Thought Patterns
by Emanuel
August 12, 2007 at 13:38
filed under skate+snow+surf
Remember the closing of Clark foam two years ago? Initially referred to by the surf industry as its own Black Monday, it might have paved the way for what some US mainstream news outlets are calling the next big wave in surfing: biofoam boards. These blanks are made by Homeblown US, a small 6 person manufacturer based in San Diego, originating from the UK based company of the same name. This later site provides more information with regards to their products, such as this environmental stance:
Homeblown has always had the environmental impact of our product as one of our primary considerations. Unfortunately surfers are creatures of habit and demand a white blank; if they would use straw-coloured blanks (light brown), the benefits would be a 25% increase in strength and the cost would tumble by a similar amount.
So the best of options had to be dropped and we had to console ourselves with a chemistry that mimics the best characteristics of our competitors, without breaching too fundamentally our environmental concerns in a tortuous balance of the environment and commerce, which is where we currently stand.
But basically there’s no way to justify the impact a surfboard has on the environment. The whole process has to move on; it has to be market led which puts the onus on pro surfers to demand more of the materials in their boards and reject the disposable board mentality.
My understanding is that currently 50% of the blank is made from plant resins, with the petroleum-based polyol being replaced with organic and domestic soy polyol, which according to some results produces 36% less global warming emissions and a 61% reduction in non-renewable energy use. WetSand is keeping tabs on the evolution of this blank technology.
Channel Islands and Patagonia are exploring with this environmentally responsible alternative and let us hope that surfers will find the solution to lessen our impact on the planet, keeping our oceans clean and healthy for future generations.
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lofo
hey, sport polution? try GoreTex and the like…
PTFE (teflon) ,laminated to any fabric. Outdoor clothing that ecologist, environmentalist, nature film makers, whales protectors, do wear…
Yes, if I recall correctly, it takes about 200,000 years for the PTFE to start its degradation process, foam for shaping surfboard is a little part of polution. Funny thing is that all ‘granola’ or enviro freaks do all wear goretex fabric on TV to protect wildlife hahaha ou est la bonne vieille chemise carotée en lainage !
lofo.