The project developer, Hansa Urbana and the Mexican authorities allegedly orchestrated the terms of the announcement of the reinstatement of the project’s building permits and arranged the way the developer was going to react when the “partial” permits were publicly announced.

As a result of these revelations, Mexico’s Minister of the Environment, Rafael Elvira Quezada, was summoned to appear before Mexico’s Congress.

Mexico’s Senate is working to better understand the procedures that were followed which authorized the controversial real estate development of Cabo Cortes, located adjacent to one of the most robust marine protected areas on the planet, and the only coral reef in the Sea of Cortes.

During his appearance Elvira must reveal the details of the authorization process and update the future steps of that process in order to re-authorize parts of the polemic project that have been suspended.

The Senate has expressed that Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park is protected by international agreements. They also highlighted the fact that the “plan de ordenamiento ecologico” of Los Cabos – approved in 2011 — forbids building on costal dune ecosystems.

WiLDCOAST continues its effort to preserve one of the world’s most beautiful marine ecosystems and the home to whale sharks, humpback whales, sea turtles and schools of sharks.

For more information on Cabo Pulmo, please go to our website www.wildcoast.net or contact our Baja California Sur Field Coordinator Cecilia Fischer.

There is now overwhelming evidence that we humans are altering the planet in such a way that, if we carry on at the present rate, it will soon cease to support us. In other words, our present way of living is not sustainable.

The major problems, which all feed off each other, include a population spiralling out of control, resources being depleted millions of times faster than they are naturally replaced and by-products of our energy consumption changing the chemical composition of the atmosphere, which, in turn, is changing the climate. Most people refuse to believe these problems are real. They are afraid to reduce their consumer-based lifestyles because they think that the more they consume the happier they will be.

Thankfully, some people still get pleasure from ‘natural’ activities – things that money can’t buy. Traditionally, surfers have always been among these people. With a minimum of equipment we use a very small amount of the ocean’s energy to make us happy. We know that, after being out in the ocean at dawn with perfect waves and a light offshore wind, the feeling of owning a 42-inch television or a more expensive car than your next-door neighbour pales into insignificance.

However, surfing nowadays involves a lot of travelling and a lot of consuming of goods and energy before the waves themselves are actually ridden. Compared with a few decades ago, surfers are now consuming just as many, if not more natural resources as other members of society. The extra consumption is not seen as an end in itself, but simply a means of getting to the waves quicker to get more surfing done on better equipment. So, before we start to persuade other members of society to become more sustainable, we need to do the same ourselves.

Aimed principally at surfers, the book is divided into three main sections: our excessive use of energy, our obsession with getting from one place to another as fast as possible, and our over-consumption of material goods. Each section begins by explaining what we are doing wrong, and then goes on to suggest how we can put things right for ourselves and, lastly, how we can persuade others to do the same.

For more information check out the book at Amazon’s Store.

Kenai Productions, a Maui-based production company and member of the Maui Film Alliance, has over 20 years experience in all aspects of HD video and film production. EVERY BOARD HAS A STORY is Kenai’s debut feature-length production, and has already garnered the support of many industry veterans.

Kenai is seeking pre-production funding through Kickstarter.com, a crowd funding website that facilitates investment pledges from the public for all kinds of great projects. “Investors” can pledge $10 to $5,000 toward EBHS, and will not be charged until the full amount of $12,950 is raised in the specified amount of time. With less than 60 days to reach their goal, every pledge counts, and you can help.

Where does the money go?
PHASE I
1. Develop production plan and pitch materials in order to attract sponsors, professional surfers, and 5 ground-breaking shapers.
2. Write Treatment/Script – researched and written by David Whitney
3. Produce the 5 Minute Teaser- shot and edited by Andrew Rice
4. Kickstart the Green Surf Board Expression Sessions Challenge – coordinated by Ken “Woozer” Goring

The mission is to develop the materials necessary to acquire complete funding for the documentary from sponsors, such as QuickSilver, Billabong, Dakine, and other large international surfing companies. We will also be approaching ocean environmental organizations and private investors.

How you can help
Make a pledge on the Kickstarter Campaign page.

Learn more about David and Andrew at KenaiProductions.com, you can view their reel and stay up to date on the project at the Kenai Productions Blog, Facebook and Twitter:

If you or someone you know is involved in the next generation of surfboard design, and is a candidate for the Green Surf Board Expression Sessions Challenge please contact Andrew at andrew@kenaiproductions.com.

SAS believe this information is nothing more than what should be the minimum industry standard. It is estimated that over 2 billion sanitary items, such as condoms, tampons and wipes are flushed down the toilet every year in the UK; these products end up on the UK’s precious coastline as Sewage Related Debris (SRD). Our toilets are NOT ‘wet’ bins. Not only is SRD unsightly it has been shown to carry harmful bacteria and viruses to our beaches and bathing waters and to cause blockages at sewage treatment plants, resulting in sewage spills. Producers of sanitary items have a responsibility, along with their consumers to minimise the impact that their products have upon the environment, at the very least their products should provide basic disposal information.

