The Moving the Planet Foundation, with the support of the Cabildo through Tenerife Tourism, combines sustainability, art, sport and social action in this initiative to protect the oceans
Tenerife has hosted today, in the Noble Hall of the Cabildo, the official presentation of Surfing With Me, a project that was born on the coasts of the island with the aim of raising awareness about pollution by cigarette butts in the sea. It is an initiative of the Moving the Planet Foundation, supported by the Cabildo through Tenerife Tourism, which combines sustainability, art, sport, and social action in defence of the oceans. The proposal combines the strength of surfing and citizen mobilization to generate real change, starting and ending a tour of Spain and Europe with two boards manufactured by Yanes Surfboards, created entirely from cigarette butts collected on beaches.
The Vice-president and Minister of Tourism of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Lope Afonso, says that it is “a satisfaction for us to be able to collaborate with the Moving the Planet Foundation in a project like this one that promotes the removal of waste from our coast, the sustainable management of our maritime environment, and that with this is committed to consolidating our marine biodiversity”. Afonso adds that “this project at the same time allows us to unite the sport of surfing with tourism promotion, taking this message of sustainability and attention to environmental care for a good part of our main source destinations. Therefore, an alliance that we want to strengthen and maintain over time, since it is perfectly aligned with the values defended by the destination Tenerife”.
The CEO of Tenerife Tourism, Dimple Melwani, points out that “collaborating with this type of initiative is aligned with the sustainability strategy of the entity, being an active part and participant in promoting policies that protect the environment, above all, raising awareness on this occasion through sport with two ambassadors of the island who will make this action visible on several beaches of the island, and in our main markets of origin with a surfboard that carries an implicit message: protect the health of the oceans, vital for the conservation of marine biodiversity and the balance of coastal ecosystems”. For Melwani, surfing is much more than a water sport, it is a culture that embraces a deep connection with nature and therefore those who practice it are faithful defenders of sustainability. In this sense, having chosen surfing for this awareness campaign is a success as a boost to environmental education that through a documentary will be disseminated on main channels and entertainment platforms to have a great reach and take care of one of our most valuable resources, our oceans, concludes Melwani.
The president of the Moving the Planet Foundation, José Alberto Hernández, points out that “thanks to Tenerife Tourism and the Cabildo, this project has gone ahead with the manufacture of two surfboards with cigarette butts collected on the coast of the island. We will travel through Tenerife and several countries, and what we intend to do is to make people aware that they do not dirty the sea, that it belongs to everyone, and that we have to take care of it”.
A single cigarette butt can contaminate between 500 and 1000 litters of water. When it reaches the sea or is buried in the sand, it releases heavy metals, nicotine and toxic substances that slowly poison our ecosystem. If a fish, turtle, bird, or even your pet accidentally ingests it, the consequences can be fatal: from poisoning to intestinal blockages, seizures, or death. This silent threat is, today, one of the most abundant wastes on our coasts. But it can also become a symbol of hope. And that’s exactly what our surfboard represents.
The itinerary will include clean-up and awareness days, audiovisual recordings in these places, as well as direct collaboration with surfers and local communities. Specifically, the project will take place on the beaches of Nazaré (Portugal), Hossegar (France), Eisbachwelle-Munich (Germany), Praa Sands Beach-Cornwall (United Kingdom), Mundaka (Basque Country), Playa Pantín (Galicia), as well as La Caleta de Interían, Playa del Socorro, Las Palmeras and Punta del Hidalgo in Tenerife.
The support of Tenerife Tourism is key in the projection of this initiative, consolidating the island not only as a tourist destination of reference, but as a territory committed to sustainability and a pioneer in projects that link sport, culture and the environment. The project has the collaboration of Hyundai, which will facilitate the mobility of the team during the different phases; Chorlito, which will dress the protagonists in sustainable clothing; and IDECO, which will provide support and support in the beach cleanup days that will begin in October.
With this initiative, Tenerife consolidates itself as the starting point of a global journey that unites sustainability, youth, art and sport with a common purpose: to move the world from the depths.
The initiative will have an official song, composed and performed by the young Canarian artist Rayyx, which will be available on digital platforms on September 17 at 00:00 hours, along with its official video clip on YouTube.
Surfing With Me will feature a powerful transmedia campaign and the production by the audiovisual production company Kikazaru, of the documentary Surfing With Me: The Green Mission, which will be broadcast through Televisión Canaria, Movistar+ Deportes and the in-flight entertainment platforms of Iberia Express, Air Nostrum and Binter Canarias.
