Press ReleaseSeptember 16th, 2019

Ahmed Perez appointed as International Surf Ambassador for Drains to Ocean

Big waves, big challenges.

Drains to Ocean is pleased to announce professional surfer and eco conservationist Ahmed Pérez as their new International Surf Ambassador. His first act as a D2O Ambassador will be joining a California Statewide effort to clean up our coastline on California Coastal Cleanup Day.  Ahmed will be taking over Drains to Ocean’s Instagram and Facebook pages on September 21st (@drainstoocean and @ahmedperezg.) He will specifically highlight the September 21st Santa Ana River Marsh Cleanup at the Huntington and Newport Beach River Jetty.  This Southern California marsh and its’ proximity to a famous surf spot is a perfect example of many coastal ecosystems currently being threatened by our global pollution crisis.

Drains to Ocean, headquartered in “Surf City USA” Huntington Beach CA, has named Ahmed Pérez as their first International Surf Ambassador. “Honestly it has been great connecting with Seth Matson, founder and president of Drains to Ocean,” said Ahmed. “It’s a great honor to join such an important list of people who support Drains to Ocean. I’m motivated to continue collaborating and developing ideas that seek to conserve and protect the oceans and beaches. Communicating positive stories and speaking on behalf of those who have no voice is extremely important in this movement.”

Drains to Ocean is a grass roots, non-profit organization with a mission to keep pollution from flowing into rivers, lakes, and oceans. The heart of all their programs lies in a belief that each drain matters and that it is necessary to raise awareness through educational activities and empowering local communities to participate actively in the global cleaning of streets, mountains and beaches.

In his new role as a Drains to Ocean International Surf Ambassador, Ahmed Pérez will promote the organization's mission by advocating from inside the professional surf industry and by using his international platform to promote a greater awareness of the fragility of our planet. Pérez is committed to spreading environmental awareness and love wherever he has an impact, internationally and amongst his fellow surfers.

Drains to Ocean Founder, Seth Matson, is eager to welcome Ahmed Perez to their D2O team. “There are many reasons we are happy to welcome Pérez to the Drains to Ocean family -- for his positive career as a professional surfer in South America, for his constant efforts to inspire people to conserve and especially for his character as a human being. He is constantly trying to give a voice to those who don't have it,” said Matson. "Oceans and beaches are some of the most vulnerable natural spaces in our urban coastal landscape. The Drains to Ocean team is convinced that Ahmed will use his passion and influence to continue defending the ocean everywhere he travels."

As part of Drains to Ocean’s commitment to the ocean and its many ecosystems, we are inviting the local community to attend our annual River Marsh Cleanup on California Coastal Cleanup Day. We encourage volunteers to participate in solidarity with hundreds of other Coastal Cleanup Events happening throughout the state on September 21st.   Drains to Ocean will specifically focus their efforts on cleaning up a local marsh near the ocean. A unique marsh area where the Santa Ana River opens up to the Newport and Huntington Beach Pacific Ocean. A space that is only opened up once per year for such a large scale cleanup.  The Santa Ana River flows throughout Southern California, picking up a grotesque amount of urban runoff and carrying it to the sea.  This trash and debri often times gets stuck at the river mouth, before flowing into the ocean. To prevent such debri from ending up in our local coastline, we welcome as many volunteers as possible to join us on this special day.

Event Info:
River Marsh Cleanup ( California Coastal Cleanup Day )
Saturday, Sept. 21st
8am-12noon
Huntington Beach River Jetties (inland side)
 
The event will include various ambassadors, pro surfers, leaders from the city of Huntington Beach and the general public; all joining in support of the statewide cleanup efforts to highlight issues that are essential to the preservation of our coastal spaces.
 
The following are our partners for this important cleanup:

·       U.S. Army Corp of Engineers

·       Sierra Club Angeles Chapter Orange County Conservation Committee

·       Sierra Club Banning Ranch Park and Preserve Task Force

·       Orange County Coastkeeper

·       Drains to Ocean

·       OC Earth Stewards

 More info can be found here: Cleanup Info


Contact:

Seth Matson – President
Drains to Ocean - Protecting the Ocean,  One Drain at a Time
seth@drainstoocean.org  |  www.drainstoocean.org

Drains to Ocean is a grass roots, non-profit organization with a mission to keep pollution from flowing into our rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Drains to Ocean is a Non-Profit 501c3 tax-exempt organization.
Federal Identification Number:  47-4001641 • All gifts and donations are tax deductible.

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