More than 1% for the Planet

Every year we donate 1% of our profits to NGOs to help them protect our planet and fight for a fairer society.

It is with great pride that Future Eco Surf School chose SOMAR (Marine and Bioacoustics Conservation Association) as one of the destinations for our annual donations from the 1% for the Planet network.

Who is SOMAR

SOMAR is a non-profit association founded in 2020 in Lagos (Portugal). Since its inception, the organization has carried out various environmental awareness actions in the Algarve, many of them with the support of municipalities and in collaboration with various public and private entities.

It stands out for being a pioneer in Portugal in the use of sound as the main environmental education tool for marine conservation. The main objective of the association is to share scientific content in accessible language so that ocean literacy can reach all audiences and environments, bringing harmony between human activities and the ocean and, thus, a bluer ocean!

Why did we choose SOMAR

The ocean is essential for human life in its various aspects: climate regulation, oxygen production, food production and transportation, among many others. Being aware of these relationships and how each person, as an individual and as a society, interacts with the ocean is fundamental for the improvement of all ecosystems on the planet.

Environmental noise, especially in aquatic environments, is a topic rarely addressed in environmental education programs. Sound in the ocean is essential for all marine life, specifically for cetaceans (whales and dolphins), it is vital for their survival, since they use sound in all spheres of their lives: communication, food, socialization, reproduction and navigation. In addition to the many threats currently faced by marine organisms (habitat loss, pollution, global warming, overfishing, etc.), noise pollution is an increasingly significant threat.

Each year, the association creates more activities, events and partnerships, enabling an ever-increasing reach of the public and, thus, advancing towards SOMAR’s mission: to reach all levels of society with environmental education, all together for a cleaner ocean and a better world.

SOMAR is part of the 1% for the Planet network as an Environmental Partner, a global network of companies, individuals and environmental organizations tackling our planet’s most pressing environmental problems.