the shore break in front of the judge’s tent.

The following Expression Session on the outer bank saw some Alaia and other wooden surfboard enthusiasts ripping on the fast but clean waves, such as this one pictured above.

A plastic fashion show and competition, fantastic live music by local artists who donated their time, more than 30 food, product & community groups stalls, face painting, yoga; there were endless sustainability based activities to keep the crowds entertained and informed.

Not all our sustainable event management practices were possible and/or lived up to our expectations, but at least we tried and will keep trying at future events. An event like this can only be as sustainable as its supply chain, and of course to the level of funding available, will allow. So for future Eco Challenges if we keep aiming for the best possible outcome with the least negative social & environmental impacts we will continue to improve.

Sustainability practices included:

• Ride your bike & leave the car at home. All cyclists will be rewarded on arrival with monitored secure bike racks & gifts from City of Gold Coast – Active Travel department.
• Buskers by the Sea stage – Powered by Southern Cross University Sunflower Solar Sound System
• Market & Food Stalls with sustainable products and services
• Roots of Surfing Wooden Surfboard Teams Challenge & Expression Session
• Plastique Fashion Show, highlighting the fun of recycling
• Inclusion of community socially & environmentally active organisations
• 4 bin monitored waste stations that included compostable & organic waste
•  Leaving a credible legacy for the community.

Solar legacy for Tugun SLSC

We believe the legacy is the most important component of a sustainable event and our pièce de résistance was that Climate Wave Enterprises & Maceco have instigated for our hosts Tugun SLSC to receive a 30 kW solar power installation which will see the club running on renewable energy for a minimum of 25 years. This legacy doesn’t stop there. If anyone purchases a solar system for a home or business through our installation company Green Initiatives, $500 will be donated to either your choice of Surfrider Foundation or Tugun SLSC. If you’d like our solar broker to contact you can Register here

If you’d like to experience the event you’ll be able to view it thanks to our wonderful photographers/videographers on our facebook page please interact with our page by tagging yourselves/friends in photos, commenting & sharing posts to keep the feeling of Eco Challenge alive till next year when we hope to see you all again.

The reason for this event’s success is because of these people, organisations & businesses; we couldn’t have done it without them is an old cliché but so true. Please support those who value their community  When the community comes together like we did on Sunday March 15 it shows that combined we can make positive change, done in this circumstance, in a sustainable way.

Thank you to all these wonderful people, organisations & businesses:

Tugun Community Bendigo Bank, Tugun Surf Life Saving Club, Wilson Haynes Solicitors, City of Gold Coast – Active Travel, Soul Freedom, Patagonia Burleigh Heads, Burleigh Brewing Co, Soul Safari Surf Travel & Surf Organic, Southern Cross University Sunflower Solar Sound System, Young Murphies, emmy jae, Jake Fox, Gold Coast Hula School, Christine Olive, Coco Shack, Think Love Live, Bees Knees surf wax, I Love Gurus Australia, Reform Surfboard Bags, Comrade Boardshorts, Aero Coffee, Life Changing Events, All Natural Oils, Sun Mud, Gold Coast Sewing Classes, Comrade Boardshorts, Eco Tan, Samba Catering, 3Sea Creperie, Chubby’s Diner, Ocean Spirit, Ayuvedic Naturopath- Gary Bromley, Green Initiatives, White Pipi, Raw Connections, Bower Bird, Mt Warning Bakehouse, Fairy Florist, Boomerang Bags, Gecko, Griffith Centre for Coastal Management, Sea Shepherd, Southern Beaches Community Garden, Surfrider Foundation, Ocean Connect, Dreams & Themes, Sea World, Pray for Surf, Leopold’s Treat, Jemma Lee, Alex Crook, Fire Beats, Neal Webb, Pete Tonks, Greg Howell, Hoddy, Dan Ware, Craig Macintyre, Chris Butler, Byron Barker, Nicole Garofano, Lea Lange, David Wardle, Jack Manners-Franks, Damo Anderson, Ros Ferguson, Paul Sullivan, Craig Macintyre, Melisa Hopwood, Katharine Di Pompo, Wendy Handley, Lisa FitzGerald, Sonja Ceri, Andrew Hardy, Don Osborne, Lisa Hardy, Jordyn de Boer, Alberto Monte Rego, Peter Sturm, My Perspectives, Zia Vaughan-Johnson, Hannah Emerick, Emily Ostler, Alley Boardriders, Kal Halford, The Surfboard Group, Darren Crawford, Sananda Rise, Patagonia, Burleigh Brewing Co. ,Soul Safari ,Ecopaper ,Pray for Surf ,Alaya Earth ,Tugun Fruit Market ,Mrs Red’s art classes for kids ,2BKids ,Air Factory Burleigh Heads, Epic Skate park, Surf Organic, Café Fresh, Media Junkies, Blank GC, Daily News, Andrew McKinnon, Eco Shout, GC Surf magazine, Gold Coast Bulletin, Holistic Living TV, Liquify Surf Mag, Pacific Longboarder, smorgasboarder.com.au, Surfing Queensland, Krurungal Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Welfare Corporation, Robert Bushy Mitchell, Coates Hire Tweed, JJ Richards, The Welcome Swallow Mobile Hydration Station, Burleigh Pet & Stockfeed, Bleach* Festival