On January 19, 2022, the Encinitas City Council voted unanimously to ban the sale, use, and release of all balloons filled with a gas lighter than air. Our RAP activists supported the effort from its beginnings at the city's environmental commission.
Our chapter activists led the campaign to support San Diego County's first balloon ordinance since the Encinitas Environmental Commission first considered it in May 2021. Additionally, we're actively supporting a countywide petition started by Sicco Rood from UC Irvine's Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center. As of January 20, 2022, the petition has garnered over 7,760 signatures from county residents along the coast and in the desert, all who agree that balloon releases must be stopped.
Now that Encinitas has approved this ordinance, we intend to use it as a model for other San Diego cities to follow.
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Plastic Pollution
Our chapter has multiple committees dedicated to the Surfrider Plastic Pollution Initiative. These include a countywide Beach Cleanup program, the Rise Above Plastics (RAP) committee, the Ocean Friendly Restaurants program, and a campaign to end cigarette butt litter - Ban the Butt.
End Plastic Pollution