16 May Crafting Better Surfboards for Surfers and the Environment

When you think of surfing, chances are you picture an untrammeled, idyllic beach scene, with surfers coasting down waves just off the shore. For many surfers, the very act of surfing is associated with a connection to the ocean and nature itself.

It’s ironic, then, that the only object you need to surf—the surfboard—is a fragile thing made from petrochemical derivatives. For serious surfers, most boards last an average of six months to a year before they break or lose their spring. At that point, they end up either in the landfill or in the ocean itself, where they release toxic volatile organic compounds into the environment for years to come.