Jason Self is much sought-after man in the outdoor industry. He is a buyer for one of the premier kayaking shops in the country,
Alder Creek of Portland, Oregon. He could spend his days boating and being doted upon by paddlesports' biggest manufacturers. Instead, he's partnered with two of his paddling buddies and is putting words to action on behalf of rivers, lakes and oceans.
In late 2010, Jason, Shay Bickley and Chris Bensch founded
"Out of Sight, Out of Mind" (OSOM), of which
Ibex is a proud sponsor. The mission of OSOM is to "promote the intrinsic and ecological importance of the world's oceans." In the year and a half the organization has been active, Jason estimates that supporters have gathered over 10,000-lbs of trash from rivers, lakes and oceans around the world. That's the equivalent of about one elephant or two Toyota Tacomas with about 1,000-lbs in each bed.
Copyright: OSOMOSOM will set off on its first "official" expedition this May. The "Portland to the Ocean Trashpedition" will kick off on May 6, as the first of several planned cleanup and awareness-raising trips about the health of our waterways.
Ibex recently caught up with Jason, to ask about the upcoming expedition, OSOM, and the grossest things he's found floating in rivers.
Ibex Question (IQ): You've been kayaking and kayak fishing a long time. Was there a specific event that became a call to action to form OSOM? Jason's Answer (JA): We've all three been kayaking for about 10 years. We boat whitewater at the top of the watershed; we spend a lot of time guiding and teaching on the lower river sections; and we fish and surf at the coast. This is important because we are engaged with our watersheds from the top to the bottom and we see what's happening through the entire system. This is how it all began. Everywhere we've boated, we've found trash.
The BP spill in the Gulf drew a line in the sand for us. Our initial outrage at the whole fiasco subsided, and we began to think about the root of the problem. We realized that most people don't see what we see as paddlers. We move slowly and travel at a walking pace. We see the wildlife and have many close encounters. We also see the trash that people dump and the impacts industry and development have.
What a river or watershed means to most is different than what it means to us. To non-water people, a river is just a river. But because we spend most of our lives on and in the water, it's much more to us. It's our livelihood; it's our recreation; it's our way of life. So we set out on a mission to show people what we see, how we view a watershed, and the value it has for us and others not only intrinsically, but ecologically as well. We realize it's easy to complain, and hard to take action, and most of the things that trouble us we can't really affect much.
There are so many complex problems facing the world's waterways that it's overwhelming and stifling. [All] we can really do to see an instant change is pick up trash when we see it. It's easy, it costs no money, and requires no logistics. So we decided to commit to picking up every piece of plastic litter we see while paddling, and set about inspiring others to do the same.
IQ: Do you have any statistics or personal stories about the quantities and/or types of trash in the oceans/waterways that can shed light on what an enormous problem this is? JA: Plastic is the biggest problem. There are five main gyres through out the world's oceans. These are vortex currents that collect debris much like a swirling toilet bowl. The Pacific Gyres have received the most study. According to a 2001 study by
5 Gyres Institute, 316,800 pieces of plastic per square kilometer were found. In the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" (Pacific gyre) plastic is estimated to cover an area larger than the state of Texas. The plastic collected in the gyres comes from jettisons from shipping & fishing vessels, as well as the storm drain in your town.
IQ: There are two "arms" of OSOM. First, the Never-ending Cleanup Contest engages all boaters to clean up their backyard waterways. What's the response been like? JA: The response to our cleanup contest has been amazing. We've had over 100 submissions from people all over the world. The U.S., Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, England, Sweden....it's been bigger than we ever imagined. We estimate that the submissions to our contest so far total over 10,000 lbs in trash removed from waterways with no end in sight.
IQ: Then, you, Shay and Chris are planning several awareness expeditions and multi-day cleanups. Have you found community support or resistance? JA: The support from the paddling community, and really outdoor enthusiasts in general, has been incredible. Winners of our cleanup contest have turned around and contributed prizes. Every day we get a note or letter of encouragement from people we've never met. The outdoor industry has rallied behind us as well. We asked our fans to help us raise the funds for camera equipment and expedition costs, and within two weeks they made it happen. We are totally and utterly awestruck by the level of support people have given our project.
