If your local beach spot is spic and span, Mother Nature probably had some help. If you're surfing in L.A. and Malibu, that help is named Lindsey Jurca, the Education Chair for the Los Angeles/Malibu Surfrider Chapter and front-runner in the fight against water pollution in some of the nation's most beautiful ocean landscapes. Lindsey runs Teach & Test, a global program implemented by Surfrider to help educate surfers and citizens in L.A. about the safety of their local water supply, teaching area kids how to personally test their local beaches. Putting these practices to good use, they then report their results back to nearby surf shops, increasing the likelihood that in the event of an unsanitary water condition that could affect surfers and beach-goers alike, Malibu residents will be more likely to be informed on the dangers of unsafe water.

Although Lindsey roots don’t stem from Cali shores, she moved to Venice Beach to fully absorb the Los Angeles beach culture at a young age. However, it wasn't until Lindsey was personally sickened by the same waters she loved so much that she realized it was her responsibility to keep them clean.

"Not only was the sand covered in plastic trash, but the water was full of oil, bacteria and who knows what else, and it was all oozing its way down through the glitz and glam of Los Angeles. I thought to myself, 'If I can't enjoy the beach the way I used to 10 years ago, my children will have to go swimming in hazmat suit!' I knew I had to do something and that's how I got involved with Surfrider."

But how do you get the citizens of a forever-bustling city like Los Angeles to care about the same oceans they take advantage of everyday? Go straight to the source and educate the city from the ground up, starting with area schoolchildren.

"The biggest problem in Los Angeles is that the majority of people have no clue where their water is coming from and where it goes when they're done with it," says Jurca. "This generation of youth really understands the importance of preserving the little bit of environment they have left. They are smart, they are passionate and they are a force to be reckoned with."

The Surfrider Foundation continues to lead Lindsey in new directions in her protection of these precious beaches, leading her to collaborate with other Surfrider chapters with the Rise Above Plastics Student Speaker Series- a hands-on approach to educate area residents on the negative environmental impacts that disposable plastics have in our society and our beaches. The group has done their fair share to involve all areas of consumerism and consumption- even consulting with IKEA and Google as to the steps they too can take to assist in a cleaner future for beaches everywhere.

"I love Surfrider because it is a global organization that is 100% volunteer driven. Everyday people that work jobs and still give time to fight for what the love. The organization does a great job of mobilizing masses around the world by giving people the tools to make a real difference in their local communities. They are great at connecting people."

When she is not fighting for the cleanliness of Malibu's most prized beaches, Lindsey enjoys running and yoga, traveling to far-away beaches, and thinking to the future of what she can do for the Surfrider Organization.

Join your local Surfrider chapter here.