The Surfrider Podcast

Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert: Why the Offshore Drilling Fight Is Personal

Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert joins Surfrider CEO Dr. Chad Nelsen to confront the federal government's push to expand offshore oil drilling off California, Florida, and Alas

Save Trestles: Past, Present, & Future

In 2005, a proposed six-lane toll road threatened to pave through and destroy San Onofre State Beach and its world-famous break, Trestles. This episode reveals how the Sa

Super El Niño Explained: Why This Could Be The Worst Coastal Crisis in Decades

A "Super El Niño" is building in the Pacific, and forecasters warn the 2026–27 winter could bring some of California's most powerful storms, highest seas, and worst coast

The Power of Beach Cleanups: From Community Building to Policy Change

In this episode, join the Surfrider Foundation's Healthy Beaches Program Manager Jenny Harrah and Plastic Pollution Initiative Sr. Manager Miho Ligare as they break down

Reef Friendly Sunscreens: A Beach Lover's Guide to Protecting Your Health and Coral Reefs

Sun protection is important to protect your health, but depending on what type of sunscreen you use, it could also be harming marine life while also exposing you to chemi

Is Your Beach Safe? America's Hidden Water Quality Crisis

Clean water is essential for healthy beaches, but across the country, aging infrastructure, population growth, and climate-driven storms are pushing our wastewater system

Style, Soul, & Stewardship. A Conversation with Surfing Legend Rob Machado

Legendary pro surfer Rob Machado is widely regarded as one of the most influential and stylish surfers of all time. But Rob's relationship with and impact on surfing and

Drilling is Killing: What's Next in The Fight Against Offshore Drilling?

In this episode, we're joined by Surfrider's Ocean Protection Manager, Pete Stauffer, and Surfrider's CEO, Dr. Chad Nelsen, to learn more about what will happen next in t

Making Waves in 2025

Despite federal environmental rollbacks and budget cuts to NOAA and EPA, the Surfrider Foundation secured more than 40 coastal victories in 2025 — proving that grassroots

The LA Fires. From Beaches to Burn Zones

The January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires didn't just devastate communities — they unleashed a cascade of toxic contamination into Southern California's coastal waters. When

Fighting Climate Change with Nature-Based Solutions: Surfrider's Climate Action Program

When half of America's beaches could vanish by 2100, what's the solution? Join Surfrider's Climate Action Program Manager Carla Avila-Martinez and Coasts & Climate Initia

Drilling is Killing: Surfrider's Fight Against Offshore Drilling

In this episode, we explore Surfrider's decades-long campaign against offshore drilling and the devastating environmental costs of our dependence on fossil fuels with Sur

Surfrider's History: From Malibu to the Halls of Congress

Over 40 years ago, a group of surfers from Malibu, California, were concerned about escalating coastal development at their favorite surf spot, and they took action. In t

"The End": Montauk, Activism, and Conservation with Taylor & Liev Schreiber

Montauk, known locally as "The End," is a historic fishing village at the eastern tip of Long Island that boasts some of the finest surf beaches on the East Coast — many

The Most Polluted Beach in America

The Tijuana River is poisoning San Diego residents. Every day, millions of gallons of untreated sewage, toxic chemicals, and trash are crossing the international border,