November Volunteer of the Month: Jayson Koch

Congratulations to Jayson Koch, Miami Chapter Executive Committee member, RAP Coordinator, and our November Volunteer of the Month! Miami Chapter Chair Scott Stripling writes, "Jayson joined Surfrider Miami 4 years ago and immediately focused his passion & energy on RAP. He was a quick study taking in our chapter’s existing efforts and digging in on developing a comprehensive plan to share RAP goals and initiatives with the Miami area community. Jayson quickly realized we had to go beyond consumer education and on to the business community who puts the plastic in consumers hands. Business initiatives include the US Bartending Guild initiative: “Skip the straw + hold the napkins + rinse/reuse my glass” and getting our chapter involved with the Greater Miami & Beaches Hotel Association. We are members of GMBHA now involved in their Sustainability Committee and attending networkers to bring the RAP message to business owners/operators.

He recognized the potential of  the Bag Monster and pushed us to order one … that we broke out on Ocean Drive for former Surfrider CEO Jim Moriarty’s visit in 2012, and remains a huge success and highly desired special guest in Miami. Hope you all saw the picture of Jayson, the Bag Monster & Kelly Slater.

Jayson has negotiated deals for reusable SF Miami bags which have 3 SF logos. He has also negotiated a deal with Method plastics and we now have 3 method containers to store collected ocean and coastal plastics from our cleanups.

And his most important contribution & leadership effort – lobbying local governments to reduce plastics. In the last 2 years Jayson has managed outreach to several municipalities to push plastic bag and polystyrene bans. He successfully pushed a Plastic Bag resolution in the Village of Pinecrest (his ‘hood) and leveraged Mayer Cindy Lerner into an introduction to the South Florida League of Cities. We attended their large gathering and now the Resolution efforts will gain momentum throughout South Florida! The City of Miami Beach will sign next and Surfside is on board to sign shortly!

Jayson’s persistence has made Surfrider Miami a major player in the environmental movement in south Florida!

He is presently reaching out to local state legislators to make sure a bill to overturn the current Bag Ban preemption law is passed in Spring 2015 session.

Jayson manages all these accomplishments while being a husband and raising two young sons. Naturally, Jayson has spoken at and influenced his kids' Pinecrest school to have the cafeteria go polystyrene free and promote plastic free school fairs and festivals. Recently, Jayson has received his state accredited realtors license and is an agent with EWM. Somebody give this man a CEO position! Holy cow!"

"Jayson is an inspiration! His enthusiasm and determination to reduce single use plastics in his community and in the state he loves should serve as a model to all of us! I can't wait to see what Jayson and the rest of the outstanding Miami Chapter volunteers are able to accomplish." writes Surfrider Foundation's Regional Manager Holly Parker.

Thank you, Jayson, for everything that you do to protect our oceans, waves and beaches!