As surfers we depend on and immerse ourselves in nature every chance we get. It only makes sense, then, to pay attention to the environment and how we affect it. Although there’s a long way to go before everyone’s riding a low impact surfboard, sustainability in surf culture is starting to take root. New innovations are cropping up all over the place. From recycled materials made from plastic pollution in the ocean to rethinking and relabeling standard approaches to surfboard design, things are progressing. Below are five eco friendly alternatives for those seeking to make a change.
1. The Ecoboard ProjectÂ
According to Sustainable Surf’s website, “The ECOBOARD Project is an ambitious social transformation program, which educates and engages individuals about the environmental impacts of their lifestyle through the lens of their board.” The project does this in part by verifying and certifying surfboards that are being made with minimal amounts of toxic materials. As an independent third party, they’re able to objectively assess and label boards to make things easier on consumers. All you have to do is look for surfboards labeled by Sustainable Surf as either Level 1, or Gold Level. For a complete description of the criteria Sustainable Surf uses go to this website, or for further inspiration watch the video below featuring Alex Gray.
2. Pop The Cork
Cork is a promising material in this realm for many reasons. It reduces dependency on petroleum based foams and polyester resins, does not ding as easily as some traditional materials, and eliminates the need to continually reapply wax. Cork is currently being used to make a wide variety of boards – from beginner foamie style craft to higher performance shapes. Go to the Notox website to learn about Korko surfboards or watch the video below to see Mason Ho getting loose on a cork composite rendition by Matt Biolos and …Lost.
3. Upcycled Old Boards
Upcycling speaks for itself. Rebuilding older boards involves breathing life into materials otherwise slated for the landfill. As portrayed in the short edit below from Estudio Indigo, it’s a creative resourceful process with endless potential to make a positive impact.
4. Wood Is Good
The original surfboards were made by hand from wood. Going back to our roots in this sense offers the possibility of reducing dependency on less environmentally friendly materials. When done right, building surfboards from wood can also result in aesthetically gratifying and high performing outcomes. Watch the video below to see one take on how it can be done. Also click on this site to check out some masterpieces by Danny Hess.
5. Grow It With Algae
Surfboard blanks have traditionally been made from petroleum based materials. While fashioning products from petroleum involves the abstraction of a finite resource that took millions of years to develop, deriving blanks from algae might be a viable and more sustainable shortcut. Check out the short the video below from UCSD to learn more about how algae is being cultivated and used to make high quality foam.
Regardless of the path you take towards reducing your footprint on the environment, each step forward is positive. Fortunately the options for improvement are endless and exciting. All it requires is a willingness to progress and a thoughtful approach towards what you’re already doing – paddling out and indulging in nature.
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featured image from: Boardshop.co.uk