Surfing is California's State Sport!
Surfing -- the official State Sport of California
On Monday August 20th, Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill AB 1782, which designates surfing as the State Sport of California. The Bill was sponsored by California Assembly members and surfers, Al Muratsuchi and Majority Leader Ian Calderon, and officially supported by Sustainable Surf.
Sustainable Surf played a key role and contributed significantly to the language of the Bill, to ensure that it recognizes California's contribution to the growing movement of sustainability in surf culture, and the value surfing brings to ocean protection.
This new law is clearly a symbolic measure, but symbols matter to people. They tell us who we are, and what we really value.
So the next time a California surf break is threatened by development, water pollution, erosion, lack of public access, or climate change related impacts, the fact that Surfing is now recognized as the State’s official sport, will act as a new tool in the ocean health activist toolkit.
That's a clear win in our book for everyone in California – and positive cultural shifts emanating from California have a way of making positive impacts all around the world.
For the deeper story of why they got involved to create the Bill's language around conservation and sustainable innovation – and to see the full text of the Bill, please see the full story on the Sustainable Surf website:
http://sustainablesurf.org/
On the steps of the Capitol when the Bill became Law: CA Assembly Members Al Muratsuchi and Ian Calderon, and Sustainable Surf Co-Founder Michael Stewart.
