WiLDCOAST Rocks the ASR

WiLDCOAST ROCKS THE ASR TRADE SHOW

January 20-22, 2006
San Diego Convention Center

Twice yearly the superstars of the surf world descend on San Diego for the ASR (Action Sports Retailers) Trade Show. It is the one event that unites the whole surf industry. From the world’s hottest surfers to the industry's most powerful corporate executives, every attendee is focused on the newest developments and trends in the business.

WiLDCOAST attended this year's ASR in order to tap into the surf industry for our Coastal Campaign’s fight to protect our coasts from pollution and development threats. A team of WiLDCOAST staff and volunteers ran the floor of the ASR taking Polaroids of surfing stars as they held “California Pollution Victim” signs and asked for clean water. The photos will be posted on WiLDCOAST's website, demonstrating the surf industry's support for our Clean Water Campaign.

According to Ben McCue, WiLDCOAST’s Coastal Conservation Program Manager, “listening to my childhood heroes- guys who I’d watch in surf videos every day- speak out in support of coastal protection really brought the point home that pollution affects every one of us. Not even the best surfers or the richest executives are immune to ocean pollution.”

WiLDCOAST volunteers set up a booth in the lobby of the convention to showcase current projects and educate attendees on ocean pollution issues. Of specific interest was a video recently shot in the U.S.-Mexico border region highlighting the reasons beaches in Imperial Beach and Coronado are closed so frequently due to ocean contamination. If our video didn’t catch the attention of attendees, there were two ominous-looking water jugs containing brownish liquid-- water from the Tijuana River. Nearby a sign read, “Ever surf Imperial Beach…? This is why you have an ear infection!”

The trade show maintained its high level of energy for three days, at times resembling a rock show, a celebrity red carpet event and even a frat party. As McCue concluded, “this whole industry relies on our coastal resources. That said, there isn’t one person here who doesn’t back the goals of our Coastal Campaign. We’re going to use this support to clean up our coast. And we’re stoked to have the ASR help us out in addition to the tremendous boost we get from receiving a grant from the SIMA Environmental Fund as a result of the Waterman’s Ball.”

WiLDCOAST is an international conservation team dedicated to protecting coastal communities, wildlands and wildlife. Through community outreach, activism and media campaigns, we work to eliminate threats to ecosystems and to develop reserves to permanently protect sensitive areas.