Copyright: OSOMIQ: What's the weirdest thing you've found during a cleanup?JA: We've found a few floating TV's, and last year during a flood on the Columbia River, there was an entire barn floating down the river. We had to call in the Sheriff to remove that one, it was a little big for the deck of a kayak.
IQ: What's the grossest thing you've found during a cleanup?JA: Man I'm still trying to forget it, but I found a plastic bag full of used heroin syringes and needles.
IQ: What's the coolest or most valuable thing found during a cleanup?JA: We found a fiberglass sea kayak worth about $3300! We posted ads etc. to find the owner, but no one ever claimed it.
IQ: Tell us about the "Portland to the Ocean Trashpedition" (May 6-10, 2012).JA: Every spring the Columbia River floods with rain and snow melt, which pushes an incredible amount of trash into the river. This is the river that literally flows through our backyards, and it seemed logical to us to address our own problems before we move on to other regions. It also gives us a well defined opportunity to show people that the plastic water bottle you bought, threw in the trash, which then blew out and into the storm drain makes it's way all the way down the river, to the ocean, and into the gyres. It's also the most financially feasible way for us to start, as we don't have to travel to get there!
IQ: You'll be dragging canoes behind your kayaks to carry the trash you collect. How many will you take and do you expect to fill them? JA: The river conditions are actually going to determine how many garbage canoes we take. Right now the plan is to roll with one for safety's sake, because the river is flooding. This changes the plan a bit [ed. note: originally, they planned to take three canoes], as we expect to fill the one canoe each day easy, so we'll most likely be stopping in towns on the river along the way to dispose of the load properly. The canoe we are taking is 16ft x 35in. and has a capacity of 750 lbs.
[Ed. note: The trip is estimated to last four to five days, which will means they will collect 3000 - 3750-lbs of trash!]
IQ: How can we follow your progress?JA: We will be posting daily updates and photos during our trip to our Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/gulfkayak. (The blog & website are under development and won't be ready in time.)
IQ: For this expedition and for the overall goal of OSOM, how can individuals help and/or contribute?JA: Pick up trash when you see it and dispose of it properly! Tell your friends about our project and cleanup contest, "like" us on Facebook, and share our page with your friends. Join us for one of our local paddle cleanup tours. We're definitely scrambling to raise funds for our upcoming Trashpeditions (Summer 2012 San Juan Islands, Fall 2012 Kitimat BC/inside passage, Winter 2012 Gulf of Mexico) If you are an individual blessed with an abundance of money, don't hesitate to make a monetary contribution here:
https://www.facebook.com/gulfkayak/app_310405725647279.
IQ: We've arrived at the shameless promotion portion of the interview. Do tell, what's your favorite Ibex piece for kayaking and saving the oceans?JA: I'm a huge fan of the
Woolies base layers. A multi-day kayak trip in a dry suit can make for some serious funk. The antimicrobial properties of wool definitely help me tolerate my own smell after a week in a dry suit. This also helps keep down the amount of clothes I take on a long trip, and leaves more room in my kayak for the important stuff like beer and candy bars.
IQ: How do you feel wool compares to synthetic fabrics for water sports ~ like paddling in the Pacific NW?JA: I personally feel like I can better regulate my temperature with wool vs. synthetic, which is huge on the days when the air is warm, the water is cold, and I'm stuck in a dry suit. Wool also feels much better against my skin vs. synthetics, and its resistance to odor is unbeatable!
Ibex: Jason, thanks for your time and for your devotion (extended to Shay, Chris and everyone else out there cleaning up their own backyards for the greater good). We like to say that movement and outdoor play are critical to our very existences: our bodies and our sanity. But, ultimately, we're extremely lucky that we have the luxury to partake. You and the rest of the OSOM team remind us to not take this privilege for granted and to give back so that others may enjoy the same.
Additional resources:
Kayak Angler by Jason SelfOut of Sight, Out of Mind
Better than flowers and chocolates...well, at least better than flowers and will last longer than chocolates
"Easter Island"
Buy at 
Buy at 
Ibex-Sponsored Climber Staking Ground Among World's Best (...though he'd never be the one to tell you that)
