Surfrider Foundation Implements OFG Program

Nita Charlton-Gomes has operated HB Business Consulting Services & Solutions in Huntington Beach, California, since 2015. Interested in giving back to the community, Nita Charlton-Gomes donates to the Surfrider Foundation. 

The Surfrider Foundation is a network of people dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans and beaches. The organization’s Ocean Friendly Gardens (OFG) program is designed to reduce human defilement of these essential resources.

Water runoff is the largest source of ocean pollution from urban areas. Runoff is not only a waste of water, which could be used to irrigate the surrounding landscape and refill groundwater reserves, but it also leads to dangerous flooding.

The OFG views the streets and landscapes as a means to control water pollution, noting that correctly designed land can capture rainwater and filter it through the soil before it is channeled into the ocean. 

Surfrider chapters disseminate critical information on techniques to reduce pollution through water runoff to both homeowners and landscaping professionals. They also lobby local governments to incorporate OFG thinking into their development policies.

The Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Friendly Gardens Program

 


Business consultant Nita Charlton-Gomes is the owner of HB Business Consulting Services & Solutions in Huntington Beach, California. In this capacity, she handles everything from preparing financial statements and fulfilling accounting needs to coordinating marketing. In her free time, Nita Charlton-Gomes participates in beach cleanups with her local Surfrider Foundation chapter.

Committed to protecting oceans and beaches around the world, the Surfrider Foundation maintains numerous programs, including its Ocean Friendly Gardens (OFG) Program. Many individuals are unaware that water runoff is the top source of pollution in urban areas and contributes to wasting water. To combat this problem, OFG teaches property owners about how different landscapes and hardscapes play a role in preventing water pollution. OFG is a volunteer-run training and advocacy program.

The program is carried out by local chapters and applies the ideas of conservation, permeability, and retention to landscapes and streets. Rather than allowing excess water to run into the ocean, ocean-friendly gardens allow a landscape’s soil to absorb extra water. This attribute not only protects local water supplies but also reduces flooding and creates wildlife habitats. It also allows for more efficient irrigation and promotes the use of climate-appropriate plants. Over the years, these same principles have become recognized around the country as an imprtant part of the watershed approach to landscaping.