Sustainable Achievable Solutions is a cornerstone of all SAS campaigns; therefore our first action in July of this year since then we have made every attempt to engage with the companies we identified, that did not have the minimum disposal information on their products. We tried to contact them by phone, email and post asking them to commit, by World Toilet Day, to incorporating appropriate disposal information onto all sanitary products in their next packaging run. Responses to this request were mixed to say the least, the 9 companies listed below and the potential impacts of their inaction fell easily into three categories; The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

The Good
SAS always celebrate the good, as a direct result of our ‘Think Before You Flush Campaign’ the following companies have committed to ensuring that their packaging carried appropriate disposal information and in some cases have already incorporated it, enabling their consumers to make an informed decisions and helping to protect our precious coastline.

Pasante Femidoms

Thirst Pockets Kitchen Towels

The Bad
SAS believe that ‘Think Before You Flush’ information is nothing short of the minimum industry standard. Therefore we have been extremely disappointed with the responses we have received from some producers of sanitary products, some of whom have more than one product without the bare minimum disposal information, what’s more some companies have refused even to reply to SAS despite multiple attempts to make contact since July of this year, those companies are listed within the “The Bad” table below.

Lil-Lets Tampons (“The used Tampon can be flushed away” on packaging)

Boots Feminine wipes (“Simply Flush away” on packaging)

Superdrug cotton wool pads and face wipes (No response)

Sainsburys Dental Floss

Beiresdorf/Nivea Facewipes

Don't shit on the beach

SAS welcome support from Keep Britain Tidy and Richard McIlwain from Keep Britain Tidy said: “Research carried out by Keep Britain Tidy shows that people give little or no thought to what happens once they have flushed items down the toilet, until they are made aware of the environmental impact of their actions. People want to do something positive to help improve the environment and educating people about responsible disposal is vital. The manufacturers have a key role to play in educating their customers and we would urge them all to join the ‘Think Before You Flush’ campaign to help clean up our coastline. Litter is everyone’s responsibility and disposing of it correctly is vital if we want to ensure our island’s coastline does not find itself drowning in rubbish.”

SAS Campaigns Officer Dom Ferris says: ‘Here at SAS we are sadly only too aware of the threat that marine litter, in particular SRD poses to the UK’s precious coastline. Whilst it’s great news that 4 companies have come on board with the ‘Think Before You Flush’ Campaign, we are both saddened and angered by the apathy of the other 5 companies, especially when you consider how straightforward it would be for them to put this basic information onto their products. More worrying still is that some companies such as Boots and Lil-lets are actively encouraging their consumers to “Simply flush away after use” (Boots Feminine Wipes). They should be ashamed!’

Cotton buds were notable in their absence from the list, although we are still finding unacceptable amounts on the UK’s beaches. However there are signs that their prevalence is decreasing; this is due in part to a successful SAS ‘Think Before You Flush Campaign’ in 2008. Six major high street retailers (Waitrose, Co-op, Asda, Tesco, Marks and Spencer and the Body Shop) agreed to incorporate appropriate disposal information on their cotton bud packaging after months of pressure from SAS, the precedent has been set.

For more information please contact Dom Ferris or call SAS HQ on 01872 553 001. Visit sas.org.uk for more information on ‘Think Before You Flush’.

Today SAS will brief Defra Minister Richard Benyon MP on their pioneering Sewage Alert Service. This service has delivered the public with unprecedented insight into how frequently raw sewage is discharged into the sea. Since May 2011 SAS has sent out 64,000 free real time sewage warnings. The high number of sewage discharges is a major threat to water users’ health and to the UK’s chances of reaching the stricter bathing water standards from 2015. Sewage discharges and related health impacts can easily slip through the current water quality testing programme.

It's a shit job, but luckily someone is monitoring it.

SAS’s Sewage Alert Service is a free real time system that informs people when sewage has been discharged via a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) the sea. SAS post the information on their map at www.sas.org.uk and also send out free text alerts. This summer SAS was able to share this real time information at 47 beaches, the majority of them being Blue Flag Beaches. But the considerable number of discharges was worrying.

SAS’s Sewage Alert Service gives beach users vital water quality information when they need it most – when sewage is in the sea and water quality can be compromised. Unlike the UK water quality testing programme which is retrospective. SAS are working with South West Water, Welsh Water, Wessex Water, Yorkshire Water, Southern Water and Northumbrian Water and receiving technical advice from the Environment Agency and Defra. SAS will dramatically upscale the beaches in the Sewage Alert Service for 2012 and beyond.

