Surfers are increasingly concerned about the impact they have when they travel to surf. Writers, industry representatives and nonprofits set up by surfers will talk about the move to protect the world's surfing resources. The conference shines a spotlight on some important emerging trends.
"To showcase a shift in surfing culture from something that immediately was perceived as being quite selfish," said Jess Ponting, Director of the San Diego State University Center for Surf Research. "We perceive there's been a shift in culture to one that's perceived as giving back."
The Groundswell Society's tenth annual conference examines the impact surfers make on the natural resources they cherish.
"This has been gather momentum for perhaps the last couple of years," said Ponting. "When the word sustainability has really started to creep into the vernacular and the discourse of American Society and really surfing culture around the world."
Ponting's center is hosting the conference, which features Surfers, industry representatives and researchers.