“We Live This Every Day”: West African Surfing Community Gears Up to Protect the Sea

The issue of water pollution seems like an eternal debate now. There have been innumerable debates around this issue, but only a few feasible solutions have come to the surface. The discharging of waste in water bodies, especially the oceans, has affected the lives of people, especially those who live on the shore. However, people all around the globe are taking things into their own hands to counter the problem. The surfing community of Senegal, a country in West Africa, has stood up to protect the purity of the ocean. 

The Guardian magazine took an interview with Babacar Thiaw, a surfer from Senegal who has been a part of the surfing community for the past two decades. The African surfer described various problems their community had faced in the past years. He also talked about the steps to curb those issues. 

The surfing community has created a zero-waste restaurant

The surfing community in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, works on the principle of uniting people towards a common goal for a greater impact and efficient working. Thiaw, with the help of eco-surfers, has organized the beach cleaning sessions. He has also started an environmental course for children to educate the upcoming generations about the importance of sustainable development.

The community has Senegal’s first ever ‘Zero-Waste Restaurant’. The cafe is strictly against using plastic bottles, straws, coffee pods, or sugar sachets. The local people have seen the immense amount of plastic waves engulfed in the ocean, hence, they strive to create an ecosystem with alternative assets to plastics. “We live this every day, we see it every day,” said Thiaw while explaining the reason for their approach. 

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The restaurant’s staff also appeals to the visitors to give up the use of plastic by educating them about the disastrous results it can have. The surfer further emphasized that the beaches are their workplace, and if they are left polluted, it will directly affect the households of the localities. Hence, the community and Thiaw feel it is the need of the hour and time to rise up for the global cause. 

Beaches are much more than just an attraction for local people

The beaches are more than just a geographical pleasure for the people of Senegal. It holds much more important value in the life of localities, as the livelihood of thousands of people depends on the sea. The Copacabana surf village is a perfect surfing spot, hence becoming a tourist attraction for many people.

The people of the village earn by renting surfboards to people. Some local surfers like Thiaw also teach surfing to small children. The beach is the ultimate source of their income and leisure activities, so protecting it becomes their priority.

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It would be crucial to see whether other professional surfers would take a lesson from the community and raise their voices for the global cause.