Unfortunately, 97.8% of England and Wales’ beaches meeting an outdated and inadequate standard is nothing to shout about. Defra figures show that bathing at a beach with a mandatory standard could give you 1 in 7 chance of contracting Gastro Enteritis. The higher guideline standard can still offer you a 1 in 20 chance of contracting Gastro Enteritis (achieved at 88.2% of beaches at England and Wales).

In 2006 SAS helped secure tougher new bathing water standards that will offer better protection to water users. These standards in the revised Bathing Water Directive will come into force in 2015 and include 4 years of continuous bathing seasons data.

SAS Campaign Director says: “Raw sewage can pose a significant health risk and our Sewage Alert Service is a step forward for beach users, providing the only real time warnings of sewage pollution at UK bathing waters. This is the only way beach users can actually avoid coming into contact with sewage spills from combined sewer overflows. We are hoping for continued support from Defra Minster Richard Benyon, the EA and the water companies to make the Sewage Alert Service even better in 2012.”

SAS are also promoting their Think Before You Flush campaign to encourage the public to stop using the toilet as a wet bin as this can result in sewer blockages and sewage discharges. And SAS are impressed with EA pilot projects tackling diffuse pollution, another impact on water quality.

Today the Planning Inspectorate could have been deciding the future of the waves at Challaborough. However, SAS contested the proposal to dump rock armoury on Challaborough beach, mobilised the local surfing community and ensured their concerns over this inappropriate coastal defence scheme were heard just in time.

Over a thousand local surfers, waveriders and beach users signed SAS’s Protect Our Waves (POW) petition to the Planning Inspectorate opposing the dumping of rock armoury on the beach as this could impact on the quality of waves at Challaborough. This resounding response sent a clear message to all involved, damaging the important surfing waves at Challaborough was not an option.

The developers suggested the proposal was needed to protect 2 cliff top holiday properties. Their initial application was declined by the local authority, so the developers submitted an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. However, independent shore line assessments predicted little or no cliff erosion over the next 100 years. The POW campaign promoted the social and economic importance of the waves at Challaborough and submitted official comments alongside their 1,098 E petitions sent to the Planning Inspectorate. Today SAS campaigners intended to be at the Planning Inspectorate’s hearing, but instead SAS campaigners and the Challaborough surfing community can celebrate a great POW campaign victory!

The developers have withdrawn their appeal to the Planning Inspectorate and the waves at Challaborough have been protected from this development.

SAS Campaign Director Andy Cummins says: “This is a great POW victory for Challaborough and reinforces the importance of waves to the entire community, both economically and socially. Without a passionate surfing community who were willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with SAS this great wave could have been lost.”

Andrew Rollo and Paul Gibson, from Lossiemouth, were both surfing in the Moray Firth when they saw what was estimated to be a ten foot creature in the water.

Although both were unhurt, and the shark did not agressively attack, it was nevertheless a very close encounter. The animal did approach both surfers and they used their boards to encourage it away.

The surfers were not surfing alone and were part of a larger group of ten or so surfers in the water on Thursday 27th October.

According to Scottish newspaper The Northern Scot, the two surfers noticed it was a shark straight away.

It is not uncommon to see sharks in this area, although rarely are they spotted this close to shore.

Everyone is welcome to the North Devon Beach Clean Series and the SAS team looks forward to seeing SAS members, supporters, environmentalists, families, local surfing and watersports clubs joining them – the whole local beach-loving community in fact!

North Devon Beach Clean Series

· Woolacombe – 12th November 11am – 1pm
· Saunton Sands – 13th November 11am – 1pm
· Westward Ho! – 26th November 11am – 1pm
· Woody Bay – 27th November – 10am – Midday
· Lynmouth – 27th November – 2pm – 4pm
As many SAS supporters and local residents will already be aware, the amount of marine litter found on UK beaches has almost doubled in the last fifteen years, with at least 1 piece being found on average for every 30cm of sand. Since 1994, plastic items washing up on our shores have increased by 135%. Plastic debris can take hundreds of years to break down and can be lethal to marine wildlife. The power is in our hands to make a difference and we hope to see hundreds of volunteers making a positive difference to the North Devon coast this November.

“Its amazing to see a real concentrated beach clean campaign right here in North Devon. We have some of the country’s best surf spots situated on one of the most beautiful stretches of coastlines in the world, and this will be a great opportunity to pull together and make a positive impact on the ever growing marine litter problem.” Mikey Corker, SAS North Devon Rep

SAS will be joined by local SAS Rep Mikey Corker who will be helping lead the SAS assault on unwanted beach litter. SAS will also be joined by friends from the Museum of British Surfing, which is based at the heart of the North Devon surfing community in Braunton.

Volunteers who would like take part in one or more of the events should contact Dom Ferris, SAS Campaign Officer on dom@sas.org.uk or call 01872 555 953